Ep 173. Sabah: Ballet & Belly Dance

Sabah has decades of experience in classical, modern, and folk styles of dance. She has worked with the Chicago’s Festival Ballet, Ballet Chicago, and Alabama Ballet. She received her degree from Columbia College Chicago majoring in Cultural Studies and minoring in dance with a year abroad at the American University in Cairo, Egypt. There she joined the Egyptian Folkloric Company and received a contract to dance on the Nile Pharaoh cruise ship allowing her to hand-select a band and troupe of dancers. In 2006, she joined the international dance company Bellydance Superstars, directed by Jillina Carlano, and began touring the world performing and teaching workshops highlighting her specialty of combining ballet with belly dance while wearing toe shoes. In 2019 Sabah relocated from Chicago to Los Angeles to become the Artistic Programs Manager for Bellydance Evolution.  She has been a contributing choreographer for Bellydance Evolution since 2012.  When BDE was commissioned to produce “Le Voyage de Scheherazade” a multi-national, multi-discipline collaboration between Moroccan, European and American Oriental and ballet dancers with the Orchestra Philharmonique de Maroc, Sabah was the choreographer for all the ballet routines. In this episode you will learn about:- The joy of dancing as a part of a group vs solo performances- Experience of exploring belly dance at an university environment- Benefits of ballet training for belly dancers- The story of creating a fusion belly dance piece with pointe shoes, and joining Belly Dance Superstars- Sabah’s responsibilities as the Artistic Programs Manager for Bellydance Evolution.Show Notes to this episode:Follow Sabah via FB, Instagram and Bellydance Evolution website.Gift Cards are now available at the Iana Dance Club. Find more info HERE.Follow Iana on Instagram, FB, and Youtube . Check out her online classes and intensives at the Iana Dance Club.Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast