Paulette Rees-Denis has been an international cutting edge dance force since 1991, with her innovative and inspiring style of dance-Tribal Belly Dance. Her part memoir, part experiential book, Tribal Vision: A Celebration of Tribal Belly Dance (Cultivator Press, 2008), has received glowing praise, telling her stories and sharing other dancer's tales around this dance. Paulette, director of the renowned dance and music troupe, Gypsy Caravan Dance Company, takes her in-demand Tribal workshops, Collective Soul and Teacher Training intensive certification programs around the globe.

    Her Tribal Styling is an eclectic, invigorating, and elegant fusion based on urban, folk, ritual, trance, bellydance, and modern dances. With a classical dance background, Paulette has created this rich blend of contemporary improvisational movement which is esthetically pleasing, spiritually grounding, and physically rewarding. This dance evokes a feeling of ancient times, of family, of personal freedom, of group spirit and camaraderie, bringing dancers together in total acceptance and support of each other.

    With 9 Tribal Technique DVDs, 7 musical Cds, her book, and an award-winning documentary about Gypsy Caravan, check out Paulette's new blog on her soon to be up new site

http://www.paulettereesdenis.com/
-become a fan of Paulette Rees-Denis' page..

http://www.facebook.com/tribalbellydancing
and join us at GypsyCaravan Dance Company, International--Taking Tribal Global...

http://www.facebook/GypsyCaravanDanceCompany
-see Gypsy Caravan at www.gypsycaravan.us

    Leyla Amir began her journey into music and dance as a young child. Her musical repertoire of study has included piano, accordion, flute, guitar, voice, and later tabla and sagat. In the very early 70's the lure of the Middle Eastern music pulled her into the "dance".

    She eventually opened her dance studio "Egyptian Moods" and founded her troupe "El Masri" Dancers and by 1976 she was first able to travel to Egypt for continued studies. She had the incredible opportunity to study all the big names of the time.... first hand.... Sohair Zeki, Nagwa Fouad, FiFi Abdo, and Isa Sherif, to name a few.

    In 1981 , Leyla fulfilled her dream of returning to Egypt to perform professionally. She became one of the first recorded American dancers to be licensed to dance with a 5 star rating, in Egypt's major 5 star hotels, weddings, high end night clubs of Cairo, Alexandria, and throughout Egypt.

    Her love of the Egyptian music and dance is evident in her lyrical, energetic and entertaining, yet elegant, interpretation of the music from Classical Oriental, Modern Raks Sharqi , Beledi, Shaabi and Traditional styles.

    Leyla's world travels have taken her to Turkey, Morocco, Greece, Arab Emirates, Jordon, France, Spain, Italy, Costa Rica, Hungary, Holland, Mexico, Malaysia,Lebanon, Syria and UK.

    Her experiences of performing in Egypt infused a vast knowledge of the Egyptian Dance that she shares today with students in her classes, workshops and performances.

      Jehan presents the passionate beauty of traditional Middle Eastern and multi-cultural music and dance in her exotic shows - dazzling the senses and sending the imagination soaring. She is the quintessential Oriental dancer. Her unique choreography and music are inspired by the doctrines of magic, devotional ritual, world mythologies, sculpture and poetry.

    Liron Peled is a middle-eastern accoustic metal musician from Outer Space. After his arrival to Earth landed him in Israel studying music, he ingeniously avoided the constraints of a required military life at age 18, and moved to the US with his metal band EMOK. In New York he was drawn to Middle Eastern music, met Raquy Danziger and together they formed Raquy and the Cavemen. As he grew up surrounded by the cultures of the Middle East, yet fascinated with Rock and Heavy Metal music, Liron was always drawn to combining the two styles in a harmonious way - this is what led him to invent the Dümset - a drumset made entirely of dumbeks and other Middle Eastern drums. Liron also plays the Sazythar - a string instrument he invented combining the sounds of the guitar, Indian Sitar and Turkish Saz. The Sazythar is a 12-string guitar body, restrung with multiple sets of strings, each set to emulate the sound of the aforementioned instruments. Recently, Liron has been drawn to Tuvan Throat Singing - a vocal art from Tuva (southern Siberia, just North of Mongolia) that allows the singer to create sounds such as a didjeridoo, synthesizer, piercing whistles and more, using complex techniques in the throat and mouth. He is now performing with it and is working on a complete instructional DVD. He released the world's first Dümset Instructional DVD and booklet at the beginning of 2012, available at www.dumset.com.

    Liron is also a producer, composer, and author, and has collaborated with artists such as Omar Faruk Tekbilek and Balkan Beat Box. He has released 2 CD's with EMOK, 6 CD's with Raquy and the Cavemen and has composed music for dance performances, art exhibitions and movie soundtracks.

    Liron and Rio began instrumentally working together in 2010 at a music festival in VA. They began performing together in 2011 when they were both collaborating with the NYC electrorchestral band Copal. Since then, the dramatic palpable energy between the two performers brought them together as partners and they currently tour, perform, and teach together all over the country with Liron's solo project and in collaboration with other music and performance groups. They are currently based in Brooklyn, NY.

youtube: http://www.youtube.com/lironpeledofficial  (new music videos JUST released!)

 Lotus Niraja Bio:

    Lotus Niraja is a professional Middle Eastern dance artist specializing in Modern, Urban Egyptian Belly Dance and Raks Sharqi. She is internationally recognized for her dance style, dramatic energy, vibrant interpretation and technique. Her dance style is serious fun, infused with glamour and style! Lotus teaches workshops nationally and internationally and has been featured on many DVDs. In her classes and workshops, Lotus combines elegance and fluidity, sharp and crisp movement technique with stage dynamics and audience participation in order to help the student give a polished theatrical performance. Admired for her modern, yet passionately Arabic approach to Belly Dance, Lotus features classical and contemporary movement, haute couture costumes designed exclusively by MAZ, and a love for a performance well done! Recently, she released a series of instructional DVD's and became the      co-producer of the Hit reality TV show, Project Bellydance with Michelle Joyce.

    Chadia:

    -Belly Dance Instructor, performer and choreographer for over 20 years from Northern, NJ

    -Specializes in Classical Egyptian Raqs Sharki into which she incorporates her own innovative and fun style

    -Director of Chadia & The Caravan Dance Troupe

    -Owner of Gypsy Caravan Enterprises, offering dance ware for the belly dance enthusiast

    -Has traveled extensively throughout Egypt

    -Has trained with many of the top Egyptian and NYC dance artists

    Tara began her dancing career at the age of two studying and performing tap, ballet, jazz and roller skate dancing. A gifted artist as well as a gifted performer, she later graduated from the Art Institute of Boston with a Bachelors Degree in Photography. After graduation, Tara moved to South Florida where she continued her passion for the arts and dance. It was there that she began her study of belly dancing at two renowned schools: the Mideast Dance Exchange and Belly Motions in Miami. Upon completion of her initial training, she continued to expand her skills through extensive private lessons from belly dance superstar ‘Ansuya’ where she began creating her own unique techniques and style.  Later, Tara further enhanced her skills and techniques by training with recognized belly dancing superstars Issam Houshan, Sonia, Jillina, Rachel Brice, Bozenka and Nathalie.  She has also studied with masters such as Yousry Sharif, Mohammed El Hosseny, Nourhan Sharif and many more.

    As a result of her individual success and recognition throughout South Florida, in early 2004 Tara founded the highly successful dance troupe Empress’s Divine. The troupe performed in numerous venues throughout Florida receiving significant notoriety and regional acclaim. In September 2005, Tara was featured in a cover story of the national magazine, ‘Looking Good Now’.

    After moving back to her native home of Millis, Massachusetts in 2006, Tara started a second dance company, ‘Bellydance by Tara’. Today, she can be seen in mesmerizing solo and group performances throughout New England, or instructing her students in one of her many workshops or classes.  

     An award winning international dancer and performer, Tara will captivate you with every performance.

    Neon is the Publisher of World Dance New York video publishing house, conceptualizing and producing videos for dance education and entertainment.

    Her work has set a new standard for the treatment and presentation of bellydance as a sophisticated mainstream dance art, and a component of active lifestyle.

    Neon is an acclaimed bellydance instructor and a star performer based in New York City. Infusing classic bellydance with high-impact modern flair, Neon's dance style is characterized by organic fluidity, precise intricate hipwork, and hypnotic evocative flow. Neon performs contemporary bellydance in NYC, and works on her line of bellydance instruction and fitness videos.

    Fascinated as a child by the album cover for "Music for Bellydancing" (Ahmed Shiba & Ensemble), Tanna Valentine fell in love with this art form.  In New York City she had the opportunity to study bellydance with some of the finest instructors in the world, and she immersed herself in both the classical American and Arabic cabaret styles.  As her studies continued, Tanna also explored emerging, alternative styles of this dance and taught the first fanveil workshop in NYC in 2008.  Years of dedication and training have been rewarded with a vibrant professional career that has included appearing in seven bellydance DVDs to date.  In 2002 Tanna won 2nd place in the Grand Champion category of the East Coast Classic, and in 2008 she was crowned the Belly Dancer of the Universe Veil Champion.  Tanna continues to perform, teach workshops and produce shows in NYC.

    Since 1974 Karina Amara has performed as a featured dnacer in a vast array of venues all over the Eastern United States, and in England, France, and Greece.  She continues to immerser herself in bellydanc events and cultural events of the contries of the belldance world to continue to learn and evolve as a dancer.  Karina is honored to be a judge for Za-Beths prestigeous 2012 "Viva La Diva" competition.

Hanna St. John

    Bellydance America – gateway to all things Bellydance related past present and future; where traditions and innovations meet.

    Passion for this ancient and evolving art form is the force behind all we do – bringing you the most inspiring music, beautiful costumes, DVDs, articles and links to the greatest dancers and teachers and events worldwide.

    We are on this journey together exploring the rich history and potential future of this dance and we want to make your Bellydance experience magical.

Kasim & Za-Beth

Celebrating over 40 years in In The Art, The Joy, The Magic of Bellydanse Orientale !

On the Janurary 2012 Zaghareet Magazine Cover Story !