About the Troupe

Photo © Tatsuki Kobayashi

Above: at the Mediterranean Festival in July 2011 in West Seattle we performed our new fusion dance called "Nocturnal Cats."

Shahrazad Dance Ensemble of Seattle has performed at Northwest Folklife Festival at Seattle Center, Turkfest at Seattle Center, the Arab Center of Washington's Cultural Festival, the Mediterranean Festival in West Seattle, the Western Washington Fair, and other events.

Members of the troupe have taken classes from notable teachers of dance of the Middle East, including Egyptian leading folkloric producer and choreographer Mahmoud Reda, Morocco of New York, Suhaila Salimpour, Nadia Hamdi of Cairo, Hadia of Calgary, Zahra Zuhair of Los Angeles, Leila Haddad and many others.

Shahrazad Ensemble is a member of the Ethnic Heritage Council. Photo © Tatsuki Kobayashi

Shahrazad Dance Ensemble’s alternative fusion dance group, the" Wild Women of Wongo," has appeared on Halloween at the science fiction conventions, Halloween parties, and by special request at oriental dance shows. "Wongo" dancers wear costumes that are works of art, and perform dance inspired by ethnic fusion and alternative music.

Here's a review of our October 2008 performance in Tacoma, WA at the Spooktacular Evening Gala, produced by Halima:

"I loved the wild abandon and pure contagious joy they had stomping and shaking their rattles and spears at the heavens. Each wild woman was an individual in the color of her animal print dress and accessories made of leather, fur, feathers, teeth and beads of wood, nuts and stones. Their faces were painted in happy colors and patterns. They reminded me of the Lost Boys of Never-Never Land. I bet they had great fun creating and sharing this dance." --Jareeda Magazine, November/December 2008

Photo © Shahrazad Ensemble

Photo courtesy Stephen Frye

Above: We had a fantastic time dancing to the live music of the MB Orchestra at the Peace Arch International Music and Dance Festival on August 14 in Blaine, Washington.
Performing khalegy (L to R): Melinda Shiraz, Noura, Inzar and Zorina. The MB Orchestra of Seattle, (L to R) Shiham Sbait, Bahaa Sadak, Maurice Sadak Rouman, Waseem Sbait (obscured), and George Sadak.