Belly Dance Show with With Rio Raqs November 19, 2011

Rio is an improvisational dancer of the interpretive bellydance "tribalyrical" styling of the east coast, with roots in Turkish and folkloric middle eastern dance. She began performing professionally in the Richmond area over 16 years ago with experience in modern jazz, tap, ballet, swing, ballroom, and musical theater. Her signature style fuses the heartbeat of cultural folk music with the passionate storytelling of Eastern European, Andalusian, and Native American dances creating an emotionally dynamic and interactive performance accompanied locally by the live music of Maharal. Rio performs nationally with several bands and performance groups on tours and stages with folk such as Vagabond Opera, Copal, This Way To The Egress, Turku, Dragonsong, Wine & Alchemy, Ishtar, My Son The Doctor, The Mysterious Concoction, and The Trongone Band. A native of Richmond, Virginia, she spent a third of her life in Ontario, Canada in both Windsor and Penetanguishene on Georgian Bay where she began oriental dance studying with Suhaila Salimpour, Audra Simmons, and Siwan Van Leidervst, and become both an adopted Canadian and an adopted Hungarian. The immersion of gypsy culture and music reverberates within her southern Seminole heritage, reflecting back the strength and vitality of a people who are uncontrollably moved to dance and spread the tapas, the love and fire of life. With music, there is always community. With community, we are one.

Rio is a certified yoga instructor whose style is 'prana flow gone orientale' following the trifecta method of YogaWorks that combines Ashtanga, Iyengar, and Viniyoga methods into a well rounded cohesive practice. She has studied and practiced with Anne VanValkenburg, Eddie Modestinni, Nicki Doane, Elise Miller, Roger Cole, and Natasha Rizopoulos with continuing education around the US and Canada. Her style is driven by an anatomical approach to individual alignment and creating a personal experience and path for students, no matter what background or experience. Her experience focuses on degenerative joint and tissue disorders and rehabilitation, mobility limitations of EDS, fibromyalgia, MS, and Minears, with restorative yoga and dance for anxiety and depression, prenatal and early childhood bonding, and empowerment through women's outreach.

Official Website: http://www.MosaicCafe.net