My Teachers :: Thank you, grazie, شكراً
Note (in which I switch to first person):
To separate these teachings and teachers and courses out from one another is a fools errand, but is how we do it today. These areas of study have all informed one another historically, culturally, politically, and for me, personally, as has my 'day job' and education work. Please see all of my studies, and any work that evolves out of them, as intertwined.
This list is meant to honor those listed for their work and respect that none of us do this alone. Thank you all.
Teachers I work with currently and on an ongoing basis are in bold.
Egyptian, Arab, North African & West Asian Dances
- Aida Nour (Sharqi, Baladi, Alexandrian)
- Amel Tafsout (Algerian, Tunisian, Moroccan, Mauritanian, Andalusian)
- Astryd Farah deMichelle (Cairo style Sharqi & Beledi)
- Atef Farag (Folklore, Sharqi, Firqa Reda)
- Bert Balladine (Sharqi, Theatrical)
- Carolina Varga Dinicu (Sharqi)
- Dalia Carella (Romani)
- Dandash (Sharqi, Baladi, Theatrical)
- Dina Talaat (Sharqi, Baladi)
- Elena Lentini (Sharqi, Theatrical)
- Farida Fahmy (Firqa Reda, Sharqi, Theatrical)
- Fifi Abdo (Sharqi, Beledi, Fifi)
- Helene Eriksen (Afghani, Armenian, Romani, Kurdish, Andalusian, Iranian)
- Jihad of Al Juthoor (Palestinian Dabke)
- John Compton (Theatrical)
- Judeen Esau (Sharqi, Turkish)
- Karim Nagi (Saiidi, Dabke)
- Kay Hardy Campbell (Khaleeji)
- Khadijah Smith (Khaleeji)
- Khayriya Mazen (Ghawazee)
- Laila Farid (Sharqi)
- Leea Aziz (pan-Arabic, Turkish, American Nightclub/Cabaret)
- Leila Haddad (Tunisian)
- Lorna Zilba (pan-Arabic)
- Magda Ibrahim (Folklore, Sharqi, Firqa Reda)
- Mahmoud Reda (Firqa Reda, Theatrical)
- Mohammed El Hosseny (Simsimiyya - Suez dances, Sharqi, Awalem)
- Nashwa Cahill (Sharqi)
- Oreet Jehassi Schwartz (Sharqi)
- Outi (Sharqi)
- Raqia Hassan (Sharqi)
- Ranya Renee (Sharqi, Baladi, Breathwork, Firqa Reda)
- Rita Alderucci (Sharqi, Theatrical)
- Sahra 'Saeeda' Kent (Sharqi, Baladi, Firqa Reda)
- Shareen El Safy (Sharqi, Baladi)
- Soheir Zaki (Sharqi)
- Tarik Sultan (Sharqi)
I have taken many, many (many!) Arab+ style dance workshops and classes regularly since I was 17. This is not a complete list of my instructors. I'm sad to say there are many I may have even forgotten, but that does not negate their importance on my development as a mover. I've also been a performer since my teens and worked with many bands and fellow artists in the days when we learned 'on the job', as well as hearing the stories of my grandfather about dancers he loved, and last but certainly not least, doing a lot of social dancing in Cairo kitchens and at Arab and Arab-American weddings!
Italian Dances
- Andrea Caracuta (Pizzica)
- Andrea De Siena (Regional Pizzicas, Tammurriata, Saltarello )
- Francesca Corsetti (Pizzica, Theatrical taranta)
- Francesco Faustino (Pizzica)
- Kate Causbie (Pizzica)
- Laura Boccadamo (Pizzica)
- Rosa Voto (Pizzica Pizzica, regional pizzicas, and the all around awesomeness of being a rooted dancer in this world)
- Romolo Crudo (Pizzica)
- Serena D'Amato (Pizzica)
- Silvia Perrone (Pizzica)
- Veronica Calati (Pizzica Salentina)
+ lots of southern Italian and Italian-American social dances at weddings my whole life!
Percussion
- Alessandra Belloni (tamburello, tammorra)
- Andrea Piccioni (tabmurello)
- Barbara Crescimanno (tamburello, tammorra, and the all around awesomeness of our drums)
- Emanuele Liquori (tamburello)
- Faisal Zedan (riq)
- Leea Aziz (sagat/zills)
- Loay Dahbour (tabla, riq, duff)
- Mary Ellen Donald (tabla)
- Nando Citarella (tammorrra)
- Susu Pampanin (riq, tabla, tabla beledi)
Music & Singing
- Alessandra Belloni (Southern Italian singing)
- Basma Edrees (maqamat theory, Egyptian and Arabic music)
- Federica Colademenico (Salentino singing and music styles, storytelling, pizzica and tarantismo history, roots)
- Flavia Sabato (Salentino songs, pizzica as healing, restorative ronde)
- John LaBarbera (Southern Italian singing and music)
- Omar Abbad (oud)
- Salaheddine Bedoui (Arabic music)
- Sami Abu Shumays (maqamat theory)
- Tim Abdullah Fuson (Gnawa songs)
- Yassir Chadly (Gnawa songs)
Other Dance & Movement Styles
- Beth Abrams (Floor barre)
- Carla Escoda (Adult ballet)
- Dia Dear (Sick Dance)
- Ito Yosakoi (Yosakoi)
- Tatiana Burdiak (Ukrainian folk dance)
- Virgina Iglesias (Flamenco)
- Yaelisa (Flamenco)
+ lots of Polish social dances at weddings!
Language
- Nabil Abdelfattah, UC Berkeley (Arabic - Fus'ha)
- Department of Italian Studies, UC Berkeley (Italian)
- International House, Cairo (Arabic - Fus'ha and Aameya)
- Italian Language Studies, City College of San Francisco (Italian 1 - 3)
- Joy of Languages (Italian language coursework)
- Paolo Miceli (Griko languages)
+ I also grew up with regional Italian languages, not to mention hearing Polish and Ukrainian regularly
And and and...
- Anka Lavriv (Ukrainian folk magic and traditions)
- Bonnie Rose Weaver (Western herbalism, hands on large scale herbal gardening and tending)
- Christena Cleveland (Black Madonna Community Circles)
- David Dean (Radical Genealogy)
- Jessica Della Janara (Italian-American ancestral magic, witchcraft)
- Laura Tempest Zakroff (Sigil magic)
- Lisa Fazio (Italian-American folk magic)
- Marika Heinrichs (Ancestral somatics)
- Massimiliano Morabito (Tarantismo)
+
- My inspiring dance and musician friends and colleagues
- My family and my ancestors
- All my cummari...past, present, and future
Additional Projects
Howard Zinn Book Fair
Coordinating crew
Little Black Egg Screen Printing
Comms for the family biz
Alemany Farm
Former medicine and herb garden intern, current fan and regular visitor to this special spot
The Things We Do
Ongoing multigenerational doings and card slinging for and with family and friends. IYKYK.
The Hala Collective
Heritage Activists, Liberation Artists