About the West Michigan School of Middle Eastern Dance

The West Michigan School of Middle Eastern Dance LLC, led by artistic director Joette Sawall, is committed to maintaining the highest level of tradition possible by bringing rich folkloric heritage of the Middle East to the public. Our repertoire consists of ethnic village dances of Egypt, Spain, Tunisia, Greece, Turkey, Lebanon, the Gulf region and other Middle Eastern areas such as North Africa. The West Michigan School of Middle Eastern Dance LLC not only presents pure traditional dances of the Middle East, but also has the ability and knowledge to combine ancient and modern dance forms to bring this dance into the 21st century, delighting audiences everywhere.

	Allison
Angie has been a member of the West Michigan School of Middle Eastern Dance since 2003 and a performer of the school's professional troupe since 2004. She has also served as an assistant artistic director, instructor and choreographer for Tribal Corps, the tribal fusion branch of the school since 2005. Angie's 'day job' is as a tenured associate professor at Western Michigan University, where she has held an appointment in the Department of Sociology, with affiliation in the Gender and Women's Studies Program since 2002. She holds a Ph.D. in Justice Studies, Law and the Social Sciences from Arizona State University and her research and myriad publications focus on gender, the body, feminism, victimization, and healing. She is currently pursuing a graduate certificate in holistic health, with a specialization in healing through movement, from Western Michigan University. She is also writing a book about American women bellydancers, titled Beyond the Belly(Dance): The Transformative Effects of an Ancient Art. Based on ethnographic research she has been collecting for the last several years, the book will attest to the multidimensional, interconnected and holistic benefits of this dance form. Like many women who discover Middle Eastern Dance as adults, Angie does not have an extensive dance background. Instead she has found that the dance, unlike more codified genres, conforms quite naturally to a woman's body and movement, regardless of shape, age or previous training. Thus, Angie has excelled in her right at Middle Eastern Dance,appreciating the various ways in which it allows for individualized expression and creativity. Angie prides herself on adaptability, diversity of skill, and understanding the historical and cultural contexts of the dance. She is constantly searching to expand her repertoire, studying, choreographing and performing all styles of Middle Eastern Dance, including oriental, cabaret, folk, spiritual-ritual, Romani-gypsy and tribal style bellydance. Suitably, she has obtained an eclectic array of instruction from Middle and Near Eastern dance professionals, including Mahmoud Reda, Farida Fahmy, Dalia Carella, Suhaila Salimpour, Nourhan Sharif, Amel Tafsout, Tayyar Akdeniz, Hale Sultan, Reyhan Tuzsuz, Kay Hardy Campbell, Karim Nagi, Artemis, Sahra Saeeda, Cassandra, Elena Lentini Ruby Jazayre, Yasmina Ramzy, Ansuya, Kaeshi Chair, Shawna of Little Rock, Jasmin Jahal, and Aida al-Adawi. Being particularly drawn to tribal style belly dance, Angie has received instruction from Rachel Brice, Sharon Kihara, Darshan (Cammi Vance), Heather Stants, Moria Chappell, Zoe Jakes, Kami Liddle, Carolena Nericcio and FatChanceBellyDance, Jill Parker and Ultra Gypsy, Kajira Djoumahna and Black Sheep Belly Dance, Zafira Dance Company. Beyond traveling throughout the U.S. for this instruction, Angie has taken advantage of several opportunities to travel internationally. In 2006 she was one of a handful of dancers from around the world to complete the First Cairo Seminar for Professional Dancers in Cairo, Egypt. In 2007 she participated in the 3rd Annual Alaturka Dance and Music Festival in Istanbul, Turkey, as part of Middle Eastern Dance Folk Tours, Inc. In 2008 she is traveling to Spain and Italy to expand her understanding of this beautiful and feminine art form.
Katie, a performing member of the West Michigan School of Middle Eastern Dance LLC, has been studying Middle Eastern dance since January 2003, focusing on classical Egyptian Raks Sharqi and Oriental dance. In addition to her dance background she also holds an associates degree in marketing. As the daughter of a musician, music and creativity have always surrounded Katie. Growing up locally in Portage, Michigan, Katie's mother was part of a folk music group. She loved being around the instruments and live music. Naturally, Katie has always known dance and music as a beautiful form of self-expression. Her dance studies began as a young child with ballet and jazz, while also exploring gymnastics. This later led her to extensively study dance as a teenager through the Education for the Arts program. Instructed by award-winning teacher, Pat Palasko, Katie discovered modern dance, along with deepening her knowledge of ballet, jazz and other American and World dance forms. While in the Education for the Arts program, Katie had the opportunity to study with internationally known dance companies and choreographers such as the modern dance company Pilobolus, and jazz with the Hubbard Street Dance Company of Chicago. In 2003, during her studies with Pat Palasko, she participated in the Michigan Youth Arts Festival, performing along with classmates a modern jazz dance, inspired by Isadora Duncan (an American dancer considered by many to be the mother of modern dance). Performing at the MYAF was an honor for Katie and her classmates, as more than 250,000 students across the state are involved in the selection process that results in nearly 1,000 being invited to participate in the event.	Katie's exploration of dance continued beyond highschool with tap and hip-hop. In 2004, Katie began teaching for Vicksburg Community Education's dance program. She teaches ballet, tap, jazz and gymnastics and continues to serve as a positive role model for children and teens ages 4 through 18. In 2006 she was a member of the dance team for the Kalamazoo Xplosion Professional Indoor Football Team and the Battle Creek Knights Professional Basketball Team. Katie's Middle Eastern dance studies began in January 2003 with the West Michigan School of Middle Eastern Dance and later she became a member of the performing group in April 2004. Throughout the time she has studied with the West Michigan School of Middle Eastern Dance, and because of Joette's extensive knowledge of the Middle East, Katie has had the opportunity to study and perform various styles of Middle Eastern Dance. This includes dances such as Lebanese Debke, Khalegee, Spanish Andulsian, Melaya Lef, Nubian, Bhangra, the Zar, American Tribal Style, Folkloric dances, Reda Style and many more. Joette has also trained her in props such as cane, veil and finger cymbals (zills). Katie's main focus is classical Egyptian Raks Sharqi or Oriental dance. She has had the opportunity to study with various international artists such as Farida Fahmy, Shahna of Little Rock, Momo Kadous, Jasmin Jahal, Dahlia Carella, Yasmina Ramzy, Nourhan Sharif, Amel Tafsout, Tayyar Akdeniz, Sahra Saeeda, Karim Nagi, and Suhaila Salimpour. A very influential moment was when she had the opportunity to study privately with Farida Fahmy, former principal dancer and founding member of the Reda Troupe. Performing with the West Michigan School of Middle Eastern Dance has given Katie the opportunity to entertain and educate through various venues. These venues include Kalamazoo Valley Community College Diversity Event, Relay for Life, Kalamazoo Junior League Festival of Trees, Heritage Community Retirement Home, and Kalamazoo Boys and Girls Club. Her favorite event of the year is Theo and Stacy's Dionysos Greek Festival, which she has been performing at since 2003. In the future Katie hopes to travel internationally to gain more experience and knowledge of this art form she truly loves. She hopes to share her love of dance with many people for years to come.
Jacqueline has an extensive dance background that began at the age of five. Her training included ballet, jazz, tap, modern, and competitive dance. After high school, she went on to Saint Mary's College to receive a degree in Economics and Spanish while continuing her studies in dance. SMC provided another year of ballet training and technique, but the most influential to her unique style was her time spent on abroad studies in Sevilla, Spain. There she studied flamenco, salsa, merengue, bachata, and cha cha, while performing for several popular music artists as a back-up dancer. After college, she returned to her native Portage, Michigan where a friend told her about the West Michigan School of Middle Eastern Dance. That was four years ago and she has not stopped shimming since! Jacqueline is also a certified Zumba instructor and teaches at several fitness clubs around Kalamazoo. Currently she is a Spanish teacher and will begin her masters this fall (2008).
	Joette
Lynette
	Brandy
Caroline As a child, Caroline and her family lived in the West Suburbs of Chicago. She was raised in a home that embraced the Middle Eastern culture and Christianity with her sister, Christine, and brother, Phillip. Her parents were both born in the Middle East—her father, Edward, was born and raised in Cairo, Egypt; her mother, Mnawar, was born and raised in Amman, Jordan. As a young child, Caroline's dance studies began in ballet. She later began experiencing the art of Middle Eastern dance through her mother who loved this form of dance and had always wanted to raise a daughter that shared this passion. Although her mother was not a performer or dancer, she had some knowledge of it and was more than excited to introduce Caroline to her Middle Eastern culture. Caroline, on the other hand, was very shy about dancing. In 2003, Caroline and her family moved to Michigan where she began her involvement with the West Michigan School of Middle Eastern Dance LLC at the age of 14, the youngest dancer to attend the institute. Caroline's mother accompanied her for the next two years not as a student, but as her daughter's hallway supporter. Currently, she is still the only dancer at this institute with a Middle Eastern ethnic background, and the only person in her family to take Middle Eastern dance to a professional level, which has inspired other members of her family. Caroline is very fond and proud of her Middle Eastern background and has used her knowledge of language and culture to help others. During her high school career, Caroline devoted part of her day to tutoring young students at Portage Central Elementary School. Among these students was a child who had immigrated with his family to the United States from Lebanon. Caroline was able to communicate with the student in Arabic and help him better understand the English language and culture, while also helping the teachers and staff members at the elementary school learn about the Middle Eastern culture. Caroline also has skill and knowledge of Ballet, Jazz, Tap, and Modern Dance, but Middle Eastern dance is her strongest and most passionate form of dance. She focuses her dance style on Egyptian Raks Sharqi and Oriental Middle Eastern dance. Caroline's knowledge of the Arabic language, distinctive use of her hair, and unique soft, hand movements distinguishes her performances from other dancers. With all of the support and love from her family, Caroline does not mind dancing for any size audience. Caroline plans on taking the knowledge which she has gained through dance to help both women and men understand and appreciate the beauty and grace of the Middle Eastern culture.
	Carrie started dancing on her father's feet as soon as her legs would support her. Her early dance training consisted of square dancing and the polka on the rough wooden floors of the Grange Hall in Jones, Michigan. She stumbled upon the West Michigan School of Middle Eastern Dance several years ago, and started studying in earnest in the summer of 2007. In the spring of 2008, Joette honored her as a new member of the troupe. Carrie loves the intensity, passion, and precision of tribal dance. A member of Tribal Corps since 2007, she is very fortunate to be mentored by Angie as well as Joette. She has also studied with Elena Lentini, Sahra Saeeda, and Tayyar Akdeniz of Turkey. She looks forward to expanding her repertoire of dance both through Joette's, Angie's, and her fellow troupe members' considerable experience, and traveling to seminars and shows. She has performed at the West Michigan School of Middle Eastern Dance's December and June Haflas, Theo and Stacy's Dionysos Greek Festival, the Sunset on the Nile dinner show at the Western Michigan University Fetzer Center, and the WM School of MED show featuring Tayyar Akdeniz. Carrie holds a BA in Art and Environmental Studies from Western Michigan University. She is the education coordinator for Tillers International in Scotts, Michigan. Her academic focus has been appropriate technology in sustainable agriculture. In addition to dance, her artistic specialties are photography and ceramics

Allison

Angie has been a member of the West Michigan School of Middle Eastern Dance since 2003 and a performer of the school's professional troupe since 2004. She has also served as an assistant artistic director, instructor and choreographer for Tribal Corps, the tribal fusion branch of the school since 2005. Angie's 'day job' is as a tenured associate professor at Western Michigan University, where she has held an appointment in the Department of Sociology, with affiliation in the Gender and Women's Studies Program since 2002. She holds a Ph.D. in Justice Studies, Law and the Social Sciences from Arizona State University and her research and myriad publications focus on gender, the body, feminism, victimization, and healing. She is currently pursuing a graduate certificate in holistic health, with a specialization in healing through movement, from Western Michigan University. She is also writing a book about American women bellydancers, titled Beyond the Belly(Dance): The Transformative Effects of an Ancient Art. Based on ethnographic research she has been collecting for the last several years, the book will attest to the multidimensional, interconnected and holistic benefits of this dance form.

Like many women who discover Middle Eastern Dance as adults, Angie does not have an extensive dance background. Instead she has found that the dance, unlike more codified genres, conforms quite naturally to a woman's body and movement, regardless of shape, age or previous training. Thus, Angie has excelled in her right at Middle Eastern Dance,appreciating the various ways in which it allows for individualized expression and creativity. Angie prides herself on adaptability, diversity of skill, and understanding the historical and cultural contexts of the dance. She is constantly searching to expand her repertoire, studying, choreographing and performing all styles of Middle Eastern Dance, including oriental, cabaret, folk, spiritual-ritual, Romani-gypsy and tribal style bellydance. Suitably, she has obtained an eclectic array of instruction from Middle and Near Eastern dance professionals, including Mahmoud Reda, Farida Fahmy, Dalia Carella, Suhaila Salimpour, Nourhan Sharif, Amel Tafsout, Tayyar Akdeniz, Hale Sultan, Reyhan Tuzsuz, Kay Hardy Campbell, Karim Nagi, Artemis, Sahra Saeeda, Cassandra, Elena Lentini Ruby Jazayre, Yasmina Ramzy, Ansuya, Kaeshi Chair, Shawna of Little Rock, Jasmin Jahal, and Aida al-Adawi. Being particularly drawn to tribal style belly dance, Angie has received instruction from Rachel Brice, Sharon Kihara, Darshan (Cammi Vance), Heather Stants, Moria Chappell, Zoe Jakes, Kami Liddle, Carolena Nericcio and FatChanceBellyDance, Jill Parker and Ultra Gypsy, Kajira Djoumahna and Black Sheep Belly Dance, Zafira Dance Company. Beyond traveling throughout the
U.S. for this instruction, Angie has taken advantage of several
opportunities to travel internationally. In 2006 she was one of a handful of
dancers from around the world to complete the First Cairo Seminar for
Professional Dancers in Cairo, Egypt. In 2007 she participated in the 3rd
Annual Alaturka Dance and Music Festival in Istanbul, Turkey, as part of
Middle Eastern Dance Folk Tours, Inc. In 2008 she is traveling to Spain and
Italy to expand her understanding of this beautiful and feminine art form.

Katie, a performing member of the West Michigan School of Middle Eastern Dance LLC, has been studying Middle Eastern dance since January 2003, focusing on classical Egyptian Raks Sharqi and Oriental dance. In addition to her dance background she also holds an associates degree in marketing.

As the daughter of a musician, music and creativity have always surrounded Katie. Growing up locally in Portage, Michigan, Katie's mother was part of a folk music group. She loved being around the instruments and live music. Naturally, Katie has always known dance and music as a beautiful form of self-expression.

Her dance studies began as a young child with ballet and jazz, while also
exploring gymnastics. This later led her to extensively study dance as a
teenager through the Education for the Arts program. Instructed by
award-winning teacher, Pat Palasko, Katie discovered modern dance, along with deepening her knowledge of ballet, jazz and other American and World dance forms. While in the Education for the Arts program, Katie had the opportunity to study with internationally known dance companies and choreographers such as the modern dance company Pilobolus, and jazz with the Hubbard Street Dance Company of Chicago. In 2003, during her studies with Pat Palasko, she participated in the Michigan Youth Arts Festival, performing along with classmates a modern jazz dance, inspired by Isadora Duncan (an American dancer considered by many to be the mother of modern dance). Performing at the MYAF was an honor for Katie and her classmates, as more than 250,000 students across the state are involved in the selection process that results in nearly 1,000 being invited to participate in the event.

Katie's exploration of dance continued beyond highschool with tap and
hip-hop. In 2004, Katie began teaching for Vicksburg Community Education's dance program. She teaches ballet, tap, jazz and gymnastics and continues to serve as a positive role model for children and teens ages 4 through 18. In 2006 she was a member of the dance team for the Kalamazoo Xplosion Professional Indoor Football Team and the Battle Creek Knights Professional Basketball Team.

Katie's Middle Eastern dance studies began in January 2003 with the West
Michigan School of Middle Eastern Dance and later she became a member of the
performing group in April 2004. Throughout the time she has studied with the
West Michigan School of Middle Eastern Dance, and because of Joette's
extensive knowledge of the Middle East, Katie has had the opportunity to
study and perform various styles of Middle Eastern Dance. This includes
dances such as Lebanese Debke, Khalegee, Spanish Andulsian, Melaya Lef,
Nubian, Bhangra, the Zar, American Tribal Style, Folkloric dances, Reda
Style and many more. Joette has also trained her in props such as cane, veil
and finger cymbals (zills). Katie's main focus is classical Egyptian Raks
Sharqi or Oriental dance.

She has had the opportunity to study with various international artists such
as Farida Fahmy, Shahna of Little Rock, Momo Kadous, Jasmin Jahal, Dahlia Carella, Yasmina Ramzy, Nourhan Sharif, Amel Tafsout, Tayyar Akdeniz, Sahra Saeeda, Karim Nagi, and Suhaila Salimpour. A very influential moment was when she had the opportunity to study privately with Farida Fahmy, former principal dancer and founding member of the Reda Troupe.
Performing with the West Michigan School of Middle Eastern Dance has given
Katie the opportunity to entertain and educate through various venues. These
venues include Kalamazoo Valley Community College Diversity Event, Relay for
Life, Kalamazoo Junior League Festival of Trees, Heritage Community
Retirement Home, and Kalamazoo Boys and Girls Club. Her favorite event of
the year is Theo and Stacy's Dionysos Greek Festival, which she has been
performing at since 2003.

In the future Katie hopes to travel internationally to gain more experience
and knowledge of this art form she truly loves. She hopes to share her love
of dance with many people for years to come.

Jacqueline has an extensive dance background that began at the age of five. Her training included ballet, jazz, tap, modern, and competitive dance. After high school, she went on to Saint Mary's College to receive a degree in Economics and Spanish while continuing her studies in dance. SMC provided another year of ballet training and technique, but the most
influential to her unique style was her time spent on abroad studies in
Sevilla, Spain. There she studied flamenco, salsa, merengue, bachata, and cha cha, while performing for several popular music artists as a back-up dancer. After college, she returned to her native Portage, Michigan where a friend told her about the West Michigan School of Middle Eastern Dance. That was four years ago and she has not stopped shimming since!

Jacqueline is also a certified Zumba instructor and teaches at several fitness clubs around Kalamazoo. Currently she is a Spanish teacher and will begin her masters this fall (2008).

Joette

Lynette

Brandy

Caroline

As a child, Caroline and her family lived in the West Suburbs of Chicago. She was raised in a home that embraced the Middle Eastern culture and Christianity with her sister, Christine, and brother, Phillip. Her parents were both born in the Middle East—her father, Edward, was born and raised in Cairo, Egypt; her mother, Mnawar, was born and raised in Amman, Jordan. As a young child, Caroline's dance studies began in ballet. She later began experiencing the art of Middle Eastern dance through her mother who loved this form of dance and had always wanted to raise a daughter that shared this passion. Although her mother was not a performer or dancer, she had some knowledge of it and was more than excited to introduce Caroline to her Middle Eastern culture. Caroline, on the other hand, was very shy about dancing.

In 2003, Caroline and her family moved to Michigan where she began her involvement with the West Michigan School of Middle Eastern Dance LLC at the age of 14, the youngest dancer to attend the institute. Caroline's mother accompanied her for the next two years not as a student, but as her daughter's hallway supporter. Currently, she is still the only dancer at this institute with a Middle Eastern ethnic background, and the only person in her family to take Middle Eastern dance to a professional level, which has inspired other members of her family.

Caroline is very fond and proud of her Middle Eastern background and has used her knowledge of language and culture to help others. During her high school career, Caroline devoted part of her day to tutoring young students at Portage Central Elementary School. Among these students was a child who had immigrated with his family to the United States from Lebanon. Caroline was able to communicate with the student in Arabic and help him better understand the English language and culture, while also helping the teachers and staff members at the elementary school learn about the Middle Eastern culture.

Caroline also has skill and knowledge of Ballet, Jazz, Tap, and Modern Dance, but Middle Eastern dance is her strongest and most passionate form of dance. She focuses her dance style on Egyptian Raks Sharqi and Oriental Middle Eastern dance. Caroline's knowledge of the Arabic language, distinctive use of her hair, and unique soft, hand movements distinguishes her performances from other dancers.

With all of the support and love from her family, Caroline does not mind dancing for any size audience. Caroline plans on taking the knowledge which she has gained through dance to help both women and men understand and appreciate the beauty and grace of the Middle Eastern culture.

Carrie started dancing on her father's feet as soon as her legs would support her. Her early dance training consisted of square dancing and the polka on the rough wooden floors of the Grange Hall in Jones, Michigan. She stumbled upon the West Michigan School of Middle Eastern Dance several years ago, and started studying in earnest in the summer of 2007. In the spring of 2008, Joette honored her as a new member of the troupe.

Carrie loves the intensity, passion, and precision of tribal dance. A member of Tribal Corps since 2007, she is very fortunate to be mentored by Angie as well as Joette. She has also studied with Elena Lentini, Sahra Saeeda, and Tayyar Akdeniz of Turkey. She looks forward to expanding her repertoire of dance both through Joette's, Angie's, and her fellow troupe members' considerable experience, and traveling to seminars and shows. She has performed at the West Michigan School of Middle Eastern Dance's December and June Haflas, Theo and Stacy's Dionysos Greek Festival, the Sunset on the Nile dinner show at the Western Michigan University Fetzer Center, and the WM School of MED show featuring Tayyar Akdeniz.

Carrie holds a BA in Art and Environmental Studies from Western Michigan University. She is the education coordinator for Tillers International in Scotts, Michigan. Her academic focus has been appropriate technology in sustainable agriculture. In addition to dance, her artistic specialties are photography and ceramics

West Michigan School of Middle Eastern Dance LLC
Kalamazoo, Michigan
info@wmschoolofmed.com
269-375-0990