USA
Events
Our talented USA Camp staff of world class dance teachers for 2009 includes
Nourhan Sharif, Eva Cernik, Artemis Mourat, Karim Nagi, Kaeshi, Asharah, Asmara, 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 Aegela!
We welcome all levels of dancers from professional to beginner!
Our talented USA Camp staff of world class dance teachers for 2009 includes
Nourhan Sharif, Eva Cernik, Artemis Mourat, Karim Nagi, Kaeshi, Asharah, Asmara, 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 Aegela!
We welcome all levels of dancers from professional to beginner!
*staff subject to change
NOURHAN SHARIF (Egyptian Oriental)
With over 30 yeas of training and experience in Egyptian and Lebanese Cabaret and Folkloric Dance,
Nourhan Sharif is a leading American artist of Middle Eastern dance and music.
Her skills are in demand aruond the world; She has taugth and performed on nearly every continent.
ELIZABETH
ARTEMIS MOURAT (Veil, drum solo, floor workl)
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.
EVA CERNIK (Turkish Oriental)
Eva comes to you to share her knowledge and experience of Middle Eastern dance. After extensive training in gymnastics and ballet, at the age of 19, Eva was first introduced to the dance by Anahid Sofian of New York whose Turkish style left a strong impression. Her other major teachers early on, include Naila-Rose of Denver and Adnan Sarhan of Baghdad. She has worked in many countries and performed on a regular basis with the Erdogan Turkish Oriental Dance Troupe, Inosis Berber Troupe and the Colorado "Bedouin Ballet".
KAESHI CHAI (Tribal Fusion" and" Belly Popping (Bellydance and Hip Hop)
Of Chinese descent, Kaeshi Chai was born in Brunei and brought up in New Zealand and Australia. She co-founded the New York based dance company, Bellyqueen, with Amar Gamal in 1998 and is it's current artistic director. In 2004, Kaeshi also co-founded "PURE (Public Urban Ritual Experiment)" www.puredance.org , a healing dance and music community, which has rapidly spread into many branches all over the US and internationally. Kaeshi has performed and taught all over the world including the US, Canada, Europe, Mexico, Bali, Trinidad, Australia and extensively throughout Asia. In 2003-2004, she performed with the first professional touring belly dance company in the world, the "Bellydance Superstars" and held the position of dance captain for the 2004 US & Canadian Spring tour. She can be seen in the following DVDs, "American Bellydancer", "Bellydance Jam" and "The Bellydance Experience" by Bellyqueen, "Live in Paris at the Folies Begere", and "Crazed: The Bellydance". In her spare time, Kaeshi studies Mandarin, enjoys travelling, and drinking Soy Chai Lattes.
ASHARAH (Tribal Dance for Oriental Dancers)
Asharah has been performing since the age of six as a dancer, figure skater, and singer. As a bellydancer, she is best known for her dramatic fusion of tribal and cabaret styles, but also has extensive experience in Turkish, Egyptian and American bellydance. She recently earned her Level 2 certification in the Suhaila Salimpour format, and aims to blend this format with American Tribal Style bellydance. Her technique, musicality, and finger cymbal playing skills have been noted and admired across the country. She is deeply grateful to Alexia (Kim Leary), Artemis Mourat, Suhaila Salimpour, and others who have guided her along the way.
TAYYAR
AKDENIZ (Turkish Folk ,Gysy, 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.
ASZMARA (Inprovisational skills)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.
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.