This introduced me to the beautiful Arab culture also. I continued to study, but only as exercise, while I raised our 3 sons. The dance provided great emotional release from the tensions of motherhood. In 1980 my husband was transferred to Minneapolis, MN and I started to study under Cassandra Shore. Because I was so self-conscious in class during improve exercises, I started to perform at her student festivals to conquer my stage fright. When an opening for a dancer came at a local restaurant, she suggested I try out. I had never planed to dance professionally, but here was a chance to provide income for more lessons, music, etc. I was hired and thus began a solo career that lasted for 20 years. My youngest son was 18mos. at the time and money was tight for our young family. My husband was very supportive, but neighbors and friends couldn’t understand my captivation. With a few exceptions, many never even saw me perform, either solo or with Jawaahir Dance Company. I eventually found two other young mothers who shared my passion and we became great friends to this day. I was know as “the belly dancer” by teachers and staff at my son’s elementary school–to some it was intriguing, to others it was horrifying. Once my middle son came home and said that some classmates had teased him that his mom was “a belly dancer”. I told him the next time they do that to ask them if they know what a belly dancer is and that his mom is a dancer in Dance Company. This made him feel proud! Because I was very involved in the school as a volunteer and had a BS in Elementary Education, I was able to open the minds of some most the staff, especially after I presented a work shop to my sons 3rd grade class on Arabic music and dance…about the folk dances and where Belly Dance comes from.

I was so very fortunate to have Cassandra as a teacher and mentor for over 25 years. In addition to studying with her, I auditioned for and was accepted for her dance company, Jawaahir at its inception in 1989. She exposed to me to other master teachers, master musicians, and imparted the importance of learning and understanding the cultural background and aesthetics of the dance. By the time the boys were in High School, I had been a dancer with the Company for several years. Because of my education degree and my dance experience, I was asked to develop educational outreach programs for Jawaahir. We auditioned for and were accepted on several artist rosters: Young Audiences of Minnesota, COMPAS, and the Minneapolis State Arts Board. It was about this time that

I also accepted the position of Administrative Coordinator for the Company and working as a publicist. In addition, I taught beginner – advance classes at the Cassandra School. I continued in all these roles until my husbands transfer to Seattle in 2007. My biggest challenge in the dance has been learning and performing choreography. My early years in the dance trained me for improvisation. When I am doing choreography, sometimes the music gets in me and I have to hold back so I don’t deviate onto my own path! When the music takes over I am in another world…the Arabs call it Tarab!

CLASSES

I started teaching in 1985 in the local community education program because I wanted to share my joy for the dance. I taught beginner and intermediate levels until 1989 when I joined Jawaahir Dance Company. The decision to stop teaching at that time was due to time constraints for family and commitment to the Company. From 1990-97, I substitute taught dance classes at the Cassandra School and in 1997 I was hired as a staff instructor for beginner and level 2 classes. I eventually taught level 3-5 classes and special topic classes at the school.

Cassandra has developed a class syllabus that I continue to follow to this day. Movements, techniques, and musical interpretation, are introduced and developed through 5 levels of dance—from beginner to professional. Each level usually requires a year of instruction before a student progresses to the next level. My years of studying under Cassandra and my teacher skills have helped me developed the ability to break down movements into a variety of ways thus helping students understand them, execute them properly, and have fun.

I also feel it is important to impart appropriate cultural references about the dance and music where appropriate so that students know the dance’s roots. I also feel it is important to study with may teachers in order to discover your dance heart. I encourage this in my students and lead by example. There are many modern versions of Belly dance, and should a student decide to take a different path in the dance, it is my hope that they will still have an understanding of where it came from and a respect for Arabic culture.

PERFORMANCES

Since my move to Seattle, I have continued to find opportunities to perform both folkloric and Raqs Sharqi styles of the dance. From open stages, to festivals, to community stages, I present dances appropriate for the occasion. If it is a community event, I enjoy performing a mix of folk dances and Raqs Sharqi and educating the audience about the rich and varied Arabic culture. Often when I do community performances, I will include audience participation by teaching a men’s and a women’s version of different folk dances.

My main love it Raqs Sharqi as that is the music the truly inspires me. These performances are improvised…I love it when the music takes over and the dance just flows out! Yes, I still get nervous because I am either improvising and I hope that nothing impedes my hearing the music fully, or I am doing a choreography and I hope that I don’t get distracted and deviate…especially during group performances!

My 35-year career in dance has provided many performance opportunities:

• 20 years as a headline performer in Arabic restaurants.

• 18 years as a company member performing traditional folk dances and contemporary dances in theaters and with live music.

• Arabic weddings and other celebrations. • Arab festivals in Milwaukee and Seattle

• 15 years performing folk dances as a rostered artist for community, college, and school groups.

• Student (15 years) and staff (3 years) performances at Annual Oasis Dance Camps.

• Hurron University International Student Night, Hurron, SD • Bellevue Community College, Bellevue, WA • Minneapolis Public Schools Principles’ Diversity Workshop

• ArtsTime Convention, Tacoma, WA • Dance Educators Association of Washington Convention, Bellevue, WA

• Various workshop shows. I am so grateful to have had so many wonderful experiences. Two that I will especially remember were at a Dallas, Texas and a Montreal, Canada seminar shows. Dallas, Texas: I was invited to perform at the Saturday night show honoring Raqia Hassan. I was so excited for not only was it an honor, it was also my birthday. So it was horrifying to discover that in packing for the trip I had left the bra of my new Bella costume back in Minneapolis! I tried to come up with an alternative to no avail. Crying on the phone to my husband, he offered to research a way to get it to me overnight. Well, he did… through Fed Ex…at the cost of $300! I can’t wear that costume to day with out thinking of what it really cost me, but also the thrill of dancing for Raqia and having the audience sing “Happy Birthday” when I was done. Montreal, Canada: I was so nervous, but excited, to have the opportunity to dance at Dina’s workshop in Montreal.

All seemed to be going OK till I hit a slick spot on the stage and down I went—right in front of Dina! I was up in a flash and there she was smiling and giving me the “thumbs up” as I continued my performance. As I left the stage after my performance, realized that I may have done more damage that just a twisted ankle. The next day, a visit to the Montreal emergency room confirmed I had broken a bone in my right foot. What was interesting to learn was that most of the audience thought I had done a bow in front of Dina…but the video doesn’t lie. Yea, I fell and broke my foot right in front of Dina!

CONTACT

I currently teach at The Dance Academy of Bellevue in Bellevue, WA. www.pcauch.com/instruction.htm lists my class days, times, and fees. I can also be reached by email at zulaika@comcast.net I am also an instructor at Oasis Dance Camps, www.oasisdancecamp.com