Nalini
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Nalini is a master instructor and choreographer in Indian dance and belly dance. She spent many years performing in the most elite nightclubs, stages and restaurants of Moscow, Russia, where she entertained VIP clientele before moving to the United States. She is the founder, director, and choreographer for the Blue Lotus Dance Co. and performs as a soloist all over the U.S. She is well-known for her grace and beauty as well as the warmth and joy she instills in the hearts of her audiences. |
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| www.nalinidance.com |
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Andrea-Al-Amar
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Andrea was born with dancing in her soul. With a background in ballet, jazz, and modern dance, she took to middle-eastern dance like a fish to water |
5 years ago and then discovered her love of Indian movies, culture, and dance.
As one of Nalini’s first American students, Andrea has studied bellydance with her for 3 years and Bollywood/classical Kathak for 2 years.
She is co-founder and co-instructor for the Blue Lotus Dance Co. |
| www.andreaal-amar.com |
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Elisa Gamal
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Elisa Gamal is entering the third decade of her love affair with Middle Eastern dance. She blames (and blesses) Nalini for swaying her formerly steadfast heart toward her newest passion - Bollywood! |
A multi-award winning performer and instructor throughout the Pacific Northwest, Elisa also occasionally packs up her sequins and travels the country to study with dance masters from around the world.
Elisa Gamal is Vice President of Middle East Arts International, the mother of two delightful children, grooves on gardening and good books, and bakes a mean pie. |
www.middleeastarts.org
www.elisagamal.com |
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Anna Vasilevskaya
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Anna Vasilevskaya is a renowned Russian singer. Born in Siberia, she studied in the Russian Academy of Theater arts in Moscow, and moved to America a number of |
| years ago. Here she began sharing Russian Gypsy, folk, and romance music with American audience, translating many of the songs into English. Anna has performed at different venues in the Puget Sound region, including Seattle Public Library and Benaroya Hall. |
| http://vasilevsky.com/Anna/ |
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| Shannon |
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Shannon was introduced to the world of bellydance in 2000. |
Little did she know how her passion for dance would grow! She started
her studies
with local teacher, Aleili and then became a student of Amelia Moore in 2001, with whom she has studied bellydance and later Turkish Roman
(Turkish gypsy dance). Shannon performed as a member of The
Circle, a Seattle bellydance company founded by Amelia, from 2003 to
2008. It
was through her experience with The Circle that Shannon was encouraged
to continue her growth as a dancer, studying a variety of
bellydance
styles, and to perform as a soloist as well.
Shannon has studied with many local, national and
international teachers and will always consider herself a student of
dance. She is honored and excited to now be a member of Blue Lotus and a
student of Nalini. She is thrilled to continue to learn bellydance and
to step
into the exciting world of bollywood under Nalini's
gifted direction. |
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Emma
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Emma has loved to dance since she was small. Her dance training began with ballet, African dances, and modern dance. |
She then studied at the Pacific Northwest Ballet School. During this time she maintained a broad interest in dance which led her to delve into a variety of dance forms, including Flamenco and classical Persian dance.
Inspired by some Indian (and non-Indian) friends, she has most recently become passionate about Indian dances. She began studying with Nalini in 2008, deepening her understanding and appreciation of belly dance and the dances of India. |
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Jen
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Jen began learning bellydance in 1992 under the tutelage of her great aunt, Dijana.
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After a hiatus from dance spent traveling, discovering adventure sports, and studying languages, economics and international relations, she rediscovered her passion for dance and began exploring various styles of Indian fusion, American Tribal Style and Bollywood dance.
When she's not on stage or in the studio with the Blue Lotus or Nomaditude Tribal Fusion dance companies, you can find Jen praciticing extreme Excel geekery at her day job or brewing a serious French press of Arabian Mocha Sanani. |
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