Contact: 954-681-1881
HOW IT STARTED
About Bea Azahar
Born in Seville, Spain, Bea Azahar started her Oriental Dance studies in 2005 in Madrid. In addition to the dance art, Bea studied the history, the music, the rhythms, the technique, the culture and the variety of folklore in the different Middle Eastern countries and regions. Further studies also include fusion between Oriental Dance and Flamenco and other types of fusion such as American Tribal Style.
To further her education and artistic growth, Bea Azahar has visited Morocco, Turkey and Greece and taken classes and workshops with world-recognized teachers and Egyptian master instructors, such as Mahmood Redha, Tito Seif, Nesma Al-Andalus, Jillina, Bozenka, Amir Thaleb, Randa Kamel, Amar Farah, Sylvia Shazadi, Ana Saeeda, Mor Abohav and lately with Virginia Mendez, among others.
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Bea has acquired extensive knowledge of the human anatomy applied to dance movements, which she implements during the warm-up, the technique and stretching exercises in her classes.
Bea Azahar's teaching skills are effective; she breaks down the steps to fulfill the students' complete understanding of the movements and creates dance routines to reinforce the rhythm and coordination skills as well as the pure enjoyment of the dance itself. Oriental Essence Dance School offers different contents and study programs for all age groups and ability, from Initiation to Professional Levels. Bea is bilingual and can teach in English and/or Spanish.
Bea Azahar has been performing in Spain and Miami individually and as part of a professional company in private parties, festivals and cultural events.
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Bea has also actively participated in the production/organization of Belly Dance Festivals in Spain and Miami as the Director of the Competition at RAKSTAR International Belly Dance Festival from 2013-2015.
A LITTLE HISTORY
About Oriental Dance
Considered one of the oldest known dances by some experts, the roots of Belly Dance or Oriental Dance, were planted in the Middle East, Mediterranean, and Northeastern Africa, maybe coming from India. Regardless of when and where it began, Belly Dance was traditionally performed for other women, usually during formal events such as fertility rites or pre-marriage ceremonies. Egyptian Gypsy women (Gawazi) performed in marketplaces, earning coins for their dowries.
These coins were sewn into their costumes for safe-keeping. It was not until the early 20th Century that Belly Dancing began to appear
worldwide at public events such as carnivals and fairs. It became very popular in the Golden Era at Casino Badia (Cairo – Egypt). This brought with it coed audiences and mass appeal.
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“Belly dance is natural to a woman's bone and muscle structure. The movements center on the torso rather than the legs and feet, as is common in Western dance. The belly dancer isolates parts of her body, to move each independently in a completely feminine interpretation of the music. The music seems to emanate from her body, as sometimes she emphasizes the rhythm, sometimes the melody of the song”.
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Today belly dancing is used as a form of expression and as a celebration of heritage, but is more commonly practiced in the United States as a form of exercise, linking modern women with their ancient sisters.
Oriental dance is as wide-ranging and diverse as the different Middle East countries, culture, folklore, music and the history of its people.