MEET THE
SPEAKERS 2026

Al Raqs conference had the privilege to be supported by these incredible,
world-class, Raqs Sharqi speakers.

AMANDA PB

Australia

Amanda is a dance nerd from Melbourne, Australia. She is the driving force behind APB Dance, a school that firmly believes that dance has no boundaries in terms of what students can achieve and who can dance. She is a student of the Salimpour School, is Australia’s only certified Fundamentals level Salimpour instructor and has performed with Bal Anat. She has a strong sense of community, supporting Shimmy Mob to raise funds and awareness for Domestic Violence Services and creating safe performance spaces – not only for high level dancers, but also for Brand new performers through her First Run Stage initiative.

Arielle of Cairo

USA/Egypt

Arielle is a passionately dedicated dancer from the USA who currently performs daily in Cairo, Egypt. She teaches and performs bellydance, samba, folklore, fusion, burlesque, hip hop and many other styles of dance full-time. Although Arielle is American, she grew up in Egypt and has been performing Middle Eastern Dance since the age of 10. Arielle is the winner of several competitions and was a finalist on Egypt’s first bellydance competition TV show, “Al Rakessa” in 2014. Arielle returned to Cairo in December of 2019 and has been gracing the stage all around Egypt ever since! Online live and recorded classes are available every Sunday.

Candice of Phoenix Belly Dance

New Zealand

Candice Frankland is the founder of the award-winning Phoenix Belly Dance Company (2010). With a professional background in IT and business, she is also an internationally recognised instructor, performer, and producer.
Candice is passionate about using movement to foster cultural understanding, personal empowerment, and therapeutic engagement. With deep expertise in SWANA (South West Asian and North African) dance traditions, she integrates these forms to build community, promote well-being, and celebrate diversity through the arts.

Crystal Silmi

Washington DC (USA)

Crystal Silmi is a dancer, choreographer, and instructor known for her dynamic fusion of traditional and contemporary belly dance. A first-generation American of Irish and Palestinian descent, Crystal brings her rich cultural roots and lifelong commitment to justice into every aspect of her work. With over two decades of experience performing and teaching around the world, she uses dance not only as a form of artistic expression but also as a tool for storytelling, cultural reclamation, and activism. Through movement, she aims to challenge stereotypes, spark dialogue, and inspire connection.

Chantal

California, USA

Chantal is a professional dance artist, sought-after instructor, “artivist,” and social media consultant based out of Oakland, California. She began studying dances and songs of the Middle East, North Africa, and Southeastern Europe at the age of 10, and later studied Persian and Central Asian dance styles. Alongside her dance training, she has prioritized cultural studies, including college courses in Arabic, Farsi, ethnic studies, history, political science, and a year of residence in Istanbul. Chantal is known for her clear and precise lessons, natural and elegant musicality, and dedication to and activism for human rights.

Christine ‘Shiraz’ Sahin

Washington DC – USA

Christine ‘Shiraz’ Şahin is a dance practitioner-scholar and ethnographer specializing in contemporary Egyptian raqs sharqi. She holds a Ph.D. in Critical Dance Studies from the University of California, Riverside, and a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Delaware. She has taught dance practice and theory at several U.S. universities, including SDSU, CSUSM, UCLA, and UW-Seattle. Her research focuses on interweaving critical dance theory, Middle Eastern gender and corporeality studies, and creative ethnography. Şahin’s book, Core Connections: Cairo Belly Dance in the Revolution’s Aftermath, published with Oxford University Press, was released in May, 2024. She has also been professionally performing and teaching raqs sharqi throughout the East and West coasts for over fifteen years, currently throughout the greater Washington, D.C. area.

Chrystelle

Spain

Chrystelle is an art historian specializing in Cinema. She currently works in the Art Department for films, TV series, and documentaries, contributing to set creation and props management. She has also directed and choreographed various audiovisual dance pieces, exploring the relationship between these two disciplines. In parallel, she has always been connected to dance, especially Oriental dance. After discovering and studying various styles with both, spanish and international instructors, she found her ideal niche in Egyptian Raqs Sharqi from the Golden Era. This period of Egyptian dance, allows her to combine her two passions: dance and cinema. She continues to train and specialize in these decades, delivering both practical and theoretical workshops.

MAMDOUH ELKADY

Egypt

Mamdouh Elkady graduated from the Faculty of Commerce at Ain Shams University in 2000 and has been active in the field of culture and arts since 2001. He has attended numerous cultural workshops, including production management, project writing, and cultural management. Mamdouh co-founded the performing arts network “Tamasi”, which brings together 11 cultural institutions from Egypt, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. He has contributed to the production of over 15 lyrical music albums for traditional folk bands, preserving Egypt’s musical identity. As an editor, he has worked on many documentaries with a focus on folklore, as well as some fiction films, including “The Siren”, “El Tanbura – Capturing a Vanishing Spirit”, “On the Margin”, “The Lion”, and “Shafika”. He also directed the film “South Trip” (2015) and co-directed the documentary “The Zar in Egypt” (2023), highlighting his deep commitment to documenting and celebrating Egyptian cultural heritage.

JASIRAH

Poland

Professional dancer, international teacher and judge, organizer of Raks Glam Festival and Raks’N’Roll in Poland. For over 16 years she has taught bellydance and performed in over 40 countries. 10 years of experience in ballroom dancing gives her strong technical background that makes her style extraordinary,powerful and elegant. Recognized all over the world for her perfect Drum Solo technique, spectacular Double Assaya Saidi, fusions of oriental and ballroom dance and extraordinary teaching skills. Since 2014 a member of Bellydance Evolution, performed main roles in “Alice in Wonderland” during a 3 month tour in China and “Scheherazade 1001 Night” during the United States Tour. Built a strong online bellydance community all over the world giving regular Zoom workshops and providing detailed tutorials on Patreon. Owner of Jasirah Boutique brand producing training sets and props for bellydancers. Author and founder of the very first in the world notebook for bellydancer “My Inspirational Bellydance Journal”, producer of the very first cosmetics dedicated especially for bellydancers: “Gold Plated Skin” shimmering powder and “The Dancer” perfume.

Katie Shaarany

USA/EG

Katie Shaarany is a former pro bellydancer turned business strategist for neurodivergent and wildly creative entrepreneurs. She helps overthinkers and multi-passionates stop running their biz on scraps and start making consistent money—without burning out or selling their soul.

LENKA BADRIYAH

Czechia/Belgium

Lenka Badriyah is a dancer from the Czech Republic, now teaching regularly in Belgium. She is known for her Golden Era Raqs Sharqi dances, recreations, and unique teaching. She has been a dance teacher for more than 15 years while constantly studying the dance form and performing in several dance troupes. Badriyah also performed for 10 years alongside Jillina in Bellydance Evolution, both as a lead dancer and troupe dancer, performing in more than 60 shows in Japan, Taiwan, Morocco, Australia, the United States and other countries. Badriyah is the organizer of the Kan Zaman festival and the Leylet Raqs festival. Badriyah is passionate about Raqs Sharqi and its history. She loves to study legendary Egyptian dancers, and perform so-called Golden Era Bellydance. Badriyah is a collector of vintage items depicting Golden Era legends. Her collection includes more than 400 items, such as postcards, vinyl records, posters, magazines, and very rare items such as signed photos of Samia Gamal, vinyl records with the voice of Badia Masabni, original photo print of Shafiqa El Koptiya, and a billboard with Samia Gamal. To share all this content with the dance community, Badriyah created an online museum on her website ( www.badriyahbellydance.com) and now she is renovating a space to build an actual Raqs Sharqi Museum in Belgium.

Majda Anwar

USA

Majda Anwar is a versatile dancer, musician, and marketing executive based in Atlanta, GA, with nearly 30 years of experience in Middle Eastern dance and music. Raised in a Jordanian family, she was immersed in Arabic music and dance from a young age, later expanding her studies to include Egyptian, transnational fusion, and classical styles. As a musician, she has studied Arabic violin, performing both traditional and world fusion music for dancers. In her professional life, Majda is a seasoned marketing executive who brings her expertise in audience engagement and storytelling to her work as a dance educator and performer. She is the Director of the Awalim Dance Company and the editor of RaqsNews, an online publication dedicated to the art, culture, and industry of belly dance. Whether teaching, performing, or curating cultural content, Majda is committed to preserving and evolving the art of Middle Eastern dance while creating meaningful experiences that connect and inspire.

Maya Youssef

Syrian/British

Maya Youssef is the world’s leading Maqam mentor and a globally acclaimed musician, composer, and educator — widely known as the BBC’s “Queen of the Qanun.” She is pioneering a movement that makes the rich inner world of Arabic music finally understandable to dancers, without requiring any prior music training or theory.

Born in Damascus and classically trained at one of the Arab world’s top conservatories, Maya later earned her Master’s in Ethnomusicology at SOAS University of London, where she also taught maqam. Her international performance credits include the Royal Albert Hall, WOMAD Festival, and a recognition as an “Exceptional Talent” by Arts Council England.

Through her revolutionary step-by-step method, Maya has helped hundreds of dancers move beyond “just following the beat” into true musical embodiment — even dancers who once thought they “weren’t musical enough.”

Maya’s work empowers dancers to recognize maqam by ear, understand how taqsim flows, and interpret the deeper emotional storytelling in Arabic music — all without overwhelm or academic theory.

She’s redefining what it means to dance to Arabic music — not just reacting to rhythm, but dancing with the melody. With the emotion. With the soul of the music itself.

NADA AL BASHA

Egypt/Italy

I am an Egyptian/italian dancer, teacher, and choreographer Based in Italy. Art director of Karabà School and Dance Company in Livorno and founder of Meya Meya International Raqs Festival.
I am a passionate researcher and i love to combine artistic practice with in-depth historical and cultural study, to trasmit dance in its most authentic form, beyond stereotypes and simplifications.

NISAA (Heather D. Ward)

USA

Nisaa (Heather D. Ward) is a Middle Eastern dance instructor, performer, and researcher based in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. Nisaa has been conducting pioneering research into the history and development of Egyptian belly dance.

Her investigations into the transition from awalim and ghawazi dance styles to classical raqs sharqi at the turn of the 19th/20th centuries led to the publication of her first book, “Egyptian Belly Dance in Transition: The Raqs Sharqi Revolution, 1890-1930,” in 2018. Her latest book, Raqs in the City: The Belly Dance Landscape of Cairo, explores the historical interconnection between dance, dancers, and the city of Cairo, and was released in 2024.

Through excellent instruction, outstanding performances, and original research, Nisaa presents Middle Eastern dance as a living, dynamic folk art and a window into the rich heritage of the peoples and cultures of the Middle East. Learn more about Nisaa at www.bellydancewithnisaa.com.

ROXXANNE SHELABY

Los Angeles, California, USA

Roxxanne Shelaby is a dancer of Arab heritage who teaches and performs Egyptian and Lebanese style Belly Dance as well as Dabke and Khaleeji nationally and internationally. She is the producer/director of the Internationally awarded “The Fez Documentary”. Roxxanne has also produced Middle Eastern dance events throughout Southern California for over 20 years, teaches the MED LAB course and is founder of the MENAHT Dancers Collective. For more information-www.roxxanne.net

SHAHRZAD

USA/Egypt

Shahrzad is a professional dance instructor and performer specializing in Raqs Sharqi and traditional and social dance styles from around North Africa and the Middle East. To supplement her 20+ years of dance training Shahrzad also holds several fitness certifications including becoming a PMA certified Pilates instructor in 2013. She started her dance training at the age of 11 and began her professional dance career in her late teens working as a teacher and performer on the East Coast of the US. She began to get international recognition and bookings after several of her performance videos went viral online and she was hired to film a series of instructional DVDs by an international company. In 2015 Shahrzad moved to Egypt to live and work full time and has since enjoyed a successful career as a performer appearing in top performance venues as well as film and media. During covid she started her business’ Shahrzad Studios’ which includes an online dance school, private dance and music programs in Cairo, and tours of Egypt. She currently splits her time between traveling to teaching dance workshops around the world, running her business from her home in Cairo, and performing and teaching at special events around Egypt.

SHEYLA

Czech republic

Sheyla devoted her dance path in connecting and educating the community in her homeland, the Czech Republic. She is one of the pioneers in bringing Egyptian folklore to the knowledge of dancers and teachers in the country, and abroad. Falling in love with Egypt in 2004 brought her to oriental dance and soon Egyptian folklore studies. Her teachers were also a legends such as Kharia Mazin, Mahmoud Reda, Nesma, Mohamed Shellaby, Fifi el Saed, Kamal Naim, Sahra Saeeda and many more. Thanks to her work and research she could be part of cultural projects organized by EU, Ministry of Interior and Center for foreigners with aim to educate youth about cultural differences, doing lectures and exhibitions for public and activities for foreigners. Sheyla founded and directed an international festival called Tales of Sahara for 8 years with aim to create a safe space for dancers to connect, create together, perform and learn.

Sheyla performed and taught classes in many countries such as India, South Africa, Greece, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, South Korea etc. She founded a folklore group Al Fayyum Dancers with whom she got honoured by many awards, Awaleem Performing Arts group with whom she focused on vintage or golden era dance style. Currently she is working with group Aphrodisia Dance Company on cabaret and public shows.

Sheyla is continuously awarded not always with prizes but with passionate students and audience she love to perform for.

VIOLA SHAFIK

Germany/Egypt

Viola Shafik is a filmmaker and film scholar, author of Arab Cinema: History and Cultural Identity (1998/2016), Popular Egyptian Cinema: Gender, Class and Nation (2007), Resistance, Dissidence, Revolution. Documentary Film Esthetics in the Middle East and North Africa (2023) as well as the editor of Documentary Filmmaking in the Middle East and North Africa (2022). She taught at the American University in Cairo, at Zürich University, Humboldt University and Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich where she held the position of a researcher 2016-2020. She served as Head of Studies of the Documentary Campus MENA Program 2011-2013, curator and consultant for numerous international film festivals, such as La Biennale di Venezia, the Berlinale, Dubai Film Festival and long term 5board member of the World Cinema Fund. Her documentaries include The Lemon Tree/Shajarat al-laymun (1993), Planting of Girls/Mawsim zaraa al-banat (1999), Jannat `AliAli im Paradies/My Name is not Ali (2011) and Arij – Scent of Revolution (2014). She has Camera Obscura, a fiction film project in development.

Yasmina of Cairo

UK/Egypt

I am a dancer, dance teacher, choreographer, music producer, film maker, involved in oriental dance for 42 years.

ZARA DANCE