Teaching Experience

Katia has over three decades of teaching experience on the local and national levels. She is an enthusiastic and ambitious instructor, teaching dance workshops in the U.S., Canada, Beirut Lebanon, Puerto Rico, Alexandria, Egypt and abroad in classical and folkloric styles of Oriental Dance. She inspires students with her dedication, dance knowledge, and ability to convey the essence of the Oriental Dance. Katia specializes in performance technique and technical competence of movement that leads to an ability to express the feeling of the music through Oriental Dance.

In addition to regular weekly classes, 5-6 workshops in Boston per year and many private classes for choreography and coaching, Katia teaches a 4-day MIDDLE EASTERN DANCE RETREAT at the end of July each year featuring technique classes and choreography to a classic piece of Arabic music and a folkloric (traditional) dance from the Middle East with related programs on costuming, music and dance and a Saturday night hafla in the studio with live music of the Dance Retreat Arabic Music Ensemble.

The following are some of the workshops taught in this decade - most recent first.

2011 Workshops

Katia spent two months in Marrakech, Morocco to begin the year, studying, traveling. Upon her return she taught a weekend workshop of Moroccan Shikhat technique in the Boston area. She taught a specialized workshop in "The Art of the Veil" where all the possibilities of the veil in our dance were explored. In addition to her regular classes, she taught her 9th Dance Retreat in July (see teaching: Retreat page) which featured her new Moroccan group dance choreography as well as a classic Raqs Sharqi dance. Katia was sponsored by Meiver (Chicago/Boston)who featured her as a teacher of Tunisian dance at 2011 MassRaqs in Boston at the beginning of September where she taught performed and was honored for her dance career of 38 years. She presented a talk with photos of the history of the dance as she experienced it. Katia was also sponsored by Sabah (VT) in a successful weekend of intensive technique and choreography classes with a show under a bedouin tent "Egypt on Cape Cod 2" in late September 2011. In October this year Ma'isah of Boston will sponsor Katia teaching a five hour workshop presenting her latest Raq Sharqi choreography inspired by her travels called "The Mystique of Marrakech". Katia is available for workshop/performance in the US and abroad. Contact Katia

2010 Workshops

Katia spent three months in Cairo to begin the year, studying, traveling and teaching. Upon her return she taught a weekend workshop of her choreography "Mashaal" which was well attended and received! In late April Katia taught her fan dance Arabic choreography in a weekend workshop on Cape Cod for Elena El Amar. In addition to her regular classes, she taught her 8th Dance Retreat in July. The last weekend in August, she taught a dance and performed for Zabeth's Tribute to George Abdo and Diva contest in Boston. Katia taught for Sabah in a successful weekend of intensive technique and choreography classes with a show under a bedouin tent "Egypt on Cape Cod" in September 2010. Katia is available for workshop/performance in the US and abroad. Contact Katia

2009 Workshops

Katia taught three Choreography and technique workshops in her Boston Area Series including folkloric workshops, featuring a new Malaya Leff dance, a Nubian dance and a classical Oriental. In addition, Katia taught A two-day workshop with performance in October in Stowe, Vermont sponsored by Sabah Productions of Vermont and Katia's 7th Middle Eastern Dance Retreat in July, 2009.

2008 Workshops

Katia taught six Choreography and technique workshops in her Boston Area Series including folkloric workshops, featuring Turkish Karsilama with Tamborine, a Saiidi dance, Fan dance, Pharaonic and Lebanese Dabke. In addition, Katia taught the following weekend workshops with performance: A two-day workshop in March, 2008 for the Johara Dance Ensemble of Ft. Worth, Texas, Tapestry IV- October 2 day workshop and show in Montpelier, VT sponsored by Sabah Productions of Vermont and Katia's 6th Middle Eastern Dance Retreat in July, 2008. In addition, Katia taught a specialty class in Middle Eastern Dance at Harvard University.

2007 Workshops

Katia taught six Choreography and technique workshops in her Boston Area Series including folkloric workshops, featuring a Saiidi Stick dance, Ghawazee and Lebanese Dabke. In addition, Katia taught the following weekend workshops with performance: A two-day workshop in March, 2007 for the Johara Dance Ensemble of Ft. Worth, Texas, Tapestry III- October 2 day workshop and show in Montpelier, VT sponsored by Sabah Productions of Vermont and Katia's 5th Middle Eastern Dance Retreat in July, 2007.

2006 Workshops

Katia taught six Choreography and technique workshops in her Boston Area Series including folkloric workshops featuring the Malaya, Tunisian and Khaleegy styles. In addition, Katia taught the following weekend workshops with performance: October 15th workshop and show in Montpelier, VT sponsored by Sabah Productions of VT. July 28-30th, 2006 taught 3-day dance Retreat with performance in Lakeville, MA, and an 8 week course in Ghawazee Dancing for Ancient Art Studios in Berkley Oct/Nov 2006.

2005 Workshops

Katia taught six Choreography and technique workshops in her Boston Area Series In addition, Katia taught the following weekend workshops with performance: October 1st Tapestry of Middle Eastern Dance workshop and show in Plainview, VT sponsored by Sabah Productions of VT. July 29-31st, 2005 taught 3-day dance Retreat with performance in Lakeville, MA, November 12th-13th, 2005 - Houston - 2 day workshop and show sponsored by Sirrom School of Dance in Houston.

2004 Workshops

Katia will teach six Choreography and technique workshops in her Boston Area Series this year. In addition, Katia taught the following weekend workshops with performance: February workshop and show in San Diego, California sponsored by Morwenna Assaf of the Dance Art Academy, July 29-August 1, 2004 taught 3-day dance retreat with performance in Lakeville, MA, October 2nd and 3rd, 2004 - Houston - 2 day workshop and show sponsored by Sirrom School of Dance.

2003 Workshops

Four Choreography workshops in Boston Area Series. Taught the following weekend workshops with performance: July 25 -27, 2003 taught 3-day dance retreat with performance in Lakeville, MA. November 2003 - Washington area - 2 day workshop and show for Adriana Productions.

2002 Workshops

Four Choreography workshops in Boston Area Series. Taught the following weekend workshops with performance: June 2002 - Arlington, MA Sponsor: Lisa Casselli * September 11-15 -Traverse City Michigan, October 6-10,- Seattle, Washington and November 6-10 Jeykel Island, Georgia - Sponsor: Oasis Dance Camp * December 7, 2002 Arabic Hips mini-workshop, Arlington, MA - Sponsor: Lisa Casselli.

2001 Workshops

Four Choreography workshops in Boston Area. Taught the following weekend workshops with performance: April 2001 - Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. Sponsor: Shams. * Sept 2001 -Mansfield, MA - Sponsor: Amera. * October 2001, Houston, Texas. Sponsor: Sirrom School. * October 2001- Syracuse, N.Y. Sponsor: Syracuse Belly Dancers Association. * November 2001 - Lowell, MA -Athenian Corner Series.

Dance Education
Related Education
Experience in the Middle East
Performance Experience
Journalism Experience
Lecturing Experience
CDs, Videos and Awards
Folkloric Costume Collection

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Copyright 2001
Last Updated: 10/15/11

Biography