We are delighted, excited and quite honored that they accepted our invitation to join us for the night. Its going to be fabulous. Proudly Presenting:
Belly Belly Hip - Belly Belly Hip is a Tribal Style Belly Dance troupe. They have been dancing their own unique blend since 2001, one of the first Tribal troupes in Canada. Belly Belly Hip formed when Tonje, returning from living in Portland (and training with Gypsy Caravan), discovered there were no other Tribal Style dancers in Vancouver at all. She soon attracted a small group of like-minded individuals, and Belly Belly Hip was born! Shortly after, she returned to Portland to earn her teaching certification and then started teaching the first Tribal classes in Vancouver, with the aim of building a local Tribal community. To the same end she is also writing a regular column in SAHDA, the monthly newsletter of MEDA (Middle East Dance Association) entitled "Tribal Page"
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| Elen Ghulam |
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Sally Myrfield - Sally’s Dance life began at three years old with Ballet. Coupled with a stage show that first and impressionable year, the seed was planted for her passion to dance and perform. Since the Fall of 2005 Sally has been dedicated to the artform, training under Martina Crowe-Hewett out of Urban Dance Co. Since then she has branched out to take workshops with many other Tribal Fusion Dance Artists such as Rachel Brice, Mardi Love, Zoe Jakes, Sharon Kihara, Samantha Hasthrope, and many more. In May of 2009 Sally attended a three day intensive with Suhaila Salimpour and is proud to have been certified in level one of Suhaila’s format. Sally looks forward to continue training with Suhaila. In the Spring of 2009 Sally became one of the founding members of the troupe Ginger Blue. In September of 2008 Sally became a member of Urban Dance Co.’s competetive tribal fusion dance troupe, Lazuline.*******************
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| Orkestar Slivovica |
Be sure to check out their website: http://www.orkestarslivovica.org/ for more information on the band members, their upcoming shows and more.
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Ashely Kirkham - Ashley has been performing professionally in the Lower Mainland since 2000. She is a founding member the Harem Dancers. Ashley has performed throughout Canada, the United States, in Trinidad and also in London, UK. Ashley teaches at the Hillcrest Centre on Ontario and 30th for beginner and intermediate classes. Ashley perfoms all over the Lower Mainland at places such as Pasparos Taverna, Bouzyos Taverna, Sanafir Restaurant and Lounge, Anatolis and Taverna Greka.For more information, pleas go to her website www.ashleydance.com
Tim Gerwing is also an accomplished musician on his own right. He is a musician and producer living and working in Vancouver, BC, Canada. He produces ambient-electronic and world music as a solo musician and with artists in Vancouver, Japan, and the UK. Look for Tim Gerwing's music on iTunes. New release "Chikatetsu" is now available.Visit his website for a complete bio, gigs and to listen to more of his music: http://www.lascaux21.com/
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Mehlinda Heartt - Mehlinda Heartt is a Professional Harpist, Opera singer, Historical Dancer, Visual Artist and Teacher. She is the C.E.O of 'Harpistry', and Musical Director of the Harpistry Harp Choir with 7 harpists. Mehlinda teaches Voice and Harp Privately and at Celtic Traditions and the Mozart School of Music. She is also a Professional Renaissance and Baroque Dancer, Costume Designer, Mask Builder and Artist for the Historical Performance Ensemble.www.harpistry.com - harpistry@hotmail.com
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Be sure to check out her twitter page: Jenny Magenta Town!
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April O'peel - This busty and lusty Burlesque Stripsation had her 4 year Burlesque-a-versary this past May. A Vancouver fan favorite, this pervy and curvy cutie has been called “a sheer comical and dancing talent on display,” “hilarious,” and “in your face!” Choreographer and feature dancer for both The Screaming Chicken Theatrical Society and The Razzle Tassel Tease Show, April has won awards for comedic Burlesque performance and is an Ovation award nominee. O’Peelin’ April has also twice been seen competing at the Burlesque Hall of Fame in Las Vegas in the Best Group category and currently serves on the board for the Vancouver International Burlesque Festival. A passionate powerhouse of a performer, you never know what April O’Peel will do next. Please visit her website for more information on her classes and her upcoming shows: http://www.aprilopeel.com/
Burlesque Performer, Choreographer, Instructor, Comedienne, Blogger
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Liat Har-Lev - Lili, a Massage therapist by profession, she works at Achillies Mobile and devotes her spare time to the art of flamenco.Lili has been learning the art of flamenco from Kasandra Lea and Oscar Nieto from Al Mozaico Flamenco academy. Her passion to entertain and dance energizes her and gives her joy. She has performed in various festivals across vancouver, and private events.
casey
She can be reached through her website at http://www.achillesmobile.com/ or through Al Mozaico Flamenco Academy.
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Casey Wood - Casey was born and raised in Regina Saskatchewan. Involved in the performance arts since mid 2009, he has been going strong from the moment he began. He has recently moved to Vancouver to meet other people in a similar scene and also to find out what he can bring back to the Regina area, hopefully infusing a bit more action into the prairies. He has also been busy taking classes in acrobatics, contact juggling and prop manipulation, from the famed local favorite, Chris Murdoch.
With several shows under his belt in Regina, including a fundraiser helping to gain money to pay for a disabled family's house, Casey has been an active member of the circus scene in Saskatchewan for a while now. He has conducted many workshops teaching people from the ages of 13 to 70!
Contact juggling has been his passion and obsession over the last year and he looks forward to teaching as well as showcasing his skills any chance he gets.
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Kara Miranda - A flamenco performance by her ballet instructor Veronica Maguire with guitarist husband Harry Owen inspired Kara to begin studying this compelling art form in 1994. In Victoria, she has performed in numerous shows, in Alma de Espana company performances and with the group Pena Flamenco. Winning a 2000 Kiwanis Art Award for her original choreography helped fund her trip to Spain that year to study with flamenco masters during the famed "Festival de Jerez".
Following her move to Vancouver, Kara is a graduate of Flamenco Rosario's professional program (07), joining in their productions "Los Cuatros Vientos" (06) and "Flamenco Ayer y Hoy" (07). Other notable shows include her two government funded performances in the Azores, Portugal (07 & 10), her show for Vancouver's Portuguese Heritage Month (08), with La Triana in the "Vancouver International Flamenco Festival" (09). She debuted with the Mozaico Flamenco company in their show at the Vancouver Winter Olympics (10) and went on to perform in their "Cafe de Chinitas 'Vinetas del Mozaico'" (10) production, the "Vancouver Jondo Flamenco Festival" (11) and the "Vancouver International Flamenco Festival (11). She currently continues her studies with Al Mozaico Dance Academy and through workshops of visiting artists. For the past few years she has been guest performing in various groups around the Vancouver area, primarily with the groups La Triana and Flamenco Alcala.*******************
Shawn Dehkhodaie - Shawn started his musical activities at the age of 16. He started learning the rudimentary techniques of Santoor under the guidance of Manuchehr Pouriankheir, and later with Afshin Kaymanesh, from whom, he learned the basics of the Radif. He furthered his knowledge of the Radif with Saeed Naeimi-Manesh, and briefly with Sohrab Saebnia. He started learning the Persian vocal tradition under the guidance of Parviz Nezakati. During the past ten years, he has also benefited from the guidance of Mehdi Fallah and Esmail Safari.
Mohammad Seyyedi - Mohammad commenced the rudimentary learning steps of Persian percussion instruments in 1995. He took Tombak lessons under the guidance of Maestro Dariush Eshaghi, one of the most established and influential Tombak players in Iran, who has written many instructional books for the Tombak. Then he continued learning more techniques with Ahmad Mostanbet, one of the talented students of Dariush Eshaghi and Bahman Rajabi in 1998. After acquiring 5 years of experience under the supervision of the two distinctive maestros, he pursued his musical passion by acquiring more advanced techniques and methods of performance in Tombak with another percussionist maestro Arash Sharghi. Through the ages of learning with Arash Sharghi he familiarized himself with another percussion instrument, the DAF (framed drum). He began playing Daf in 2004 and, soon afterwards, he participated in several performances as an ensemble player and then solo and duet player. He collaborated with other distinctive Maestros and bands such as Mohammad Rahim Khushnawaz (a famous ROBAB Player of Afghanistan), KASRA Ensemble in Iran, and has held some performances in Canada.
Currently, he is pursuing a Master's degree in the field of Construction & Project Managemen at the University of British Columbia (UBC). He's a permanent member of UBC Persian Music Ensemble as a Tombak and Daf player, and has performed with the group regularly.
Nima Ghaemi - Nima Ghaemi was born in Tehran, Iran in 1974 and started learning to play the Santour at the age of 10. He learned the traditional repertoire of Iranian music called Radif. He continued to receive education and training in music after he came to Canada in 1990. His teachers in traditional Iranian music have been Milad Kiai, Mehran Moshkeri, and Afshin Keymanesh. He also learned to play the Daf from Mr. Jaffar Mofti and has been performing and teaching Santour and Daf in Vancouver for the past 10 years. He is also a Psychotherapist and has a private practice in North Vancouver.***********************
Peter Mole - Peter's passion for flamenco was born during a trip to Spain, where he witnessed a group of Gypsies singing, dancing and playing guitar on a hillside in Granada. Since then, he has returned to Spain several times to study and sustain a connection with the latest developments of the art form. The Canada Council for The Arts has funded his most recent trips where he took classes with such guitarists as Carlos Heridia, Miguel Arragon, Diego de Moraio and Fyty.
For over a decade, Peter has been deeply committed to presenting flamenco of the highest calibre, and is regarded as one of the “pillars” of the flamenco community in Vancouver. His blending of sophisticated contemporary harmonies with the traditional rhythms of flamenco has distinguished him as an innovative and unique artist and he has become the first choice as accompanist for many leading dancers.Peter has performed in concerts throughout Canada, including the Music and People Festival in Montreal, and the Vancouver Folk Festival. He has made several appearances on Canadian radio and television, including ZedTV, as well as performing and composing the score for the NFB documentary “Opre Roma”. He also composed and performed the music for “Mariposa: The Butterfly's Evil Spell”, at the National Arts Centre. This performance marked the first flamenco fusion work to be presented at the Canada Dance Festival in Ottawa. His most recent performances include Poem de Alegria at the Norman Rostein, Chinese New Year Global Gala at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Cafe de Chinitas at the Norman Rostein and Flamenco International Festival.
Peter's website: www.poemaflamenco.com
Saba Akbari - Saba's main focus has been folkloric and Egyptian bellydance for the past 6 years. She has studied with many local and international instructors. Dancing is her passion and pretty much consumes all of her time. If she's not working in the accounting office of a TV show, she's in the studio rehearsing. She is part of two bellydance troupes but also does her own solo work. She has performed in many festivals, shows, and competitions. She recently discovered her love for a dance style closer to her heart, Persian, when she was asked to choreograph three different Persian pieces for a show. In less than two months she taught herself the dance style, came up with 3 different choreographies and taught her troupe members the dances. Tonight she will be performing one of those choreographies, a traditional persian dance from the Qajar Dynasty period (1785-1925).
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Saba Akbari - Saba's main focus has been folkloric and Egyptian bellydance for the past 6 years. She has studied with many local and international instructors. Dancing is her passion and pretty much consumes all of her time. If she's not working in the accounting office of a TV show, she's in the studio rehearsing. She is part of two bellydance troupes but also does her own solo work. She has performed in many festivals, shows, and competitions. She recently discovered her love for a dance style closer to her heart, Persian, when she was asked to choreograph three different Persian pieces for a show. In less than two months she taught herself the dance style, came up with 3 different choreographies and taught her troupe members the dances. Tonight she will be performing one of those choreographies, a traditional persian dance from the Qajar Dynasty period (1785-1925).
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