Welcome to Raqs Sahar!

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Sahar took her first dance class to fulfill a P.E. requirement in 1977 at Wilberforce University under Barbara H. Symonds. She continued studying African, jazz and modern ballet with Professor Symonds and later danced in the Central State University Dance Company. During that same time, she also studied with Jeraldyne Blunden, and was a 2nd company member of the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company . She participated in a workshop for DCDC with Billy Wilson of New York. While stationed at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky, she continued studying her jazz and modern ballet with Luellen McKinney.

After the army Sahar moved to Bloomington, Indiana to work on her Masters in Library Science. While there she studied with Iris Rosa and performed with IU's African American Dance Company.

Sahar and her family moved to Kokomo, Indiana when she saw a belly dancer perform at a Society for Creative Anachronism event. That was all it took.

Once her family moved to Chicago in 1991 started studying with Dahlena (now of Arizona), Jawahar of Dancing Benefits and Jasmin Jahal and to widen her scope of her artistic expression, she studied American Tribal Style with Stephanie Barto and was a member of her company Read My Hips.

Since then, She has also had the opportunity to study with other outstanding figures in the Middle Eastern Dance community such as Leila Gamal of South Bend, Indiana, Taha Moussa and Svenja Habiba, Amaya, Maleeha, Tamalyn Dallal and Morocco. She attended BellyJam in Cincinnati, Ohio and has attended Oasis Dance Camp North since 2001. In addition to studying yearly with Cassandra at Oasis Dance Camp, Sahar has studied with Katia, Jillina, Denise Enan, Amel Tafsout and Sahra Saeeda.

This has brought a wide variety of styles to her repertoire, including Raks Sharki, Modern Egyptian, American Cabaret, Traditional Ethnic, American Tribal Fusion, Gypsy and Flamenco influenced Middle Eastern Dance.

Sahar teaches a wide variety of styles and props as well as veil work and zills (finger cymbals) at the Ray Meyer Recreation Center. Her classes include precision movement, music interpretation skills and performance techniques. Sahar focuses on helping each dancer develop his or her own style on a foundation of solid skills and an understanding of Middle Eastern music and culture.

Currently based near Chicago, Sahar is an experienced dance teacher, performer and trainer with experience in adult learning theories. She performs a variety of dances from the Middle East incorporating the use of sword, cane, veil and traditional zills. She has created and taught both choreography and improvisational dance. She studies with Khazna Khalil and performs with her Ala Nar company and through Aloha Chicago Entertainment . She is available for performances, workshops, lectures, and events.

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