BIOS OF THE INSTRUCTORS AND SHOW PERFORMERS
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OUR WORKSHOP PRESENTER: Master instructor and choreographer for oriental dance... international award winner and event producer, Naheda does it all. Naheda was born in Turkey and has studied extensively with master oriental dancers from Turkey, Egypt and Europe. She is also one of the former dance partners of Egyptian-born Momo Kadous, a long time performer and legend in Oriental dance. Naheda has been active for many years teaching workshops and performing internationally. She came to Saqra's attention when she was an instructor at the USA's Rakkasah festival (arguably the largest oriental dance festival in the world). Naheda had been asked to teach at Rakkasah after getting several standing ovations for her performances in several years, including a standing ovation for an incredible performance titled "Naheda's Storm" that proved her to be both an innovator and an expert technician in Oriental dance. 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. Do not miss this amazingly dynamic award-winning international performer or the chance to study with one of the best. PERFORMERS: SAQRA - Seattle, WA 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. Saqra's ongoing participation and education in this dance form began in 1977 and has taken her to learn with many of the best dancers in the world, studying in America, Canada, Turkey and Egypt. Nationally and internationally in demand as both instructor and performer, Saqra has been repeatedly incredibly honored to be a frequent featured performer and instructor at the largest belly dance festival in America: Rakkasah West (annual March - Richmond, CA), a frequent featured performer and instructor at Rakkasah East (annual Oct - Somerset, NJ), and has taught and performed at many other premium long-running annual events including the legendary Morocco's Weeklong Retreats (NY), Amaya's Shake-and-Bake (NM), MEDA's Annual Gala (Canada), Shireem's Shimmy By The Sea (TX) and Shireem's Shimmy At Sea (the Caribbean), Jareeda Magazine/Mezdulene's Retreat (OR), Wiggles Of The West Competition (NV) and many, many more. Several troupes in North America have received grants to intensively study with Saqra. 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 master instructor whose video series is often used by other instructors to enhance their teaching techniques. Her clear method of breakdown and explanation and use of layered concepts make her workshops a challenge to all levels and an inspiring experience, without making them impossible for the newer dancer! Saqra has a firm belief that every dancer has their own natural and achieved style and that no dancer should be required to copy someone else exactly. She believes that there is a freedom in as natural a dance form as Oriental dance that should allow the blooming of the personal style and spirit of the dancer, and she approaches instructing with a genuine love for the individual student. She has produced hypnosis CDs for stage fright and for ease of remembering choreograpy and expects to release more in the future. Saqra has placed or won in a stunning number of competitions beginning in 1988 – titles really too numerous to list — but she has stopped competing since 2001 due to her extensive and wildly increasing teaching/travel schedule, her event production schedule (an over 18 year old annual festival: Showcase in OR, and over 6 year old "Bootcamp" Retreat in Seattle), her constantly increasing instructional DVD series shooting schedule, and with the 2002 creation of her dance band: Mediterranean RaqsBand -- she plays lead melodic on the keyboard, and yes, CDs are available along with musical notation for keyboard players. SAQRA'S RAQS EL SEHR SHAMAL - Kent, WA ZORBA the VEILED MALE - CA In early 1996 Greek dance caught the attention of Zorba and his wife. They joined The Greek Village Dancers of the Monterey Peninsula, starting to perform with them after a two year apprenticeship. With a long music and now dance performance history, it was only natural when, upon seeing a Belly Dancer, that he would become interested in this ancient art form. Under the tutelage of Janette Benedon-Brenner, Jamaica Sinclair, and many other teachers and workshop instructors; he has evolved his dance art to a very high level. Even as rare as male Belly Dance artists are, Zorba is forging a unique place among them as he specializes in veil dancing, both single and double, and possesses a very smooth, graceful, and flowing dance style that is generally not seen among his male peers. Owner of BOTH of the legendary Nadia Gamal's two dance canes, Zorba also loves to dance the Raks Assaya, the traditional Middle Eastern cane dance. He also specializes in the awesome Raks Al Shemadan, the traditional Egyptian Candelabrum dance. ZAINA HART - Vancouver, WA DAHLIA MOON - Seattle, WA NADIRA - Seattle, WA Nadira began her journey as a performer at the early age of six. She has studied many forms of dance from ballet to hip hop to jazz. Since being introduced to Middle Eastern dance in 1999, Nadira has become an accomplished performer, instructor and choreographer. As testament to her expanding dance repertoire, she has laid claim to five national titles, performs and instructs throughout the US and recently returned from a performance tour in Turkey. www.nadira.com Y'CHESSA DAHLI DANCE TROUPE - Renton, WA HASANI - Gig Harbor, WA DESERT SILK DANCE CO. - Spokane, WA MORE TO BE ADDED.......
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