iShimmy.com Staff
Shimmying below are the staff and contributing writers here at iShimmy.com Central. In these varied bios you will find a wealth of information from these wonderfully experienced and talented performers, teachers, musicians, merchants, students and friends of Middle Eastern Dance Performing Arts.
Zaina Hart
Author
http://www.zainahart.com
zaina@zainahart.com
Zaina Hart is considered a teacher's teacher, and coach to many of today's star performers. Dancers from across the country seek her out for help with stylization and fine tuning of their performances. She is a Master Instructor, specializing in Egyptian Movement and body awareness/mechanics. Her Hip Articulation, Combinations and Wings of the Phoenix Arm and Hand workshops are always a sell out. She is owner of one of the newest and most exciting on-line publications for Middle Eastern Dance and Music Arts, iShimmy.com, The "Belly Dancer" Magazine. As well, she is owner and producer of The Double Crown Belly Dance Competition now in its 12th year. She participates at various competitions around the country as a judge and is as well a Rakkasah Instructor.
Zaina's belief in "carressing the music" as you dance is her signature. Passion, elegance and sauce are folded lovingly into each performance. Carmine Guida says, "Vitamin Z - Have you had your dose today?"
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Angel Thacker
Staff Writer
http://www.dancemastersofbellydance.com/
angela.thacker@comcast.net
Angel fell in love with the theater experience through studying at local Bay Area colleges and participating in theater productions and performances throughout the community. As a performer, her passion for life and love of learning is realized through her dancing. Captivating audiences with her energetic interpretation of belly dance with what she calls an “African flavor”.
Angel discovered belly dancing as a form of healing when recovering from a major health scare and has never looked back! She uses the dance to complete the expression of feminine strength, passion and beauty. As a performer, she engages her full person in her work, applying the sciences of art, physiology and the mind to create with passion. Her desire is to help others accomplish this same passion in their work, regardless of what they do. The only limitations are those we place on ourselves!! With the evolution of her own dance passion, Angel’s focus has become more focused on communicating her own interpretation of the dance through her dance form, Afro-Belly Boogie ™ dance. A dance form which continues to evolve as she connects with more dancers in the belly dance community - old and new.
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Carmine
Website Jedi
http://www.carmine.com
carmine@carmine.com
Not only did Carmine create iShimmy.com, but he is also a world class musician.
New York City-based mulitinstrumentalist Carmine T. Guida is a familiar face at Middle Eastern dance and music events throughout the country. A dancers' musician, Carmine is appreciated as an enthusiastic, adaptable, and creative accompanist on both doumbek and oud; he plays weekly for belly dancers with several New York City ensembles.
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Dahlia Moon
Writer
http://www.DahliaDance.com
Dahlia@DahliaDance.com
Dahlia has been studying, teaching and performing various styles of belly dance for over a decade. After dancing in Arabic and Turkish restaurants in Osaka, Japan for two years, she and her family settled in Seattle, WA in 2003. She is also proud to be the recipient of three major Belly Dance competition titles: "2007 Belly Dancer of the Universe" ,Southern California; "2007 Folkloric Champion" IBDC, Las Vegas, Nevada; and "2006 Double Crown Performing Artist", Portland, OR.
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Dawn "Davina" Devine
Author
http://www.davina.us
davina@davina.us
Dawn Devine is an internationally ac-claimed costumer, dancer and author of “Costuming from the Hip”, a guide to designing and making belly dance costumes. She owns and runs her own independent publishing company, Ibexa Press, a growing firm with a backlist of eight titles and more on the way. She has been sewing professionally and performing dances of the Middle East since the mid 1980’s. She is well known for her charismatic performances and incredible veil technique.
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Denise Mannion
Writer
http://www.pangiaraks.com
pangiaraks@yahoo.com
Denise is co-founder of the original Troupe Mandala, and Director of Troupe Mandala-California. She has been performing and teaching for…."a long time" and has taught workshops, danced, played keyboards and zils all over the US for the last seven winters, in Mexico, along with her husband, Oud player Pat Olson as the group “PANGIA”. She has presented quality events for Shasta / Siskiyou County, sponsored by the Arts Council and teaches classes at College of the Siskiyous. When not working at music or dancing she works with disabled students at the College of the Siskiyous and is the Director of the College’s Annual Performing and Visual Arts Clinic. She is the keyboard player for “PANGIA” and is the co-producer and artistic director of their five CDs.
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Elviza
Staff Writer
http://www.elviza.biz
elviza@elviza.biz
Elviza has studied Middle Eastern Dance for over a decade in her native Miami, Florida where she has enjoyed participating in the incredible explosion of the popularity of belly dancing. She has been happily performing every weekend since early 2004 at UVA Restaurant in addition to a long list of other venues and special events, as well as teaching regularly at various studios. She is producer of the annual ‘Elviza’s Evil Halloween Belly/Dance Spooktacular’ and is currently forming the new troupe ‘Rockabelly Hippies’ which will include her children Symphony and Rhythm. Her obsession with music and dance influences and pervades every aspect of her life, and she is honored to add writing about those subjects as another way of sharing that interest with others.
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Halima
Author
http://www.halimasdesigns.com
halimasdesigns@msn.com
Halima has been involved in Middle Eastern dance since 1976. She has studied, taught, and performed both cabaret and folkloric styles throughout the United States and was director of the award winning Chandi Dance Company.
She is a costume designer and owned her own business Halima's Designs for over 25 years. She has brought many artists to the Pacific Northwest and was one of the originators of La Danse Orientale Belly Dance Competition. Besides judging many competitions she has been instrumental in helping writing and wording of many of the competitions criteria. Halima is also the recipient of many awards from the dance community.
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iShimmy Contributor
Contributing Writer
zaina@zainahart.com
We have many wonderful contributing writers who offer their works only occassionally. Each writer has their name at the beginning of their articles and at the end there will be an e-mail address in which you can contact them.
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Jenee - Designs by Janie
Staff Writer
http://www.designsbyjanie.com
janie@designsbyjaie.com
Janie Midgley is actually one of the first contributors to The Belly Dancer Magazine back when it first started as a paper publication. Now she returns to share her knowledge of costuming with the readers. No stranger to writing about Belly Dance, she was co-owner & writer for Wiggle Hips and has written numerous articles on Belly Dance subjects for several magazines. She is the author of several books, the latest being "Costuming on a Budget" and "Building a Belly Dance Wardrobe" Vol. 1.
Known Internationally for her designs, which include The Comfortable Body Stocking and her creations in silk. She now makes her living designing and creating Belly Dance costumes and costume pieces as well as fashions and purses. She also owns her own publishing company.
Janie is also the co-owner of Wiggles of the West Belly Dance Competition now held in Las Vegas, Nevada. She has been in love with Belly Dance since she first started in 1973 and the passion continues.
View Articles by Jenee - Designs by Janie
Johonna Gamble
Writer
honnas@cox.net
Johonna Gamble has been dancing since 1990, where she met her husband in ballet class. Starting in 1991 with teachers from the Pacific Northwest such as Sultana of Portland, Kamille of Corvallis, and Krystal of Albany, she has cultivated a commanding, energetic and personable on-stage presence which impresses audiences wherever she performs. Currently in Virginia with husband and family (ages 17, 4 and 1), she sponsors workshops, teaches seminars and classes, and is working towards her 200 hour Hatha Yoga certification.
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Kashani
Author
Berubej@comcast.net
Kashani, Director of Mas-Uda Middle Eastern Dancers, began dancing with Mas Uda Middle Eastern Dancers in 1989 and began directing Mas-Uda in early 1992. She has taught beginning, intermediate and performance classes since 1992 in a variety of settings: wellness programs at workplaces, the YMCA, city parks departments, ballet schools, and worksites. Kashani LOVES to dance and really enjoys the camaraderie that develops among the dancers.
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Maia
Staff Writer
maiaraqs@comcast.net
Maia has been dancing since 1996. She's taken classes, workshops and intensives in many styles and dance forms, performed with a circus, as a restaurant "house dancer" and watched untold hours of video of the Egyptian greats. Next to her family and friends she loves this dance the most.
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Masala
Author
Masaladance@hotmail.com
Masala, resides in Fort Mohave, Arizona. Masala is an avid writer and performer who engages the audience the moment she steps on stage with that elegant styling and oh so playful attitude. She is as engaging when she puts pen to paper, as you will see in her offering for our Quarter Star Dancer, Aradia. She serves as our translator extraordinairre at Rakkasah each year - - translating for our many German friends. We hope to continue to see her on the pages of The “Belly Dancer” Magazine as well as the stage.
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Milena
Author
milenamiklos@yahoo.com
Milena is a bellydancer and physician in Lakewood, Washington. She grew up in the state of Montana and attended medical school at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, graduating in June 2000. Afterwards, she moved to Washington D.C. to complete a residency in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. Following the tragedies of September 11, 2001 she took up bellydancing, realizing how precious life was and how every new day is a gift. Her first lessons were with Joy of Motion studios and later with Sahara Dance. After relocating to the Pacific Northwest in the summer of 2004, she sought additional training through local instructors and workshops. In June 2006, Milena travelled to Greece, Turkey, and Egypt to visit family, immerse herself in the culture, and to attend the Nile Festival and Ahlan wa Sahlan. Milena has a deep affection for raqs sharqi as well as most things Middle Eastern. In particular she is fond of the "golden era" of bellydancing in Egypt, and her favorite oriental dancer is the late Naima Akef. Milena has traced her paternal ancestral roots to central Asia and the Middle East (the modern day Iraq and eastern Iran areas). She is currently studying Arabic, and hopes to become fluent, In'shallah. Milena performs as a soloist and with the Tacoma-based troupe, Shahdaroba.
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Nizana
Author
88nizana@netscape.com
Nizana, from the Spokane, Washington area, has been a regular writer for the Belly Dancer Magazine since the second issue came out. She is the Director of Desert Silk Dance Company, and choreographs most of their routines. Nizana is a certified Beginning and Intermediate Belly Dance Instructor, and teaches various workshops and classes in eastern and central Washington. Nizana continues to study with regional, national and international ME dance instructors and attend and perform at as many events as she can. Nizana works with local and regional performers in different collaborations, and loves the joy the dance brings.
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Oberon
Author
http://www.deniseamatodesigns.com
OberonMagic@comcast.net
Born in Adelaide, Australia, Oberon now resides in Portland, OR where she is an Interior Designer in high demand. She began Belly Dancing a little over ten years ago, and has just recently begun teaching. Oberon is the “O” in the OZ, and the other half of the Zainy Adventures Duo. Her wit and flambuoyant writing make it exciting to read the Dancer to Dancer interviews in The “Belly Dancer” Magazine. She has a wonderful ability of bringing out the best and most exciting information from those she interviews.
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Princess Farhana
Author
http://www.princessfarhana.com
pgehman@earthlink.net
Princess Farhana has performed, taught and written about Oriental Dance for sixteen years. Trained in the classical Egyptian style, she is also well- known for her high-concept belly dance fusion performances. Her majesty has appeared in Egypt, England, France,Switzerland, Belgium, Mexico and Canada, as well as all over the US, and danced at concerts with Amr Diab, Hakim, Natacha Atlas, and Alabina, and in videos for Sheryl Crow,Ricky Martin, Madonna, Truth Hurts and many others. Princess Farhana has also been featured in movies (as an actor as well as a dancer) and in documentary films about Oriental dance, both performing and as an interview subject. Along with director Augusta, she has produced seven instructional/performance DVD’s. Her warmth, enthusiasm and adventurous spirit - both on and off stage- captivates audiences and students alike.
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