Comprised of Leyla's long-time students, Leyla formed performing troupe Lapis Lazuli in 2004. The stone lapis lazuli is a deep blue/indigo colored precious gem and stands as a symbol of peace, unity and friendship around the world; the diversity of the group being one of their proudest attributes. Focused on presenting more folkloric forms of Eastern dance with quality, integrity and allegiance to custom, Leyla & Lapis Lazuli can be seen in performance around the Toledo area, including The Old West End Festival, Artomatic 419, The Ann Arbor Art Festival, The Toledo Museum of Art and The St. George Middle Eastern American Festival, among others.