I began studying belly dance at the Sirrom School of Belly Dance in 1996 while living in Houston, Texas. At the time, I was a second year medical student and was looking for a creative outlet. I later joined the troupe Farah Ashira, formed by Cynthia Cupach, whom I met while at Sirrom. Farah Ashira, which means “Happy Tribe,” was an eclectic mix of dancers from different genres including, salsa, merengue, Celtic, West African and modern dance. The troupe performed for private parties, benefit functions, and educational programs in Houston, San Antonio and Baytown, Texas. Farah Ashira performed during the Splendors of Ancient Egypt exhibit at the Houston Museum of Fine Arts in 1997.

In 1998, I relocated to Baltimore, Maryland to perform my internal medicine residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital. My residency was quite demanding, but I still found time to continue my study of belly dance with Cinnamon of Columbia, Maryland and Piper, daughter of Rhea of Greece.

Moving back to Texas in 2001 brought new life to my dance. Texas is fortunate to be home to some of the most talented teachers and performers in the country. There is a thriving belly dance community in Houston, Austin and more recently in Dallas. I have had the opportunity to study with of some of the best international performers through seminars including, Zahra Zuhair, Beata and Horacio Cifuentes, Jillina, Morocco and Tarik Sultan, Yasmina Ramzy, Aida Nour, Magdy El Leisy, Farida Fahmy, Jihan Jamal, Virginia, Aziza (of Portland), Ansuya, Tamalyn Dallal, Raqia Hassan, Jasmin Jahal, Dr. Mo Geddawi, Faten Salama, Leila Haddad, Nagwa Fouad and Lucy.

I have grown tremendously in this art form through intensive study with Beata and Horacio Cifuentes of Germany and Nourhan and Yousry Sharif of New York (Egypt). Recently, I trained with Keti Sharif and am certified to teach the
Keti Sharif A-Z Belly dance Routines.

I have extensive performance experience and am regularly invited to dance at local seminars in the Dallas/Forth Worth area sponsored by Little Egypt, Tambra, Miabella and Isis. I have performed numerous times at Bobbye Dee’s La Danse Oriental Extravaganzas and Dessert Passion Theater shows in Austin. I am most proud of being the opening dancer at the 7th Annual Egyptian Academy of Dance Gala Show (Nourhan and Yousry Sharif). For the past two years I have performed in Germany during the Beata and Horacio Cifuentes Intensive studio show.