Instructors "[the instructors] were all different, professional and positive. They all brought wonderful personalities and various teaching techniques to the class. It sure made me excited to continue on with the classes and experience courses from as many of the instructors as possible! They all have so much to share!"- Yvonne (student) Aurora Aurora is an accomplished, graceful dancer with experience as a solo and group performer. She is credited for being an excellent and dedicated teacher. For more information regarding Aurora's dance training, please see her Bio. Brandi An earthy and rhythmic dancer, Brandi brings enthusiasm and the joy of interacting with other dancers through American Tribal Style (ATS) belly dance. Brandi first began her middle eastern dance training in 1999, studying with both DancEgypt and Oriental Dance Arts of Saskatoon, SK. As a member of Oriental Dance Arts from 2000-2005, she had the opportunity to learn and perform Oriental, Persian, Nepalese Temple, and American Tribal Style dances. In 2005 she moved to Edmonton, where she quickly became a member of Zaghareet! Tribal Style belly dance from 2005 to 2007. In September 2006 she began teaching American Tribal Style classes at the Edmonton Bellydance Academy and her classes have been a regular at the studio ever since. Brandi also directs the troupe 'Three Eyes Tribal' formed in 2008. Brandi first experienced ATS at a Fat Chance Belly Dance workshop in 2002 with Anne Lehrmer and has become dedicated to this newer brand of belly dance. She has also taken workshops with Carolena Nericcio, the creator of American Tribal Style bellydance, Megha Gavin, Gypsy Fire and Gypsy Caravan. In April of 2010, Brandi traveled to San Francisco, home of ATS, to take the General Skills for American Tribal Style Certificate Course, a 20 hour, 4 day Intensive with Carolena Nericcio and Fat Chance Belly Dance Trisha Trisha is a spirited dancer and her love of the music is unmistakable when she dances. First drawn to the art of Bellydance in 2003, she has studied extensively with: Isis Dance Productions, Shahenda of Edmonton, Aldiya of Edmonton and most recently with Aurora. Although her main focus is classical Egyptian cabaret she has taken numerous workshops with dancers in all styles of this art form including: Nath Keo of Victoria, Sabura of Chicago, Hadia of Montreal, Beata & Horatio Cifuentes of Germany, Sonia of the Bellydance Superstars, Kami Liddle in Tribal Fusion & Ariellah Aflalo in Gothic Tribal. Previously a member of the Jewels of Isis and then Raq-a-belly Dance!, Trisha has spent the last 1 1/2 years focusing on technique and she is thrilled to now have the opportunity to share her love of the dance with new students. Holly Holly is a versatile and creative dancer. She studied tap, jazz, ballet, and gymnastics as youngster but didn’t take her first bellydance class until 2002 with Delia. From there she studied under local instructors Donna Cucheran, Anemone Ruder, Shehenda, Aldiya, and currently Aurora. She has also participated in workshops with world renowned instructors Hadia (Montreal), Sahra Saeeda (California), Helene Eriksen, Beatta & Horacio Cifuentes (Germany), Yasmina Ramzy (Toronto) and more to come. Holly received her Personal Fitness Training Certification from NAIT, and group fitness training through the AFLCA and Spa Lady’s Apprenticeship Program. Kristin Kristin began her bellydance training in January of 2003 and has been instructing for EBA since 2005. In addition to her role as a principle dancer with the Edmonton Bellydance Ensemble, she also performs as a soloist at weddings, restaurants and special events around the city. In the summer of 2009 Kristin completed the Professional Middle Eastern Dance Program at Arabesque Academy in Toronto with Yasmina Ramzy. In 2008 she was a featured performer at various venues in Seville, Spain. She has taken bellydance workshops with Aida Nour of Egypt, Tito Seif of Egypt, Yousry Sharif of the U.S.A. and Zuel of Spain. Additionally, Kristin performed with the Salsaddiction NYLA Team throughout 2007, including a performance at a World Salsa Congress in Puerto Rico. Natasha Natasha has been dedicated to the art of dance for nearly two decades. Her training is primarily in classical ballet and began in 1987. She was privileged to be accepted into the professional program at the Edmonton School of Ballet and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School. From 1995-1996 Natasha danced with the Edmonton Festival Ballet Company. In the later years, she incorporated jazz, lyrical, modern and tap to give variation to her art form. In the fall of 2004, Natasha fell in love with middle eastern style dancing. She gives credit to Ana, Aurora and Zaghareet! for their support and knowledge that has guided her path in this new art form. As of spring of 2007, Natasha has added another role with the studio as the public relations representative. She looks forward to all the many years ahead not only teaching but working with the public on behalf of the organization and its students. Maria Kiturah Maria Kiturah is an elegant and adept dance artist whose formal training includes both Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) and Cecchetti methods. Maria Kiturah has studied tango with Miguel Angel Pla (Argentina) and has trained Salsa On-1 and Mambo styles with Alex Rojas, Daiana Moy, Jennifer Izquierdo and Jayson Molina (Puerto Rico). In 2007, she was hand selected to perform with Jayson Molina’s Sabor a Fuego, Edmonton at the 2007 International Salsa Congress in Puerto Rico. She has also performed as principal dancer with Ballet Folklorico Huerquen under the directorship of Gabriel Cabrolier, and with Movements: Afro-Caribbean Dance Ensemble: Sharlene Thomas, Artistic Director. Currently, she performs as principal dancer with Edmonton Bellydance Ensemble: Aurora Ongaro, Artistic Director. Maria Kiturah began her Middle Eastern dance training 2003. She credits her technical training to Donna Cucheran, Tascheleia Marangoni and, in particular, to Aurora Ongaro. She has attended workshops led by Sabura, Nath Keo, Beata and Horacio Cifuentes, Bozenka, Yasmina Ramzy, Aida Nour, Tito Seif, Ranya Renee and Yousry Sharif. In 2008, she attended and performed at the International Bellydance Conference of Canada and plans to complete the Arabesque Academy Professional Course in 2010. Maria Kiturah is a featured performer at Yianni’s Taverna and is invited to dance at local corporate events, parties and weddings. Anita Anita hails from an artistic European family whose evenings were spent with close relatives, dance, and music. Her dance exposure and training consists of Jamaican, Latin, Contemporary dance, and Ballet. Middle Eastern dance became an all consuming passion 10 years ago and she has learnt from a large variety of instructors from all over the world. Anita was introduced to Tribal Style belly dance in 2004 and she was a member of Zaghareet Tribal Belly Dance until 2006. During the time of summer festivals Anita became enamored with fire poi and the unique styles of motion and movement it created. Anita uses Poi and the unique styles of movement it creates and incorporates it into Oriental and Tribal dance, creating a new way to bring all these styles into one!