Lotus Sol Skirt Troupe from Anam Cara Dance in Frederick under the direction of Lindsey McCormick was born out of a love for all things skirt dancing. Blossoming like a lotus and shining bright as the sun while performing innovative fusion dances with fabulous flying skirts, these incredible dancers put their heart and soul into what they do while executing Lindsey's unique fusion flare. Please welcome Lotus Sol as they perform to Hennal in the style of Divine Chaos Fusion.

Emily’s love and a life-long passion for belly dancing began at the age of thirteen when she became mesmerized by the spectacular moves and shiny beats. She learned the history and philosophy of the art form from celebrity belly dancers in Brazil, the Middle East, and Egypt. Since her mid-twenties, Emily has performed at dozens of international prestigious stages and festivals in the Middle East and the United States, and with her skill of the art form became sought after and in high demand as an educator and a dance instructor.

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Emily Gonzaga was selected to  work with La Maison de les Artist from 2000 to 2007 where she was the youngest belly dancer to come out of Brazil and had the pleasure to be at the most famous stages in the Gulf and Middle East.

Based in Central Pennsylvania, Taschen is primarily a fusion dancer who enjoys exploring a variety of styles. Utilizing technique from multiple sources, her focus is to honor root teachings while expanding their potential to cultivate a unique experience with movement. She has been dancing for ten years and performing in the local community since 2011.

 All around artist AZYRA IZEL,is married to the performing arts including healing. With Every performance different from the last ,she is self taught and self trained in belly dance . A soul dancer who gifts you with pure Improv everytime for the love and appreciation of the dance, herself and her audience.

Sophianna is an award-winning belly dancer specializing in Greek and Egyptian styles. She performs at private events and teaches lessons in person and online. In her dance, she strives for cultural representation and emotional connection with her audience. She is honored to have the opportunity to perform a Classical Egyptian Raqs-Shaqi song for you all here today, to a legendary song about a woman longing for her lover.

To Casimira, dance is simply another way to tell a story.  Movement rather than words, expressions rather than pictures. Her style is an amalgam of world dance: from American Fusion to traditional Indonesian, but her favorites are Balkan and Bollywood.  She studied with a number of local teachers, including Na’la, Asharah, Dr. Laurel Victoria Gray and Rachel Kay Brookmire, and performed with the Indonesian Embassy’s troupe Santi Budaya.

Nadirah Nasreen is an award winning performer and choreographer.  Today she is wearing one of her many creations! She teaches Egyptian style belly dance classes and creates unique costumes with curated fabrics and hand bead work.  She hopes you enjoy this fusion of traditional and Mahraganat Shaabi styles of music from Egypt.  Thank you Anam Cara team for creating this event! *Nadirah requests that there are no Photos or Video please.

Dorie has been dancing with Anam Cara for four years, and dancing like no one's watching since they were born. They love to find ways to include comedy and an element of humor in all of their performances, and they hope you find some enjoyment from their performance today. They would also invite anyone to dance and sing along! Dorie uses they/them pronouns.

Queen Bastet is the Dance Director at Luna Aerial Dance and Performing Arts in Frederick, MD. She’s been teaching belly dance for fifteen years and performing for twenty. A Baltimore native, she performed regularly at local restaurants, festivals, and parties and was the talent coordinator for the Desert Cafe. Trained primarily in the PiperMethod, she blends American cabaret, Egyptian raqs sharki, and Turkish Romany with elements of Modern Dance and Hip Hop. Dance is a powerful form of expression and Queen Bastet loves sharing it and guiding others to their own unique style.

Mayousse began her Raqs Sharqui journey after seeing a dancer in a restaurant. She was mesmerized and quickly signed up for classes. Years later, countless classes, workshops, haflas, & now zoom shows, her love for the dance grew even more. The dance, music, teachers, and costumes continue to capture her heart. She is a lifelong student & continues to add this art form to her repertoire. When she dances, that is when we truly see her essence.

Luna Nova Bellydance Company offers instruction and performances in the colorful, wonderful world of FatChanceBellydance ® Style dance. Based in the Harrisburg area, this group is drawn together by our love of the improvisational nature of FatChanceBellydance® and tribal fusion styles. Our passion for traditional, modern, and world music fuel our creativity and we are excited to demonstrate this unique style of dance to you today.

Goddess Sisters Rising is a free-spirited group collaboration known for their eclectic and diverse repertoire.  Blending world dance and honoring traditions.  Belly dance with a fusion twist.  www.goddesssistersrising.com

Miramar is a performer and instructor from the Winchester, VA area. Miramar performs a Turkish Rope Veil and 9/8 Drum solo in the Turkish Oryntale Style.

Jaelynn has been belly dancing for approximately three years and took up sword during quarantine. She enjoys all forms of movement and likes to mix styles when performing.

Sisters of The Lotus Moon are a dance tribe that studies with Miramar. 

Adelayna is 7 years old and is a student of Miramar. Adelayna performs improvisational veil routine. 

Troupe Anam Cara, under the direction of Lindsey McCormick,  formed through the bonds of sisterhood and a deep love for the dance. This is a group of incredibly hard-working women who somehow manage to juggle life, careers and children to foster their passion. The Troupe is an invite only group for Anam Cara Dance students.

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The Troupe's members currently are: Lindsey McCormick (director), Tracy Babylon, Jaelynn, Suzanne Lutsky, Kelly Kennedy, Dorie Marsuich, Tracy Brown, Queen Bastet

Known for her spirit & joy for Egyptian dance, Sha’vei (SHAH-vee) is a local favorite from DC.  She regularly performs in area haflas and festivals and several online productions. 

SHAH-vee is also the team leader for Shimmy Mob DC, a global effort raising money and awareness for domestic violence victims and their families.   

Martina Desiree is the Founder and Owner of Love Your Vessel International! This is a movement using the creative arts to spread awareness for body acceptance and selflove. A key component for her love of dance and this belly dancing community is the empowerment of the amazing people within it! When she isn’t dancing, she is writing songs, making art, doing yoga, running her business or glass blowing. 

Farah Abi has been dancing for over two decades. She has performed as a professional dancer specializing in Egyptian style at restaurants, parties, and festivals around the DC region and beyond. She has been a long time student of Yasmin in Bethesda, Maryland. And has studied Egyptian folkloric style with Faten in Northern Virginia, and Turkish style with Artemis in Silver Spring, Maryland. Plus workshops with many other master teachers. Farah’s favorite aspect of Egyptian style is interacting with the audience and adding character and personality to the show. She looks forward to sharing this experience with you.

Faerima is an award-winning performer, life-long dancer, and natural entertainer. Her unique style and dazzling stage presence have been wowing audiences for over 18 years. Specializing in American Cabaret style and contemporary fusion, Faerima enjoys blending musics, styles, and costumes to create a unique dance experience every time!

She is currently an instructor at the Shakti Rising in Sterling VA, where she leads her performance troupe of Raqs Sultana and offers all levels of belly dance classes and workshops. She is also available for restaurant performances, halfas, and private events. Www.faerimabellydance.com

Kelly Kennedy is from Frederick, Maryland, and a member of Troupe Anam Cara. She has been dancing and playing music since she was (very) young, and has been belly dancing for about five years now. Kelly invites you to join her in getting ready for the Halloween season early, with a a passionate song about witchcraft - or at least the women accused of it. She is not a professional, but she still reminds young viewers not to try this at home.

Raqs Sultana is a student performance troupe run by Faerima at her home studio -Shakti Risking- located in Sterling, VA. The dancers of Raqs Sultana are a group of mixed level performers from all over the DMV, who enjoy coming together on Friday nights to dance, celebrate, and revel in the sisterhood of dance.

Lindsay has been belly dancing since 2016.  She has mostly studied Egyptian, but enjoys learning other styles as well. Lindsay has studied with a variety of instructors and has taken advantage of online classes during COVID.  

From Union Bridge, Kalayla has been dancing for over 10 years. It's started with a jingle in a college common room and a love for belly dance was born. Learning from masters like Sadie Marquardt, Shahrzad, and Zoe Jakes and skilled friends, strengthening her dance skills is a key factor for her. Performing at public and private events (which she has missed dearly) Kalayla loves to strike awe in her audience. Most importantly she wants a good laugh in the show too! Now you can learn from Kalayla, teaching belly dance at Yoga Mouth Studio in Dundalk, MD. Catch her on Facebook or Instagram to see what she's been up to and what lies ahead.