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Alfredo
Alfredo has been performing sword dance along with his "Danse Orientale" ("belly dance") since 1982 , when he won the professional category in a dance contest with it, when it had only been two years since he had begun taking dance classes.
Since that time, he has added in dances from Iran, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and some from North Africa to his repertoire. When he teaches, he shows students how to bring in bits of those stylizations into one's Orientale (belly dance) to add more excitement, drama, expression and posture into one's dance. He extends this into his sword dance and teaching of it for more drama, style and flair.
In this class we will focus on balance, stylings, and more of how to use a sword (or any prop) as an extension of one's own body. Variations will be presented such as dancing to slow or fast music, and how to have one's sword dance look as "masculine" or as "feminine" as one desires. Be prepared for a fun and enlightening class!
Please bring your own swords, or other balancing objects as many of the skills learned in this class can apply to balancing other items... Loaners may be available...
Ariellah
Ariellah is a modern international belly dance performer and instructor. She has an extensive dance background that includes strict classical ballet training for 12 years with the Royal Academy of Dance from London. She has studied and performed belly dance since 2001, commencing her training with Janine Ryle of Danse Mahgreb and as a founding member of The Indigo with Rachel Brice. Most recently, in 2009, Ariellah began training in classical Indian Odissi dance, studying in India at the Shakti School of Dance. Her style infuses many genres of dance, all with a modern dark flavour that is uniquely her own. She is featured on the first of its kind "Gothic BellyDance" DVD and also released her first instructional DVD, with plans for volume two up and coming.
Web: www.ariellah.com
Fahtiem
Web: www.Fahtiem.com
Phone: 626-810-9470
Leila HaddadParis (France) based, choreographer, dancer and teacher in Oriental dances, (sharqi, baladi, saidi etc...) and in North African dances (Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco), teaches and performs all over the world in theaters, works on the rehabilitation and recognition of this art form. Classes are given in english, italian, arabic or french.
Web: Phone: 011-33-1-43-56-61-64
NahedaLudwigsstadt, Germany.Master instructor and choreographer for oriental dance... international award winner and event producer, Naheda does it all. Naheda has been active for many years teaching workshops and performing internationally. Naheda has a tremendous amount of knowledge and is a wonderful communicator of the dance. Her tremendous creativity inspires her students to find the special and exceptional in themselves.
Web: www.naheda.de
Reyna AlcalaReyna Alcala, dancer, choreographer, teacher was introduced to Middle Eastern Dance (Belly Dance) while she was in high school by the renown Jamila Salimpour and performed in her dance troupe Bal Anat. She also studied and performed for ten years Flamenco with the Spanish gypsy Rosa Montoya's, as well as numerous Spanish dance teachers in Spain. Her ability to enhance one dance form with knowledge of the other sets her apart in the Middle Eastern dance world. Reyna is proud to have been a member of the legendary Ibrahim Farrah Near East Dance Company with whom she performed at Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall and the Merkin Theater. She studied with Mr. Farrah for over a decade. In the original production of Franco Zeffirelli's Carmen, Reyna performed at the Metropolitan Opera House. Her command of both Middle Eastern and Flamenco/Spanish dance forms was evident in the revival of Man of La Mancha at the Paper Mill Playhouse.
Web: www.reynalive.com
Phone: 212-533-5665
Saqra
Saqra (Seattle) is an international instructor & performer, festival producer, vendor, musician, and researcher. Her award-winning choreographies as both a soloist and director of three different dance troupes has led to a long catalog of instructional DVDs available for home study. Saqra is a powerful dance artist and a master instructor. Her fluidity, grace, and technical skill is highlighted by her friendly demeanor and clear joy of the dance. She did not inherit the diva gene and is often heard to say "the day this stops being fun is the day I quit."
Saqra began her Middle Eastern Dance journey in 1977 and travels extensively
Web: www.Saqra.net Phone: 253-813-8580
Seba
Seba is the Troupe Director of WildCard BellyDance. WildCard BellyDance is a professional troupe of Tribal Style belly dancers based in Sonoma County California. We are a diverse group of women who have come together for the love of the dance. While inspired by and firmly rooted in ATS® , WildCard BellyDance has developed their own unique stylization and combinations, a blended format of the old and the new. WildCard BellyDance offers weekly classes, travels throughout the nation teaching workshops, and are sought-after performers. www.wildcardbellydance.com
Web: www.wildcardbellydance.com
Sharon Kihara
Known the world over as one of the pioneering forces in the field of Tribal Fusion belly dance, Sharon Kihara is regarded as one of the most seasoned and well-traveled artists in the genre. She is both a dance and yoga teacher, 200 RYT certified by Yoga Alliance.
Sharon began her training at three, beginning the way most dancers begin, at the ballet barre. Jazz, Tap and Congolese would follow soon after, and by the age of ten, Sharon stumbled upon a treasure- a belly dance performance featuring the world renowned dancers Aziza and Yemaya, and it was indeed life changing. Belly dance became a life obsession, and at age 13, Sharon did her first performance. Later she pursued degrees in choreography and kinesiology in tandem with holistic medicine, and performed regularly with her university ‘s repertory contemporary dance company.
Sharon’s education in belly dance has been eclectic, beginning with the legendary Samara, niece of Ruth St Denis, in Oregon in 1994; later in San Francisco with Jill Parker, where she became a member of Ultra Gypsy, one of the foremost innovating companies in the world of Tribal Fusion.; later Sharon studied immersively with Suhaila Salimpour, appreciating the level of intensity in this format. Other notable and influential teachers include Jillina, Aziza, and Frederique David.
In late 2003, at the behest of friend Rachel Brice, Sharon was scouted to perform with the pioneering dance company Bellydance Superstars, created by music mogul and svengali Miles Copeland. Sharon spent over five years on tour as Tribal director, soloist, and choreographer. After leaving the tour to pursue new dreams, she was recruited by Jillina to dance as a principal and choreographer in the unique and critically acclaimed new touring production, Bellydance Evolution. Sharon is in the rare position of being the only Tribal dancer to have been featured as a Principal in two of the world’s most distinct international touring belly dance companies
So far, Sharon has performed for and taught tens of thousands of students in over 50 countries. She has appeared on numerous television shows and music videos worldwide, and has been featured in radio and media in countless countries, as well as several Bellydance Superstars and Bellydance Evolution DVDs.
In 2009 Sharon relocated to Berlin, Germany, and created the first comprehensive Tribal cross-training program in Germany, focusing on Tribal Fusion belly dance, folkloric Oriental styles, Classical Ballet, Ankoku Butoh, and Yoga.
Sharon is happily residing in beautiful Portland, Oregon. When not dancing and traveling the world, Sharon volunteers at Equine rescue and rehab centers, tromps through forests, conducts research in all things fascinating, reads cards, throws bones, and practices and teaches yoga and dance.
Web: www.sharonkihara.com
Suhaila Salimpour
Suhaila Salimpour is the world's most sought-after performer, teacher, and choreographer of belly dance. A second-generation belly dancer, Suhaila has developed a format combining her heritage with classical dance training. After being the first Belly Dancer featured by Arab American Television, Suhaila toured the Middle East and Europe. She returned to the US to open her school - offering the first and most extensive Certification program available in Belly Dance. In 2005, she produced Sheherezade, a full theatre belly dance production; and in 2009, she launched Online Classes www.SalimpourSchoolOnline.com, offering over 100 classes monthly. Her organization, Suhaila International, produces workshops, music CDs, instructional materials and dance wear.
Email: Web: SalimpourSchool.com Phone: 510-527-2400
Susu Pampanin & TerriAnne Gutierrez
Susu Pampanin started playing Arabic drum at the age of 12 and has grown to become a respected musician in the genre of Arabic music. Her first album, “Susu and the Cairo Cats, Dancing Drums, was released in 1990, followed by “Susu Pampanin, Hands of Time” in 2001. In 2013 she travelled to Egypt where she recorded with an all Egyptian ensemble and just released a new album, " Nostalgia, Susu and the Cairo Cats with Safaa Farid. Besides teaching, she also performs with the Arabic musical and singing ensemble, ASWAT, Georges Lammam's Band and the Pasha Band.
TerriAnne Gutierrez, well known Belly Dancer in the San Francisco Bay Area, has had the honor of being a featured dancer at some of the top Middle Eastern clubs in the San Francisco, such as Marrakesh, Amira, Aziza, and Pasha, as well as performing for the local Arab community at their weddings, parties and special events. She is a popular teacher of dance, presenting workshops at, Tribal Fest (California), Tribal Fusion Faire (California), Winter Moon (California), North Bay Belly Dance Bazaar (California), Rakkasah (California), Ya Halla Y’all (Texas) El Paso Fest, (Texas), Arte Central (Guatemala City, Guatemala), The Casa Santo Domingo ( Antigua, Guatemala), The Punta Cana Resort (Domingcan Republic), and San Lo’ Studios, (Rome, Italy) ... to name a few.
TerriAnne is the director of award winning, international dance company, Troupe Joweh R.A.W. who has been voted, “Best Performing Dance Company”, (Sonoma County) for the last three years in a row.
Tim Bolling
Based in the San Francisco bay area, Tim Bolling is a percussionist and drum set player who has played diverse musical styles across North America. He is known as a “dancer’s drummer” for his focus on playing to a dancer’s particular style and ability, and has played for top belly dancers and dance events in California for almost 20 years. Tim enjoys teaching music and drumming workshops for both drummers and dancers, as well as playing for dance classes. He has studied with Mary Ellen Donald, Glen Velez, Susu Pampanin, and Reda Darwish. Prominent dance artists Tim has played with include Solace, RebbeSoul, Tim Rayborn, Suhaila Salimpour’s Bal Anat, Flowers of the Nile, Jallaledin Takesh, and Cascada. Tim currently enjoys playing with the talented Light Rain, Pangia, Al’Azifoon, Silk Road Caravan, Paul Ohanesian, Nader Shahin, and Var Daghdevirian.
Web: www.timbolling.com Phone: 510-706-3085