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Titl 13 Master Workshop Instructors
Ranya Renee-Diamond Instructor
Ranya Renee - Master Instructor
Ranya Renee, of New York City, began her performing career in theater, and has been bellydancing since 1990. She tours internationally teaching Egyptian dance and performance skills, and has created three popular instructional DVDs: The Baladi, Modern Oriental, and Bellydance Taqasim. Ranya co-directs the New York Theatrical Bellydance Conference, produces the new Classic Orientale Egyptian Dance Intensive, and has presented company work at numerous events and conferences. She is a proud nerd of the bellydance, and also recently completed her master's degree in cognitive psychology. Working with longtime collaborator Nabawy, a talented accordionist and educator, Ranya is thrilled to be able to create an intensive baladi-focused weekend for the Jewels of the Orient!
jewelsoftheorientbellydance@gmail.com
Belladonna- Ruby Instructor
Master Instructor
Belladonna is a modern fusion belly dance instructor, performers and show producer from Washington DC. She is also a certified yoga instructor, fire dancers, troupe director and artist.
Inspired by the power and healing dance can evoke she belies that self expression is essential for ones well being, and hopes her performances inspire others to find a passion they want to pursue.
She is best known as a pioneer of modern sword dancing, and for her theatrical performances, creative concepts and her ability to break down and teach complex subject matter.
She has been a guest performer with international superstars such as Amanda Palmer, Beats Antique, Corvus Corax, the Bellydance Super Stars and the Indigo. She has also had the honor of being a featured instructor at national and international festivals such as Tribal Fest, Art of the Belly, Rakkasah Spring Caravan, Tribal Alchemy, Elevation, Awakening Persephone, 3rd Coast Tribal, Gothla UK, FesTribal de Quebec, Las Vegas Bellydance Intensive, 3rd Coast Tribal, Tribal Revolution as well as many private events, medieval events, cultural events and parties.
She is the creative director and producer of the annual Raven’s Night Soiree’, the Vixen Variety Show and co producer of the Monthly DCTribal cafe. She also is the director of three student troupes, BellaTrix, DashKhaleen and Khalasar.
Professionally Belladonna is a skilled soloists, as well as an avid collaborator. Belladonna performs with the internationally acclaimed Drag King, Ken Vegas, and is one half of the dynamic duo Skella. She is also the director of her most recent venture, a professional tribal fusion dance company in DC, Kivahalla.
Belladonna teaches weekly classes in the DC & NOVA area and travels to other cities and countries for specialty events. Over the last several years she has produced 2 sword instructional DVDs and developed her own belly dance teacher training and sword certification programs.
Please feel free to peruse this website for more information about her weekly classes, certification programs, upcoming workshops, events and performances.
A performance by Belladonna could be just the thing to make your event extra special. Each performance can be customized to reflect the music, colors & vibe of your event. She is the master of many forms and can add a variety of dynamic accoutrement to her performance.
• Veil
• Feather fans
• Spanish fans
• Sword
• Double sword
• Fire (poi, fans, fingers, palms, sword)
Belladonna is also a huge fan of character development and cosplay and has costumes to represent many different femme fatales, such as:
• Maleficent
• The Wicked Witch of the West
• The Queen of Hearts
• A Drow
• A Fairy Queen
and more!
jewelsoftheorientbellydance@gmail.com
Habiba- Sapphire Instructor
Master Instructor
Habiba is internationally recognized as a performer, choreographer, teacher and authority on dances of the Middle East. She has performed extensively throughout the United States and abroad. She has done extensive fieldwork in Egypt and Tunisia. She has been outreach lecturer for the Penn Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology and a Fellow of the Penn Middle East Center. Author of numerous articles on Middle Eastern Dance for national magazines, she is currently writing for The Chronicles of Belly Dance. The American Academy of Middle Eastern Dance (AAMED) inducted her into the hall of Fame in 1997 and The International Academy of Middle Eastern Dance named her Ethnic Dancer of the Year 2001.
jewelsoftheorientbellydance@gmai.com
Nabawy
Master Accordion Musician
Nabawy bio:
Nabawy grew up on Mohamed Ali street, the Cairo neighborhood historically celebrated for its professional musicians, dancers and music stores. Nabawy learned from the talented musicians of the street, taking up the accordion and learning how to play by ear, the traditional mode for learning and passing down Arab music. By his teenage years, he was moonlighting as a professional musician at weddings and in nightclubs, while continuing his education. He also played the trombone in his school band. Nabawy went on to become a highly accomplished accordion player, performing with star Egyptian dancers including Soheir Zaki, Fifi Abdou, Lucy, Shu Shu Amin, Zizi Mustapha, Nagwa Sultan, and the legendary Samia Gamal, on her comeback tour. After immigrating to the U.S. in 1990, Nabawy became a well-known figure in the New York City Arab music scene, performing regularly at such clubs as Cleopatra and Cedars of Lebanon. He continues to perform at Arabic cultural events and weddings in the New York area and beyond.
Nabawy has been playing for Ranya since the mid-1990s, and they have been teaching workshops together for more than a decade. Nabawy has been featured on Ranya’s Baladi and Bellydance Taqasim instructional DVDs, and contributed extensively to the development of these projects. He is a clear, focused instructor in helping dancers to understand the essence of Egyptian baladi, always happy to share his knowledge and love for the music.
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Miasia - Quartz Instructor
Master Instructor
We are sad to report that Miasa will no longer be teaching at Jewels of the Orient for 2016.
Miasa's goal as a teacher is to help each student get in touch with their natural rhythm and passion through the joyful art of Middle Eastern Belly Dance. She brings her experience as an international performer to the classroom, having been featured on Egypt’s first televised dance contest series, as well as sharing stages with such greats as Dina of Cairo, Fifi Abdo and Birgul Beray. Miasia’s teaching style reflects her belief that one can most truly appreciate this fabulous art by appreciating the cultures behind it as well.With classes that are informative, fun and invigorating, Miasia is committed to creating a warm and welcoming classroom environment for her students to experience this wonderful art form. She believes fully that each person can best enhance their connection to themselves and their body through dance. Dedicated to opening the doorway of dance to include all bodies, shapes, sizes and abilities, Miasia has also taught low impact dance workshops designed specifically for people with varying mobility at conferences around the U.S. for the past 10 years.
info@mysite.com
Nefertiti- Topaz Instructor/ Organizer
Organizer
Residing in Delaware, Nefertiti is a professional belly dancer, instructor, performer, business owner and creator of Sambabelly Fitness and Jewels of the Orient Bellydance & Wellness Festival. The annual festival features competitions, workshops, gala, vending and seminars parties. The festival will be at Dover Downs Hotel & Casino in Dover, De June 13th-15th.
Nefertiti has been sharing for 20 years her passion and vision for the art of belly dancing by promoting dance through education and entertainment. Her style of dance is primarily Egyptian while keeping true to herself
Nefertiti career as an artist and entertainer expanded into international opportunities 6 years ago when she moved to Egypt. Nefertiti lived in Moquattam, Cairo for 4 years working as an performer and teacher in Egypt. She danced in Shahrzad in Cairo, for the Mayor of Luxor wedding party, cruise ships in Luxor and the American Embassy in Egypt for events and shows. While living in Cairo she learned Arabic and worked as general assistant to Asmahan of Cairo. She learned firsthand how to work with orchestras, costuming, arrangements of music and organizers. Nefertiti studied intensively with Prof. Dr. Hassan Khalil of Cairo at the ISOC in Egypt. She has received her teaching certification from the ISOC under the Prof.
Nefertiti is member of UNESCO, Thespian Society, Who’s Whos’s of Women. Nefertiti received her certification as a Bellydance teacher International Teacher & Dancer Course from ISOC of Egypt.
Lorelei- Garnet Instructor
Co-Organizer/Instructor
Pow, Zap, Ching!! There is really only 1 Lorelei, but she has many different facets.
Lorelei artfully combines several styles of bellydance with dramatic flair and a touch of humor. She has been bellydancing in Northern Delaware since 2005. She draws on many years of other music and dance training including: flute, chorus, and community musical theater.
Lorelei has trouble describing her dance style since it is not quite Vintage Oriental, kind of Gothic, a little Tribal, and somewhat like Turkish (shaken VIGOROUSLY, not stirred). Therefore, she dubs her style: Turkish - ish.
She creates her performances based on the theme of the venue and audience she performs for. Lorelei is very interested in vintage bellydance as well as fusion. And zills. Lots of zills.
jewelsoftheorientbellydance@gmail.com
Khalima
Workshop Instructor
Khalima is a Richmond, Virginia based bellydancer, performance artist, instructor, emcee, producer, writer, singer, musician, and artistic madwoman. She brings together her background in art, music, body modification and adornment, and a lifelong passion for the written word, metaphor, and things that shine into emotional, musical, and narrative renderings of Orientale bellydance and theatrical performance. A quintessential performer, Khalima is able to seamlessly join her dance and shenanigans to any genre of music, and is a sought after performer for live music experiences and stage performances where anything from the cutting edge to the esoteric, modern, ancient, or traditional can flourish. Khalima has been lovingly described as “poetry in motion” and as “being the music”.
The Instructor: With a penchant for thinking outside of the box and an insatiable drive to create and inspire, Khalima openedlllumination Dance Studio, Richmond’s only studio dedicated to bellydance in all its forms and incarnations in September of 2010. She teaches an organically delicious blend of Orientale and Tribal Fusion bellydance, and pulls from her training in both forms, training in prenatal yoga instruction, study with Suhaila Salimpour, Sahra Saeeda, and many others in her classes. She offers all levels of classes including the raucous Punk Rock Shimmy Shakedown, and teaches with her accordionist sidekick, Barry Bless. Visit
jewelsoftheorientbellydance@gmail.com
Joe Tayoun - Tanzanite Instructor
Master Middle Eastern Musicians
Joe, a second generation Lebanese American, is an accomplished Middle Eastern percussionist. He started playing at age eight at his family’s renowned Middle East Restaurant in Philadelphia where live authentic Arabic, Turkish, Persian, Armenian, Greek, and Israeli music and dance were performed nightly for forty years. Learning from many of the area’s top Middle Eastern players, Joe became adept at the many styles of drumming within these different traditions. He also performed much of this repertoire with an ensemble at the Nile restaurant in Philadelphia, and with other ensembles locally and nationally. Having taught music in a New Jersey public school for years, he currently teaches drumming at St. Maron’s Hall in the heart of Philadelphia’s Lebanese community, in part, through thePhiladelphia Folklore Project's FAME program. In the summers, he teaches at Al-Bustan Arabic Day Camp along with Middle Eastern dancer (and cousin) Michele Tayoun. He also conducts workshops at conferences and universities.
Joseph’s performance history includes seasons at two of the world’s largest casinos: the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City and Foxwoods in Connecticut. He has participated in several residencies with Zakir Hussain and with Simon Shaheen at Swarthmore College and The Painted Bride Art Center in Philadelphia. He accompanied Yair Dolal of Israel in performance in Princeton, New Jersey, and at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. and performs with Philadelphia Orchestra cellist Ohad "Udi" Bar David, and his Intercultural Journeys ensemble. For the past decade, Joseph has also been playing "Concerts for Peace" with the Arabic-Jewish ensemble Atzilut, with whom he has performed at the United Nations, and traveled throughout the U.S. as well as Germany and Portugal.
Joe has been on Musicopia’s Roster of Teaching Artists since 2003. He performs with Flamenco del Encuentro, the Spice Route Ensemble, and conducts percussion workshops.
info@mysite.com
Amustela - Aquamarine Instructor
Master Instructor
Amustela is an award winning performer, producer, instructor and choreographer based in Northern, VA. Her greatest love and the bulk of her performance experience has been in American Cabaret and is an expert in the “5 Part American Raks Sharki Show”. Her awards include People’s Choice Grand Champion 2004 East Coast Belly dance Classic, First Runner up Jewel of the Nile 2004, Josephine Baker Award for contribution to dance, 2nd Place Troupe 2005 East Coast Belly dance Classic, and third place Jewel of the Nile 2006 and Best in Business Jewel of the Nile 2006. Amustela was honored to have been selected as one of the Celebrity Judges for the belly dance reality series "The Belly Dance Project” in 2011, and as a judge for the Belly Dance Nationals Competition in Baltimore MD. Amustela has taught workshops and advanced dance lectures in the “Know Your Dance Roots” series and has been a featured artist and instructor at “Art of the Belly” 2013, Dangerous Curves 2015, WAMEDA, Tiraz Dance Network and many other events.
Amustela has produced and written several successful dance shows mixed with theater in Northern Virginia. She appears in the DVD “Core Training for Belly Dancers with the Fitness Pharaoh Gerson Kuhr, and is in demand for many events, restaurant venues and film projects.
Her dance style is largely described as “American” style danse orientale or Vintage cabaret. This style incorporates many influences of the dance as it evolved in the United States from Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Armenian, Greek and Eastern European immigrants. Amustela is considered an expert in American Cabaret and an aficionado of the Golden Age in particular in the style of Samia Gamal, Tahiya Karioka and Namia Akef.
info@mysite.com
Yzzah- Pearl Instructor
JOTO 2015 Live Music & Oriental Pro Grand Champion
Yzzah is a multi-award winning bellydancer who is born and raised in Puerto Rico.
She discovered her passion for dance as a small child when she enrolled in Salsa,
Bomba, Plena and Jazz classes. She even received a grant from the Arthur Murray Academy of Dance to study Jazz.
In 2010 she graduated with honors from the Arabian Fantasy dance academy directed by professional belly dancer Yashira Yamil et en Puerto Rico.
Yzzah has become an outstanding representation of the new generation of oriental dance in Puerto Rico. Yzzah has centered her career around continual and intense training as she competes regularly around the world. Her dance is influenced mainly by the Egyptian style of oriental dance, but she has set herself apart through her emotional projection on stage, charisma, and love she emits towards the audience.
Her unmistakable dance style, energy, nd emotionality have led her to win the following titles:
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2015 Winner Grand Champion Pro with CD- “Jewels Of The Orient”. Delaware
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2015 Winner Grand Champion Pro with live Band- “Jewels Of The Orient”. Delaware
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2014 1st Runner Up Professional Yellow Rose of Texas - “Yaa Halla Y’all”. Dallas, Texas
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2014 Winner Masters Award Rising Star
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- “Magic of Belly Dance”. Hollywood, Florida
info@mysite.com
Aaliyah Jenny- Emerald Instructor
Jewels of the Orient 2015 Tribal/ Fusion Grand Champion
Jenny C. Cohen, MSOT comes from a background of training in ballet, modern, hip hop, Near Eastern Dance, tap, and Polynesian Dance. After graduation from the prestigious Sargent College Masters Program of Boston University in Occupational Therapy, Jenny went on to work in general rehabilitation, orthopedics, pediatrics, cardiac and hand therapy while taking hip hop and tap classes at Broadway Dance in NYC and Jam in Long Island.
After the birth of her twins, Jenny C. began her study of Near Eastern Dance, Polynesian dance, became part of a by invitation only advanced hip hop class and also began teaching hip hop. Jenny C. was also Head Coach of the dance team at Pace University (Pleasantville campus), assistant coach/choreographer at her children's rhythmic gymnastics team in NJ, practice coach in her children's training (They were State/Regional/National Champions of baton, rhythmic gymnastics and competitive dance), stretch coach at a competitive dance school, a member of the Sera Solstice Studio NYC, and a hip hop instructor. She is currently homeschooling her two precocious sixteen year old teens. She is also happily married to her wonderful soul mate and alpha leader to her three dogs and three cats.
In her spare time, she is Aaliyah Jenny, a professional dancer specializing in world fusion with Near Eastern dance influences, teaching at Velveteen Serpent Studion in Salt Lake City, and most importantly a student of movement every opportunity she is given. She honored to count as her mentors Gia al Qamar, Aszmara, Rachel Brice, Sera Solstice and Donna Mejia. She has participated in Rachel Brice's 8 Elements Training Program Initiation & Cultivation. In January 2014, Aaliyah Jenny won 1st place in the Pro Tribal Fusion category at The East Coast Classic and was invited to perform in the Gala show at the Hanover Tribal Festival in Germany June 2014 where she placed 3rd in the Tribal Star Competition. She also won Bellydance Masters 2016 Pro Fusion Category and is the Jewels of the Orient 2016 Grand Champion Pro Fusion Tribal winner.
In the near future, Jenny C plans to launch her non-profit program Karma Rhythmics while taking steps to pursue her PhD, write her book and introduce her newest trio with her kids "Made In Heaven” to the dance community.
Please visit www.dance18.com for more information on Aaliyah Jenny’s travels and Jenny’s Transformation on FB for more details on her battle and victory over breast cancer.
info@mysite.com
Kay- Amethyst Instructor
Kay Kaziyah is a multi- award winning bellydancer who has performed in Off Broadways shows, venues accross the USA, and Internationally. She continues to travel, to study, to compete and to perform especially in Egypt and in France. Her unique style is a blend of Modern Egyptian, Ballet, with roots in American Cabaret. Providing a cocktail of Beauty, Grace and Dynamics in technique with an unbelievable Stage Presence.
Her “Schools Out Bellydance Extravaganza” Gala Shows were an instant hit and is a central force in the NYC Bellydance Community. These shows attract the very best of NYC and dancers from other parts of the USA.
Her matriculated academic course "Dance as a Form of Cultural Expression" taught at the College of New Rochelle. Has become an academic institution. It has united the NYC Bellydance community in educating college students on the healing qualities of Middle Eastern Dance on the mind, body and spirit.
Kay's skills as an Emcee allows her to Emcee Off Boadway shows as well as Bellydance Shows in NYC.
Kay's unique look have provided her opportunities to provide image consulting to dancers in reference to hair, costuming, makeup and overall presentation.
Holding a Masters in Special Education, Kay has been a special education teacher in a high school for 10 years, an Adjunct instructor at a college in the Psychology department for 8 years and in the Dance Department for 3 years.
Kay is honored to have placed:
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1st Runner up Strong Island Raqs Competition 2013
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1st Place and People's Choice Rising Star Viva La Diva Boston 2014
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1st Runner up Live Music Viva La Diva Boston 2014
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People's Choice Professional Category Viva La Diva Boston 2014
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1st Place Recorded Music Pittsburg Bellyoff Festival 2014
Kay is honored to be teaching at the Jewels of the Orient for 2016 and would like to thank Nefertiti and Lorelei for this opportunity. Looking forward to meeting you all, Love, K
jewelsoftheorientbellydance@gmail.com