Belly Dance Show with With Ayperi December 10, 2011

"The dance is a poem of which each movement is a word."

~Mata Hari

Although I’ve been dancing and studying music all my life in one form or another – from playing classical piano and jazz trombone for many years to ballet, musical theatre, and liquid dancing – it wasn’t until I discovered Middle Eastern dance that I became a serious dance student. I have been a professional bellydance instructor and performer since 2005. What follows is a long-version of my dance biography:

My grandmother knew all along that bellydancing would be perfect for me, and she has been my inspiration in many choreographies, costumes, and performances. In 2001, she gave me a bellydance instructional VHS tape as a Christmas gift, with the intention that all three generations of women in my family (my grandmother, mother, and I) would practice the tape together. Unfortunately, we never got a chance to practice the tape together because shortly after Christmas that year, my grandma suffered from a severe stroke. Although she went through a very intensive recovery program that took incredible amounts of personal strength, she lost her ability to speak and walk. Even without words, my bond with my grandma is incredibly strong to this day! As a way to keep in contact with her, I have spoken to her on the phone since coming to college in the fall of 2001, and one thing that I tried out on a whim (mostly to tell her about it) was a bellydancing class! I saw a poster in my freshman dorm at UW Madison for a bellydancing club meeting. Needless to say, after just one preliminary lesson and information session in the club, I was hooked. I absolutely fell in love with the elegant costumes, beautiful music, and sinuous movements. I started taking lessons with club members several times a week and I studied religiously under Mona Nwal from 2001 – 2005. While I was in the UW Bellydancing club, I learned so much about choreography, sewing and costuming, and how to dance in a troupe. I became the UW Bellydancing Club President in 2004, and also organized many shows, performances, and bellydance showcases in the Madison community.

My professional bellydance career started in 2005, when I was offered a position as a dance instructor at Social Life Dance Center and I founded my own bellydance troupe, El Genneyya ("The Genie" in Arabic). In El Genneyya Bellydancing troupe, I learned a lot about being an artistic director, choreographing, managing a dance troupe, and collaborating with other artists. El Genneyya Bellydancing performed weekly and monthly shows at The Casbah Restaurant in Madison; collaborated with musicians in Madison-based Balkan, funk fusion band Reptile Palace Orchestra and the Middle Eastern fusion band Al-Khemia; and performed at renaissance faires, weddings, nightclubs, and local festivals in southern Wisconsin.

In 2007, my dance career changed course dramatically. El Genneyya's senior members moved away to go to graduate school, but I continued dancing with the remaining El Genneyya member, Misha - one of the midwest's best male bellydancers. Misha and I started to forge a path together as a male/female bellydance duo. As a unique pair, we have been featured artists at bellydance conferences and workshops such as Northern Lights Bellydance Festival at Kalahari in Wisconsin Dells in 2008 and Full Circle Bellydance Festival at Telemark Lodge in Cable, Wisconsin in 2008. In 2007, Misha and I started an ongoing collaboration with local musicians in Al-Khemia ("Alchemy" in Arabic), including oud-player Thomas Moore formerly of Baraka Mundi and tabla-player Bill Tricomi as Weno Gypsies, a Renaissance Faire stage act. Weno Gypsies performs at Janesville Renaissance Faire and at one of the largest renaissance faires in the midwest - Bristol Ren Faire in Kenosha, WI. I also joined Ashar Dance Company in 2007. In Ashar I have had the opportunity to collaborate with and learn from amazing professional Tribal style bellydancers, instructors, and fire performers Seana, Tashar, and Mahela. The ladies in Ashar are my biggest dance influences, and bellydancing with them has helped my dance style to blossom in many new and exciting ways. In 2007, I also devoted all my teaching energies to Dance Fabulous Studio. Dance Fabulous is a studio owned and operated by women and for women in downtown Madison, WI. I am still impressed with the personal touches that the owners – three wonderful sisters – do to make the studio a fun, inviting place to dance.

Since 2007, my dance career has largely stayed on the same track. I am currently performing with Ashar Dance Company, with Weno Gypsies at renaissance faires, with Misha as "Ayperi & Misha Bellydance Duet", and as a soloist at Mediterranean Hookah Lounge and bellygrams. I teach weekly drop in classes and six-week session workshops at Dance Fabulous, and I continue to take dance lessons, watch performances, and support local bellydancers as much as I can! Recently I started selling my own costuming creations, and I have enjoyed making costuming for myself, Misha, and my dance-sisters in Ashar Dance Company.

http://www.ayperibellydance.com
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