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Alhambra Dance Toronto |
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Caliana started her dance training at 5 yrs old with ballet (Russian Vaganova Method) under close instruction of the late Bella Kovarsky. After 14 years Caliana decided to explore other dance forms. She has dabbled in jazz, modern, and latin dancing, but found that her true calling was Flamenco Dance which she has been training in since 1999. She started out with Esmeralda Enrique and is now studying with Carmen Romero in Toronto. Caliana started Middle Eastern Dancing in 2004 at the Arabesque Academy and studied with Emese, Mary, Denise, and Melissa. She ventured out and continued dancing under Nada (formerly of the Reda Troupe in Egypt) and is now taking classes at Om Laila with Roula Said. Caliana has performed at cultural events throughout the GTA including the Toronto Street Festival, The Dragon Boat Festival and the Peruvian Festival with Flamenco student groups. She continuously seeks new ways to improve as a dancer through workshops with Flamenco and Middle Eastern dance artists from around the world. Caliana completed Hadia’s Level 1 Middle Eastern Dance Instructor Training in August 2006 in Victoria, B.C. She will be completing level 2 in Toronto in August 2008 and the final stage of certification by Summer 2009. Caliana completed Hadia’s 2 week Pro Course intensive in July 2008!!!! She has also become the Organizer for the Belly Dance Meet Up Toronto Group! She is thrilled to have a great troupe to work with and hopes that Alhambra Dance will expand over time! |
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Nazirah began her study of Middle Eastern Dance at the tender age of 28. It started off as a whim, when Caliana asked her to attend a free introductory course at Arabesque Academy in Toronto. She's been hooked ever since. She has since studied Egyptian dance under Emese, Denise and Mary at Arabesque. Nazirah has completed Level 1 & 2 teacher training with Hadia. Her love of dance led her to explore American Tribal Style (group improvisation) under the instruction of Valizan as a member of Lamb Noire (formerly Tribe Arazon), as well as traditional Middle Eastern folkloric styles including assaya, khaleegy, zaar, shamadan and saiidi. Nazirah recently relocated to Hong Kong to pursue a career in education. She has continued her Middle Eastern dance training at the Oasis Dance Centre, under the guidance of Mey Jen, Janaki and Alana. She is looking forward to coming back to Toronto to rejoin Alhambra Dance in the near future. |
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Haifa began her formal dance training in Highland dance at the age of 5. After 11 years studying Highland dancing with the Rob Roy Pipe Band and Highland Dancers, Haifa dabbled in a few other dancer forms, including Irish step dancing, and Latin dance, but found the art of Middle Eastern Dance to be her true calling. |
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Jazmeen, at 4 years old, started training under close supervision by the late Joseph Alexander Moore, her father, and avid Ballroom Dancer. Born and raised in Zimbabwe (Rhodesia), Africa – beneath the African skies, influenced by the sounds of African drum beats and Zulu Tribal Dance; it was during that time when Jazmeen discovered her love for dance, music and live performance. In the mid-70’s she joined Reps Dance Theatre and performed, with a local dance company, a dance routine in Joseph & The Amazing Techni-Coloured Dreamcoat. Jazmeen also performed with a renowned African performer/Actor Mr. John Indi, in an all African Musical – Marimba. She later pursued a modelling career. Jazmeen also competed in various Disco Dancing competitions winning a couple of competitions with her disco dance partner of a few years, Mr Henry Jones. In 2005/2006 she started Belly Dance lessons at Habeeba’s Dance Studio in Toronto, and in August 2007 became a member of Alhambra Dance Troupe. Jazmeen is very proud to be part of this amazing group of dancers/performers. The energy and enthusiasm experienced by each member drives her passion further into the world of Belly Dance, Flamenco Dance and she continues to upgrade her dancing, acting and public speaking skills. |
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We have 2 other flamenco dancers who will dance with us on occasion. One of our original members danced both flamenco and middle eastern dancing, but she is currently working overseas in Kuwait |
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Alhambra Dance Toronto |
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Though belly dance is her favourite dance, Siham Chowdhury has been dabbling in many other dance forms such as Bengali folk dance, Bollywood style, Polynesian dance, Latin dance, Hip Hop and Jazz. She has been performing for many years, in musicals, plays, dance and choral shows. She has had the opportunity to sing and act in different languages, such as Bengali, Hindi, French, and of course English. She has had some classical training in both western (Opera and Jazz) and eastern (Bengali and Hindi songs) styles of singing. She has also written, produced, choreographed and directed several different children’s shows, performed in various street festivals, dance shows, and weddings in Bangladesh, the U.A.E., Canada and in the USA. It has been her good fortune to have had the opportunity to produce Cinderbelly, a dance drama which incorporated various ethnic dances along with belly dance to tell the story of Cinderella. Currently she is teaching ballroom dance to elementary school children in Toronto as a part of the Dancing Classrooms program which was the subject of the documentary Mad Hot Ballroom! And now she is very thrilled to be a part of Alhambra Dance. She looks forward to being part of such warm group of belly beautiful ladies as well as learning new fusion styles such as Flamenco belly dance. Siham, herself, has been belly dancing for thirteen years and she specializes in her own style of fusion belly dance which incorporates Bollywood style, Latin and Polynesian along with classical Egyptian style belly dance.
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Biographies |
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Alhambra Dance Troupe was founded by Caliana together with the help of Nazirah in June 2006. The group has undergone considerable change since its creation. The Alhambra Dance Troupe performed at their first event in August 2007 and most recently performed at Om Laila’s Monthly FUNKaBELLY Party on May 10th. We are a Fusion Dance Troupe who mainly work on Middle Eastern pieces, but will venture into fusions combining Flamenco and Middle Eastern dance. Later we may experiment with other types of dance as well. The members are eagerly awaiting their next performance. The Alhambra Dance Troupe will be slowing down between September 2008 and April 2009 due to two members being in school full-time. Alhambra Dance will still provide solo performers and/or instructors for your special occasion/event etc. For more details please contact us at info@alhambradance.com |
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Alhambra Dance Toronto |
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Lluvia (Ju Via) is an energetic and bountiful dancer, she embodies the spirit of the Goddess, and the flow/movement of celebration and joy. Lluvia means “rain” in Spanish, which translates into her brand of belly dancing, flowing and diverse as water. Lluvia’s influences include aspects of Chinese, Latin and African folk dancing, she enjoys the usage of props such as veils, “water” sleeves, fans and much more. Creative and bodacious, Lluvia captivates with boundless energy and hip-notic movements; she enjoys performing belly dance pieces that can be called “alternative” which sometimes include metal, punk, rock, comedy or hip hop, in addition to traditional Egyptian and Folklore Belly dance. Her essence is grounded in the spirit of the Goddess and her belly dancing captivates as a form of interpretive worship. As a teacher, Lluvia is fun, adventurous and energizing; she believes belly dance is, first and foremost, a motivating and fun form of self body worship. This philosophy enables each of her students appreciate their own unique beauty and through this connect with the Goddess within. Her bigger than life personality and her down to earth humor both invigorate and help her students enjoy their dance experience regardless of previous dance experience. Lluvia has performed and taught workshops and/or belly dance fundamentals in a wide range of settings, her love of belly dance continues to hypnotize audiences across Toronto. |
