Jukebox Belly Dance

Baharat, my student troupe is growing and changing a bit. It's become Baharat Dance Ensemble and includes my intermediate and advanced level students as well as guest dancers. This offers me the opportunity to invite dancers from the community to help me round out a choreography or work on special projects. It's a belly dance hook-up of sorts! Short term commitment, no other strings attached...fun and excitement for everyone.

The debut of the ensemble will be January 22, 2010 at Austin's Belly Dance Association (ABA) Jukebox show. This show features ABA members bellydancing to all non-Middle Eastern music. Think rock, pop, techno, country...whatever they want! The exciting news is, we'll be closing the show and we've worked sooooo hard on a Michael Buble number that will be the perfect ending for a fun and innovative evening.

Want to attend? Well, if you are already an ABA member, you and your invited guest get in free to the "I Survived the Holidays" party in the lobby from 6:30-8:00, where ABA will have snacks, drinks, and the photo albums that have archived our long existence (28 years!) on display. Show starts at 8pm, doors open to the public for ticket sales at 7:30pm, at the Dougherty Arts Center, 1110 Barton Springs Rd.

Baharat Belly Dance Ensemble

Baharat is a term used to describe a blend of Arabic spices. When I was looking for a word or phrase to describe my student troupe, the term seemed to fit just perfectly. They are a mixture of sweetness and sass, and their enthusiasm and love of this dance is just contagious. The troupe consists of students in my Intermediate level class which meets on Sunday evenings. Attendance in the class is mandatory for troupe participation, and class time is spent working on choreographies, technique, solo preparation as well as improvisational skills. If you wish to attend the class but don't want to perform, you can certainly do that as well!

In January, 2010 Baharat Dance Ensemble debuted as a collaborative venture that includes my current intermediate students and guest dancers. This mix of dancers from the community allows me to bring in talented dancers to round out performances and allows my students to work with other lovely ladies. So, look for more events this upcoming year!

Calendar of Events

Check out my calendar to find out when my classes meet, and when you can catch me in a performance in and around Austin!