background

Dragonfly Bellydance

Online Courses

(placeholder)

SPRING ANNOUCEMENT

(placeholder)

The End of an Era

SPRING 2022


Zahira’s statement of love and gratitude.

I have been involved in bellydance for almost 20 years… I have been a bellydance teacher and professional performer for 16 years -since 2006- and a studio owner and artistic director for 12 years, since 2010. It is now the time for me to step away from the world of professional dancing and teaching and dedicate myself fully to follow my heart and my dreams once again and develop a career in museums, art, archaeology, history and heritage.

Bellydancing has been a part of my soul and will continue to be. How could it not? Bellydance is the way I move through music and life, it is in my veins, my soul and my hips. I will keep dancing just out of joy for myself and I will eventually create more online pre-recorded courses, which you will find HERE.


I am incredibly grateful

to everyone who took this journey with me either for a little while or for continuous years.


There are many reasons why I am stepping away from the life of a professional bellydancer, why I am retiring from teaching and from performing. Too many, too personal and too complex to write at any length here… Suffice it tosay that it is time for the next chapter for me, a chapter that has been years in the making.


The years of the pandemic were hard for all, and I am and will always be deeply grateful for all the students who continued with us through Zoom during the harshest times. YOUR love, presence and support has meant literally the world to our little family. I’m grateful for the colleagues and community who kept in touch, who kept me inspired and/or who invited us to perform in their online events.


It has been a long transition and 2022 is a year of radiant change, something I have been yearning and longing for, for what feels like a long time now.

These next 2 weeks (the last 2 weeks of the current session) will be the last classes I will ever be teaching -at least in the form of the studio as we have known it up to this day-.


I hope I have managed to passed on some of the love of bellydance, the curiosity and interest for its history, music and culture, some of the passion and respect for all its forms. Everyone who ever came through the doors of Dragonfly has a place in my heart and my deepest gratitude. Thank you especially to all the students who allowed me to be part of their journey, especially the long-time students and the troupe and company members and those who became valued colleagues and dear friends.


This website will continue on: it will keep being an access point for all my pre-recorded courses -present and future-, and it will also morph -eventually- to a site with resources for research and learning linked to @thebellydancehistorian Instagram account.


I’m turning a page and closing this magical chapter of my life:

2 full theatrical shows, 9 Student showcases, a myriad of haflas and festivals, 100s of workshops, thousands of classes and choreographies later, I am closing this adventure to start a new one with bright eyes and a full heart.

If you want to drop into a class in these next 2 weeks please just sent me a message.

With much love and gratitude!

Zahira


HAPPY SPRING!