This was a recent shamadan (candelabra dance) performance I gave here in Guangzhou for our school's Teacher's Day festivities. This was the first time most people at the school have seen me dance and they went crazy, it's over a month later and people are still coming up and saying how much they loved it, so that's a pretty cool feeling. ^_^

This is the first collaborative effort of Firqit Hawanem, a group of Northwest artists with a love for old dance and music from the Middle East, North Africa and Arabian Gulf. Heavily inspired by the research of Belly Dance with Nisaa Sahra Kent Morocco A'isha Ali We delved into Cairo's past through images, movement, music and inspiration to search for the elusive "What came before...?" As a stepping stone for a larger vision I hope to pursue in the next year. Thank you to all of the members of Firqit Hawanem for your support on and off the stage, and to the many others who have shared your interest and encouragement with me, it truly keeps my dreams alive. Thank you George Sawa for producing such beautiful music, which continually inspires. Thank you Ryan Johnson for videography. Thank you Amira of Olympia for your continued support and encouragement, and providing a space on your stage for my ideas again and again!

Filmed at the Portland Belly Dance Guild Summer Hafla 2019 Music: "Tribute to Mohammed Ali Street Composers" by George Sawa (http://www.georgedimitrisawa.com/) Thumbnail Photo by: Guy Masson of Phoebus-Photo (https://www.facebook.com/PhoebusFoto/) About Shining: Shining is internationally recognized for her exploration and creative reconstruction of early Raqs Sharqi and the candelabra-balancing dance named “Raqs al-Shamadan”. She is a respected performer and instructor committed to providing interesting and educational seminars about Egyptian Oriental Dance with an emphasis on the historical and cultural aspects, subjects deeply rooted by a training that emphasizes curiosity and respect for the cultures we choose to study. She holds multiple award titles and recently concluded her first visit to Egypt in April 2019. ~ www.shiningbellydance.com www.facebook.com/shiningbellydance www.instagram.com/shiningpeacekeeper

Thanks to Vanessa for hosting me in Guangzhou, China for our first 4 day Awalim and Shamadan Dance Intensive! This is a compilation of videos students posted during and after the workshop. If you're interested in attending a future Guangzhou workshop keep you're eyes open for the October 2019 class! We'll be doing 4 days of Shamadan (candelabra dance) with a look at the historical development, finger cymbals skills, balancing skills, building a floorwork routine suitable for your body and key aesthetic qualities for the nostalgic awalim style.

This April I had the chance to finish Journey Through Egypt parts 3 and 4 with Sahra Kent in Egypt! We had a party at the Shaharazad Club in Cairo with live music and danced our hearts out. If you haven't heard of Sahra's program I highly recommend finding parts 1 and 2 in a city near you- you won't regret learning more and strengthening your understanding of Egypt's many dances and cultural landscape! http://journeythroughegypt.com/

Cultural Crossroads, Bellevue, WA 3/2017 www.shiningbellydance.com www.facebook.com/shiningbellydance