Female

Margaret Dees
Founding & Emeritas Member of Khalila Ahlaam

I began taking instruction in the American Tribal Style of dance in 2004 in Jacksonville, Florida. In 2005, I performed with a student troupe regularly at regularly at local venues. In 2006, I joined the ATS troupe, Khalila Ahlaam. Khalila Ahlaam is dedicated to understanding and performing the ATS style as originally conceived and as evolved by the lovely and talented Carolena Nericcio of Fat Chance Bellydance and Megha of Devyani. My troupe members and I have all been General Skills certified in ATS with Carolena Nericcio in 2007. Recently, Khalila Ahlaam members have branched out in to new opportunities as well.

I am now dedicated strictly to ATS and bringing this wonderful community of dance to others. In addition to seeking opportunities to conduct workshops to help bring ATS to other dancers, I am developing a workshop for women "in recovery" using basic ATS and its concepts as a means of strengthening the bonds between women and developing the sense of beauty and self confidence that ATS engenders in women across the world. The program will be aimed at all our sisters recovering from wounds -- from those who have suffered under the brutality of an abusive relationship to those who have suffered under the fear and uncertainty of cancer or other illnesses. Look for more about this new program as it develops on the Khalila Ahlaam site.

I am a violinist and violist with a degree in music performance. I am currently learning arabic and middle eastern string technique to enhance my performace capabilities and to further deepen my understanding of middle eastern dance. In addition, I am a student of the doumbek. I am currently teaching two children’s tribal dance classes to K-3 and 4th - 8th grade girls at the Riverside Children’s Arts Center in Jacksonville, Florida. My teaching philosophy centers on a holistic approach to learning tribal dance including the simultaneous instruction in doumbek, finger cymbals and dance moves/improvisation in order to create a more well-rounded dancer from the earliest instruction