Rakkasah - Belly Dance Festival and Fantasy Bazaar

Rakkasah East 2016 Instructors
Aneena
Aneena has been dancing for 30+ years and teaching workshops all across the US for 25+ years. Aneena owns Aneena's Silk Veils, selling 3yd., circular silk veils with the special rolled edge for easier handling. And she has 10+ videos and DVDs on the market including her specialties: Double Veil, Single Veil, Props, and Arms & Hands.

Web: www.dancersofthedesert.shutterfly.com Phone: 415-892-2027

Angelique

Angelique was introduced to bellydance in 1997. Her love for the dance brought her into the classrooms of many of the world's top instructors, her respect for the dance brought her to the Salimpour School of Dance. She is Level 5 certified in the SSBD format, and is a 2016 JSBD Level 4 candidate. Angelique specializes in a Salimpour approach to Modern Egyptian dance.

Performing professionally for years, Angelique has worked weddings, restaurants, festivals, workshops and Gala Shows. She was a featured soloist in Stacey Lizette's Theatrical production "The Color Project” in Austin, Texas. She choreographed an innovative group number as the "Cheetah's" in Venus Uprising's Theatre production of "The Zoo", and has been a guest dancer in the Bal Anat dance company. In the Fall of 2013, she released her first instructional DVD, "Bellydance Layers: Advanced Drills and Choreography".

Prior to her studies in Bellydance, Angelique held a Black belt in Wing Chun Kung-Fu as well as Ishin-Ryu Karate. Her history in Martial Arts helps her understand body line, energy transfer and has given her a strong work ethic as a student, teacher and dancer.

Email: Web: http://www.angeliquebellydance.com

Casey Bond

"Bringing the doum to the room!"

Casey Bond really knows how to have fun with a drum! As a long-time member of some of the best belly dance bands in NYC, Casey has become a favorite percussionist of novice belly dancers and seasoned professionals alike! Currently performing on bass doumbek, doumbek, riqq and frame drum with: Scott Wilson & Efendi, Carmine & Friends, (lead by Carmine T. Guida), Daniel Elias Ladino Ensemble and The Scheherazade Project. Proud to 'sit in" with wonderful bands like Pangia, The Fez Tones and Dragon Song. Featured on Scott Wilson & Efendi's latest CD "Live from JeBon" -listen to samples at www.cdbaby.com/scottwilson3

Stage/festival credits include: Rakkasah East, Spring Caravan. Brooklyn Academy of Music BAM Cafe, Golden Fest, NEATS (North East American Tribal Style) Camp;Baltimore Rhythm Festival, Cirque Arabesesque, Festival of the East at Adelphi University, BellyRhythm (NJ), Maryland Fairy Festival, Tribal Bonfire, Beltane in the Park, Night of 1,000 Goddesses,The Cloisters Medieval Fair, Le Poisson Rouge, Lafayette Grill, Cafe Figaro, New Deal Cafe (VA), Sahara's and JeBon.

Casey's unique teaching method, "no frills percussion" is ideal for beginning drummers and drum-curious dancers. Workshops for dancers like "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Drum Solo?" and "Secrets of a Bass Doumbek Player" have helped many dancers transition from CDs to dancing to live music. Her Tuesday night "Rhythms for Dancers and Drummers" class at the Harem Belly Dance Studio in Baldwin LI is solidly into it's seventh year. Contact Aviva Khadara at 516-623-2196 for more info about classes and Casey's student drum group "Raq Steady."

Email: Web: nofrillspercussion.shutterfly.com

Chadia

Chadia is a choreographer, performer and instructor from Northern, NJ for over 25 years. She is trained in Classical Egyptian Dance by top Middle Eastern dance artists in NYC and Egypt and incorporates her own fun and innovative style into her dance.

Chadia has performed as a soloist in various Middle Eastern Restaurants in NYC and NJ, has taught many workshops throughout the years for the Belly Dance community in NY, NJ, Boston, Baltimore and Delaware.

Chadia is Director of 2 troupes: Chadia and the Caravan Dancers, and Chadian & The Goddess Caravan.

Chadia’s love and enthusiasm for Belly Dance are evident in her classes and encourages women from all walks of life to discover their Goddess within!

Email: Web: www.chadiasdanceproductions.com

Fahtiem

Fahtiem is a Multi-Award Winning Choreographer, Master Instructor, and International Superstar Performer, highly renowned in the world of Middle Eastern Dance, for her magical style and elegance. Fahtiem has many publication, T.V. and video credits. She is the director and choreographer of the Sultan�s Delites. She produces and is the director of an annual, convention and highly acclaimed stage production �Oasis Dance Magic�. Fahtiem has produced 5 CDs: in which she does the vocals. Fahtiem�s new DVD series �BellyDance Bootcamp with Fahtiem� is shaping up the dance world! Listed in International Who�s Who of Professional & Business Women, she is highly recognized in her field. Some of her awards include: International Cultural Diploma of Honor, Woman of the Year . The International Academy of Middle Eastern Dance awards: Dancer of the Year, Entertainer of the Year, Nominated, Choreographer of the Year, Teacher of the Year. Dance Magazine awards: Teacher of the Year, Dancer of the Year. American Academy of Middle Eastern Dance (New York) award: Hall of Fame-Lifetime Achievement, MECDA Hall of Fame.

Fahtiem is in great demand traveling extensively worldwide sharing her vast knowledge and passion for this beautiful art form while maintaining a full teaching schedule in Los Angeles Ca. including collage level dance courses. Fahtiem has been honored to teach and perform globally throughout her career, including Egypt at Ahlan Wa Sahlan Festival,China,UK,Belgium just to name a few.

Web: www.Fahtiem.com Phone: 626-810-9470

Fatima Al Wahid
Fatima is a prominent Middle Eastern Dance instructor, sponsor and vendor. Born In Africa, Fatima has always had the dance in her heart, being introduced to the dance by her father's native home, the Sudan. After over 20 years in the medical field, Fatima retired and decided to teach, travel and vend. She planted her feet in Sacramento and opened Fatima's Bazaar & Cultural Dance Studio. Fatima travels the world teaching and vending, and manages to spread heartfelt feeling for the dance wherever she goes.

Web: www.FatimasBazaar.com Phone: 916-482-3568

Jamilla al Wahid

At the age of 8 Jamilla began to learn Middle Eastern Dance from her mother Fatima as well as taking classes from various Instructors throughout the U.S and abroad. For the past 27 years Jamilla's knowledge of Middle Eastern Dance, music, interpretation and specific concentration in Classical Egyptian has her in demand due to her extensive training and style of teaching. At the age of 16 she performed professionally at events and showcases. Her growing interest in Jazz, African, Modern and Hip Hop dance forms lead her in 1995 to obtain a AFAA Certification to teach at various gyms in the Sacramento area as well as her mother's Cultural Dance Studio.

In 1997 Jamilla acquired her Certification in Massage Therapy as well as a Esthetics' License in 2000. As a Massage therapist Jamilla is certified in the following modalities; Swedish, Deep Tissue, Lomi Lomi, Hot Stone, Sports and Aromatherapy as an Esthetician Jamilla incorporates wellness and effective skin care products that promote healthy glowing skin for her clients. Upon moving to Los Angeles in 2004 she continues to teach locally, perform throughout the U.S and work as a Spa Therapist Independently and in a prominent 5 Star Beverly Hills Hotel.

�I enjoy dancing and having fun teaching and learning from my students. Growing up in Belly Dancing has brought amazing people and experiences to my life and I love to share my talent and abilities to those who seek a creative way of movement and fulfillment in their lives.

In the future I look forward to developing a dance troupe seeking to perform at various venues.� ~ Jamilla

Web: www.thejamillaalwahid.com Phone: 323-540-2711

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Irina

Irina Akulenko is a New York City-based performer, teacher and choreographer, with a burning passion for arts of all genres. Since 2001, Irina explored both Egyptian Cabaret and American Tribal style belly dance, Odissi and Flamenco and now enjoys fusing these art forms as well as everything in between.

Today, Irina performs on various New York stages and tours nationally and internationally as a soloist and as member of various stellar projects. She completed successful tours around the world, teaching and performing in Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, China, Korea, Taiwan, Colombia, Czech Republic, Germany, France, Iceland and Canada. She released two instructional DVDs with World Dance New York and two instructional series of videos with the popular website “Howcast.com”. Irina is one of the principal dancers and instructors with Bellyqueen Dance Theater, is a choreographer and performer for Project "Bella Gaia" and is an alumni member of Alchemy Dance Theater. She loves collaborating with other artists and has completed projects with Jillina (Bellydance Evolution), Dalia Carella, BALAM Dance Theater and many others. Irina is dedicated to continuing her dance education, always looking for new ways to be inspired. Furthermore, she holds a Bachelors degree in Political Science, and has a strong interest in women's issues and visual arts.

Web: www.danceirina.com

Leila Haddad
Paris (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: www.LeilaHaddad.com Phone: 011-33-1-43-56-61-64

Natica Angilly

I am very excited to share my great enthusiasm for the dance with you. I am also very honored to hold international and national awards for innovation in teaching techniques, dynamic dance workshops, unique dance productions and poetic performance. The re-unions and the anticipation of making more fabulous dance friends at the Rakkasah Festivals and workshops are more than great reasons for joyful service to the spirit of dance artistry.

Often called lots of fun and sometimes even wonderfully transforming, my workshops, books, articles, productions and dancing tambourine DVD's continue to find new and old ways to share in the expression of the dance experience.

I celebrate my long term membership in the always amazing Dancers of the Pharoahs, and my 21 years as artistic director and co-founder of The Dancing Poetry Festivals held annually at the Palace of the Legion of Honor. Our Aonly one in the world@ Poetic Dance Theater Company continues to be requested at international events and is always praiseworthy for their excellence and for their ambassadorship through the arts.

The chance to zagareet, cheer, applaud and join in the excitements of Rakkasah is fabulous fun and I hope you can share the thrills of the dance for all!. Please save a moment to say hello. See you there! [email protected] www.dancingpoetry.com [email protected]

Natica and her husband poet Richard Angilly have toured their performance series Athe poet and the dancer@for more than thirty years. Their Afusion@ of poetry together with dance is considered a unique cultural bridge to extend understanding and good will through the universal language of the arts

Natica has created four comprehensive dancing tambourine DVD's: (1) Delightful/Easy Tam. Tech.;

(2) Essentials/Intensive; (3) Sensational, Extraordinary Tambourine Magic; (4) Cultural Tambourine Dancing.

Natica Will be signing her books at Rakkasah East and West - at signing parties! - you are welcome!

She has authored articles and books about dance, such as Dancing Poetry, Classical Facial Expression For Dancers, Dance Passions, Dancing Dynamism, Inspiration and Collaboration, and more -- (available at Rakkasah workshops and festivals & www.dancingpoetry.com)

Email: Web: www.dancingpoetry.com

Oreet

Oreet, creator of SharQui -The bellydance workout, is an award winning performer and a sought after choreographer and teacher. Her dance specialty is Modern Egyptian which is a contemporary and innovative twist on the traditional Egyptian style. It fuses modern dance, ballet and her Yemenite/Israeli roots to create her high energy bellydance style. Along with teaching, Oreet cetifies dancers and fitness professionals in the SharQui format internationally. She has recieved the title Bellydancer of the Year 2007 and also holds the titles Entertainer of the Year 2006, Jewel of the Nile 2006, Bellydance Diva 2005 anad is the reigning Middle Eastern Dance Champion of North America.

Web: www.sharqui.com

Reyna Alcala
Reyna 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.

Email: 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

Scott Wilson - Efendi
Exciting belly dance music from Turkey, Egypt, Greece, Israel, and the Middle East. Scott Wilson and his group have been playing in NYC's west village for years.

Band Members: Scott Wilson - Baglama Hydra, Jim Nordstrom - Bass Guitar, Carmine T. Guida - Doumbek, Leni Cohen - Bass Doumbek
Web: Phone: 917-846-3106

Tashira Wadiya

Tashira Wadiya has been performing and teaching Danse Oriental for over three decades. As a performer and master teacher, she has graced stages from Tokyo to London to Cairo as well as the JFKennedy Arts Center in Washington DC, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, as well as Town Hall, Carnegie Hall, and United Nations in New York City. She was a principle dancer and the internationally famous Ibis Night club for 10 years. She presently is the Dance Director for Stella Theatre Productions and teaches in New Jersey at Ocean County College, Wendi Sue Porter Dance Studio and at the Murray Grove Retreat Center.

The title of the Workshop I'll be teaching is called "Beledi Progression"

Tashira will be teaching a full session on the art of a full Beledi Progression from the beginning with tantalizing sensual serpentine, ooey-gooey luscious hip/abdominal and arm work to the the earthy sultry build up with a beladi rhythm slowly growing to the heart pounding vibration and shimmy crescendo!! So much fun and a work-out!!

Email: Web:

Tarik Sultan

Tarik Sultan is one of the World’s best known pioneers of male Oriental Dance,(Belly Dancing). He began his formal training in the dance 1985. In addition to classes, he spent countless hours in the Dance Research Library at Lincolin Center trying to learn as much as he could about the dance, its history and the culture from which originated. In 1988 he traveled to Egypt for the first time and observed the dance in its native homeland, allowing him to distinguish the truth about it as versus many of the popular myths that were created about it in the media. Inspired by his travels,

Tarik began teaching his first class in the early '90's, trying hard to convey all that he had learned and observed. Over the years his talent and dedication to the art had earned him a reputation as a dynamic performer, and gifted, inspiring teacher and choreographer. He has taught many successful seminars across the nation as well as internationally in The UK, Japan, Australia, Trinidad and Argentina.

Some of Tarik’s international performance credits include the Jerusalem Festival, the Dar America Assoc in Marakech Morocco and Alexandria Egypt. In 2003 he became one of the first male dancers to perform at the Ahlan Wa Sahlan Festival in Cairo, Egypt. Other credits include the United Nations, Lincolin Center and The Museum of Natural History.

Tarik holds the distinction of being the only male dancer to be featured in the top venues in New York City such as Casbah Rouge, Mehenata Bulgarian Bar, Babylon, Horus, The Habibi Lounge and Feluca. From 2003 to 20014 he was the premier dance at LeSouk in NYC. He continues to teach regular weekly class in NYC, The Bronx and Jersey City.

Web: http://tariksultan.net

Za-Beth

THE "Classical Cabaret" AMERICAN STYLE BELLYDANCE CLASSICS the Art, Joy & Magic !

Za-Beth of Boston with a background in Dance, has taught and performed since the 1960's. In addition to teaching and appearing in the Boston area, she participates in regional and national dance performances.,

Za-Beth, Boston, from-the Golden Era, Proud Mother of Second Generation Belly Dance Daughter Phaedra Rose-Dance Partner to Kasim, Legendary Icon.

Web: www.za-beth.com