About me:
I am a believer
-In the power of humor
-Of not taking myself too seriously
-But of taking others' dreams seriously
I live in a big old house that we are "renovating" with, of course, a dance
studio on the top (3rd) floor. The first part of your private class with me is climbing all those steps!! It is in the old
part of town in Plattsburgh, NY.
I am happily married to my creative partner who also drums in Rhythms
of de Nile. I have a son & a stepdaughter who are the same age (28) and are fantastic people. I have two dogs, a cat,
and two geckos.
I started folk dance classes as a child (no ballet - until adulthood) then
modern dance, Turkish dance, social Belly Dance in high school, jazz dance, then on to formal Belly Dance study.
I was born in New York City from a mixed ethnic background and
raised with a lot of cultural diversity. I traveled and lived all over the US in my youth and as a young adult,
but have now lived most of my adult life in a small upstate NY city near the Canadian border and have had several
different careers in the arts, the service industry, and the business sector.
I have a B.A. in Education/English literature/Art, a B.S. in Business/Accounting/Production
Analysis, and am a member of NYS AHPERD (New York State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and
Dance). I enjoy teaching as a means of transmitting the joy of dance for empowerment, grace, and well-being to people of all
ages, sizes, and shapes.
PROPS TO MY TEACHER:
My teacher and mentor, currently retired, Amira (Joanne
Ives), directed the Hayetti Troupe
(Hayetti= my heart, my life). I was a member 1982-1991 and we traveled all around here and Canada doing shows
and demonstrations at venues such as the Lake Placid Olympic Committee Exposition, the Egyptian Embassy (Montreal) and fancy
nightclubs like "La Tente" in Montreal. She also produced big gala annual shows at area clubs and restaurants, as well
as giving to the community at benefits and such.
We worked hard and played hard!!
Amira was an incredible inspiration and role model. She practiced and taught
jazz dance, modern dance, and Middle Eastern Dance in her own studio "Dance Gallery" and at Plattsburgh New York State
University. She took us to Montreal to meet and learn about the various Middle Eastern communities there. She introduced us
to her teachers and guides and shared performing opportunities with us-if we practiced enough- She taught us how to make costumes
and be resourceful - because there was no Internet then!
She is a certified D.E.A. (Dance Educator of America). I apprenticed with
her for several years to learn how to teach dance, and then she started me off by turning her beginners over
to me way back when. She owned "Dance Gallery" with Olga-Teresa Baigas, D.E.A. ; they both also were part of Plattsburgh NY
State University Dance Dept in 80' -90's. I also worked for Olga (another fantastic dancer & inspiration to me) at
her "Adirondack Dance Theater."
Amira's form,
technique, musical interpretation, rhythmic timing and expression are impeccable. I credit her instilling in
me her fantastic choreography creativity. I have recreated many of her choreographies in honor of her - from "memory"
and early (stone age) video.
I would not be the dancer I am today without her influence. She taught
me everything I needed to know about Middle Eastern Dance as an art form. She went on dance study tours to Egypt, Morocco,
Greece, and Turkey. She has a B.A. in Anthropology, majoring in Middle Eastern culture and history.
All the "big name", incredible and wonderful workshop and other teachers
that I have studied with since, have just reinforced her talent and gift to me and given me the opportunity to keep studying.
I will never stop learning this fascinating dance.
