USA
Events
Our talented USA Camp staff of world class dance teachers for 2008 includes
Fahtiem, Morocco, Artemis Mourat, Karim Nagi, Christina King, Ede Thurrell, Ibrahim Tunc and Tayyar Akdeniz. We are also proud to announce our special guest performer for our teacher show - the dynamic and fiery Aszmara!
We welcome all levels of dancers from professional to beginner!
Our talented USA Camp staff of world class dance teachers for 2008 includes
Fahtiem, Morocco, Artemis Mourat, Karim Nagi, Christina King, Ede Thurrell, Ibrahim Tunc and Tayyar Akdeniz. We are also proud to announce our special guest performer for our teacher show - the dynamic and fiery Aszmara!
We welcome all levels of dancers from professional to beginner!
*staff subject to change
FAHTIEM
(Egyptian Oriental) Fahtiem has taught and performed throughout the United States, including engagements on cruise ships and performances on cable and network TV. As a teacher Fahtiem conveys not only solid form and technique, but the subtle nuance that makes this dance magical.
In addition to being the Producer/Director of this annual belly dance convention and stage production known as Oasis Dance Magic, Fahtiem is the Special Event and Entertainment Coordinator/Performer for the Caspian Restaurant. She has won numerous awards. Stories from Fahtiem are included in the newly published book Belly Laughs by Rod Long. www.bellydancemagic.com
MOROCCO
(An Egyptian Ahlam Oriental Choreography & Shikhatt )
Morocco has won too many awards to mention. Her expertise and
accomplishments span over 4 decades. Morocco has educated dancers throughout
the world by way of dance classes, lectures, articles, research and
educational excursions. Her well known school, in the heart of NYC is
the home of numerous weekly cultural and educational activities - including
classes, workshops, intensives and concerts. Her dance company Casbah
Dance Experience is a highly respected part of the New York dance scene.
www.casbahdance.org
CHRISTINA
KING (Tribal Choreography, Tribal Dance for Oriental Dancers)
Christina King, is a Chicago based artist who is a teacher and performer
of Tribal Dance, Oriental Dance and Folkloric dance. She is also an actress
and has also taught music for many years. She is also a workshop sponsor
and workshop teacher. She is a member of the highly acclaimed troupe, the
Blue Lotus Tribe which has performed all over the country and is invited
regularly to teach workshops and seminars.
www.rakschristina.com
ELIZABETH
ARTEMIS MOURAT (Turkish Oriental, Turkish Romany & Finger Cymbals)
Artemis has been dancing and teaching dance history
worldwide for over 30 years. She brings her spirited and articulate technique
to workshops, which always includes a lecture on the history and culture
that generates the dances that she teaches. Artemis has contributed to
many publications. Extensive travel to 33 countries and intensive research
into the idioms of the East, women's issues, psychology, ancient history,
oriental dance and dance ethnology have yielded many manuscripts and articles.
She has an M.A in psychology, and M.S.W in social work (with a specialization
in cross cultural awareness) and has done postgraduate work in dance movement
therapy. Artemis was named "best ethnic dancer" in the 1997
IAMED award and the "Favorite Ethnic Dancer" award from Zhagareet
Magazine in 2002.
TAYYAR
AKDENIZ (Romany "Gypsy" Dance, Turkish Folk , Davul) Tayyar
has been involved as a dancer, musician and director of folkloric troupes
for 25 years in Turkey. He has performed and traveled extensively around
the world with the Turkish State Folk Dance Assemble and several other
distinguished dance companies from Turkey. He is a highly respected, seasoned
performer who has delighted audiences throughout Europe, Asia, the Far
East, Mexico and in the United States. Tayyar is the director of Folk
Tours and is working tirelessly to keep a sense of Turkish art and culture
alive through his events in the United States and Turkey which feature
some of the finest ethnic dancers and musicians in the world.
KARIM
NAGI (Cane, Arabic Debke) Karim is a native
Egyptian who has lived in the Boston area for over 20 years. Karim performs
primarily Arabic, Turkish and Andalusian hand percussion, including the
Egyptian Tabla (goblet drum), Riqq (tambourine) and Segat (brass castanets
also known as finger cymbals). He is a faculty member of the New England
Conservatory of Music and leads the SHARQ Arabic Music Ensemble performing
the classical Arabic instrumental and vocal repertoire. Karim also dances
the Debki Arabic Line Dance. Karim is also a visual artist who works in
the advertising field, designing CD and magazine ads. 
IBRAHIM
TUNC (Turkish Folk Dance) hails from Denizli,
Turkey and graduated from the respected Manisa Youth and Sports Academy
in 1979. After graduation Ibrahim performed in various folk dance organizations
in Izmir until 1981 when he joined The Turkish State Folk Dance Ensemble
as a performer and an instructor for "Zeybek" dance. He was one
of the founders of the Samsun Folk Dance Group of the Anatolian Folk Foundation
in 1985 and performed with his group in many locations including the United
States. Ibrahim has taught Zeybek and various other dances in the USA since
1987 when he relocated to the United States. Currently he is teaching at
The Ataturk School of The Turkish American Women's Association in New York.
EDE
THURRELL (Yoga) Ede Thurrell has practiced yoga for 17 years, including
both an Iyengar-based therapeutic approach and vigorous Vinyasa styles.
She brings to her teaching a sensitivity honed as a professional modern
dancer,and a wealth of experience working with people with osteoporosis,
joint injuries, and autism; as well as pre- and post-natal populations,
atheletes, dancers,and people of all ages and body types. Ede is thrilled
to be returning to camp for the second time; and looks forward to sharing
with fellow dancers her love for the meditative dance of yoga asana.
ASZMARA
(Special Guest Dancer) Aszmara has toured throughout
the United States and Europe teaching workshops, seminars and performing.
A leader in the field of Oriental Dance, she was one of the founders and
principal dancers of the AAMED Award winning mid-eastern dance company,
Oriental Images, and is co-director/co-founder of SaZ Dance Theatre, a multi-cultural
women’s dance company. She is also a principal dancer with Transition,
an Ethnic Jazz fusion music group since 1988. Aszmara’s dance interprets
the music with her own blend of Modern, Traditional and Folkloric Arabic
and Turkish Dance.