Dance Education

Present: Studies with International Dance Artist, Velerie Camille in New York, Yousry Sharif (formerly of Egypt) in New York, and with Mahmoud Reda in Cairo.

2010 Lived in Cairo for 3 months and studied dance at the Nile Group Festival. Also studied with Mahmoud Reda, Aida Nour and Raqia Hassan. Traveled to Alexandria and to SIWA Oases for the third time for inspiration for her SIWAN dance.

2008 Traveled in Egypt to Ismailaya and Suez for inspiration for the dance. Attended many classical Arabic music concerts in Egypt and live performances of the dance.

2006 Led Study trip to Egypt for students who visited the tombs and temples of Egypt, performed on the Nile, and studied with Mahmoud Reda and Raqia Hassan of Cairo.

2005 Study trip Part 2 to the Oases of the Western Desert of Egypt to study the culture, handcrafts and movement of Desert Bedouin cultures in the Southern Oases.

2004 Study trip to Tunisia. Classes in traditional dances of Tunisia with the National Folkloric Troupe in Tunis.

2003 Study trip to the Oases of the Western Desert of Egypt to study the culture, handcrafts and movement of Desert Bedouin cultures of the Northern Oases.

2002 Attended the "Ahlan wa Sahlan" dance festival in Cairo in June studying with Egypt's Great Dance Masters.

2001 returned from Egypt and Nubia where she studied Nubian Dance with Aswan's Nubian Folkloric Dance Troupe.

2000 traveled to Greece and Turkey for the music and the dance.

1999 returned to Lebanon for inspiration of the dance and saw many live performances at the Nahr el Fanoun and Amani in concert.

1998 visited Lebanon where she toured the country, took dance classes, studied the dabke and saw many live performances of the dance.

1995 visited Petra and Amman in Jordan and toured Syria. In Aleppo, visited with members of the National Folklore Troupe of Syria and had a private performance and instruction.

1983 -present: Returns to Egypt almost every year for inspiration of live performances of music and dance stars. In the 80's and 90's Nagwa Fouad, Soheir Zaki, Aza Sharif, Mona Saiid, and Nadia Hamdi greatly influenced Katia's nightclub performances, direction of the Near East Dance Theater and personal choreography.

1982 and again in late 80's studied Ghawazee dance in Luxor, Egypt with Banat Mazin also studied Ghawazee style dance at the dance festival in Cairo in June 2002.

1975-1998: Intensively studied Middle Eastern classical and folkloric dance and developed dance technique with Dance Master Ibrahim Farrah of New York, Near East Dance School, NYC. (See bottom of page for Tribute: Ibrahim Farrah)

1973-1975: Studied International Folk Dancing with an emphasis on Middle Eastern and Eastern European Dances at Cape Cod Community College, Hyannis, MA.

1973: Began study of Middle Eastern Dance with Lebanese Teacher, Flora Azar of New Bedford, MA.(1973-1975)

Early years and teens: ballet, tap and jazz in Massachusetts. First teachers of Dance were Jacqueline Bassinette and Pauline Parker of New Bedfored, Massachusetts.

Katia on Her Teacher and Mentor, Ibrahim Farrah

" For 23 years, I was priviledged to study Oriental Dance with Bobby Farrah. Bobby defined and expanded the Art of Oriental dance, developed its performance technique, and pioneered its stage presentation in this country which has inspired stage productions of Middle Eastern dance all over the world. He was a master in movement and storytelling and changed the audiences's focus of the dance from one of sexuality to one of sensuality, vitality and beauty. He was my teacher, my mentor and my friend. He is part of everything I do in dance. His genius will never be forgotten. "

Web Site Maintenance: Katia
Web Site Design: Mary Anna Brown
Copyright 2001
Last Updated: 8/26/10

Dance Education

Katia on Her Teacher and Mentor, Ibrahim Farrah

Biography