Vashti, Artistic DirectorVashti is the founder of Bellydance Odyssey Productions and one of four dancers who created Dance Odyssey Sudio. Vashti has been teaching and performing belly dance locally for many years. She holds several awards for her choreography and soloist work. Vashti has danced since age three and has trained in numerous disciplines including ballet, Polynesian, ethnic dances of the Phillippines, flamenco, Middle Eastern dance and ballet folklorico. At age twelve, Vashti performed with the Silayan Dance Company in Los Angeles. Vashti is certified in Level 2 of the Suhaila Salimpour format. Vashti is bilingual in Spanish and English.
After years spent traveling, studying and living abroad throughout Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North Africa, Crystal was drawn to discover and embody the beauty of ethnic dance. She found herself particularly spellbound by the dance of her Middle Eastern heritage – belly dance. In 2000 she began her formal Middle Eastern dance education in Santa Cruz with Rachel Brice and Heavy Hips Tribal Belly Dance and in 2001 she joined the Suhaila Salimpour School of Dance in El Cerrito. Now known and recognized for her unique style of bellydance fusion, Crystal has performed at taught at a variety of venues across the USA. Crystal is certified in Level 2 of the Suhaila Salimpour format. Feliz/Jalilah Feliz has over ten years of dance experience in the Northern California belly dance scene. A member of several acclaimed Santa Cruz dance troupes, Feliz is currently Assistant Director of the Bellydance Odyssey Dance Company. Feliz has also studied Tae Kwon Do, Muay Thai and boxing. She is currently studying to become ACE certified as a fitness instructor. Feliz is certified in Level One of the Suhaila Salimpour format. GinaGina is a social worker and has been a Spectra artist and teacher for seven yars. She has been teaching visual arts, Capoeira, contemporary dance, creative movement, afro-Hatian and Brazilian dance to children of all ages in Watsonville and Santa Cruz; he has also led workshops on domestic violence, sexual assault, boundary setting, self defense and teen empowerment. She holds a B.A. in Fine Arts from UC Santa Cruz and is bilingual in Spanish and English. Gina is a Zumba Certified Instructor.
Janelle's early dance background includes jazz, tap, ballet, modern, gymnastics and Mexican folkoric. Janelle began her studies in Middle Eastern Dance with Cory Zamora. She later studied with Beth Frue, Helene, Jamila Salimpour and Suhaila Salimpour. Janelle is certified in Level 2 of the Suhaila Salimpour format. Janelle teaches throughout Santa Cruz county and is Artistic Director for the Desert Dream Dance Company. For more information about Janelle visit her website.
MakaynaMakayna has been dancing for fourteen years and is well versed in the techniques of various genres of dance including Latin, jazz, modern, lyrical, classical ballet and pointe, musical theatre, hip-hop, and various production teams. She has worked with children of all ages as an instructor for dance camps and classes, as well as working for the County of Santa Cruz as a recreational instructor at La Selva Beach. Makayna has participated in many performances and competitions around California, performing originally choreographed solos, and loves every minute of it. She was recently invited to attend InnerSpark Summer School for the Arts in Valencia, California. Sarah brings fifteen years of experience and her endless enthusiasm to her students. As a gently (or not so gently -- you choose!) encouraging coach, she'll help you find your happy yoga place. Sarah began studying yoga with Julie Kimball,, learning an inquisitive approach influenced by Iyengar tradition. Sarah eventually added Vinyasa flow to her practice, and trained to teach Power Vinyasa under Linda schlamadinger McGrath. Everyone needs quiet time, so Sarah completed her Yin Yoga teacher training with Sarah Powers. Sarah loves to help active people learn more about their bodies through yoga! Faculty on leave: Hillary Ana Flecha began dancing with Ruth Scoffield in Santa Cruz in the old converted church which now houses Kali Ray Tri Yoga. When she was twelve years old she received a scholarship to Dupree Dance Academy in Los Angeles where she began studying during her summers, focusing primarily on jazz and ballet.
In 1999, Hillary Ana returned to California and joined Dr. Schaffer & Mr. Stern Dance Ensemble, combining her dancing and acting skills. She then became one of the original members of Mir & a Company, launching her into the world of aerial dance. Over the last few years she has also performed with Therese Adams – Moving & Storage/Crash, Burn & Die, Lisa Christensen, Nita Little, Sharon Took-Zozaya and Sarah Wilbourne. Through her work with Miranda Janeschild and her company, she met Frey Faust and was exposed to the brilliance and joy of the Axis Syllabus – universal motor principles™. She received her certification to teach in January 2006.
Ana feels strongly that dance has untapped potential to heal and transform the world. She has recently fallen in love with Contact Improvisation and is grateful for her background in the Axis Syllabus for the knowledge and experience it fosters of dancing off balance in order to merge dynamically with others. In October 2006 Ana began training with Project Bandaloop aerial dance company in Oakland, California. Every year she enjoys spending time in the Northeast of Brazil dancing on the beach.
CarmelaCarmela is a teacher, biologist, and an attorney with movement training primarily in gymnastics, Hip Hop, and Bellydance. She has participated in several acclaimed dance troupes in the Santa Cruz area: Company Funk (directed by Carolyn Cords), Boom Squad (directed by Gary Kendell), Flava Unit (co-directed by Gary Kendell & Carmela Woll), and Trinity (collaboration with Eva Grady and Sarah Wise). In 2000, Carmela received the Calabash Award for Excellence in the Ethnic Arts from the Santa Cruz Ethnic Art Network and Cultural Council of Santa Cruz County for her contributions as a Hip Hop Teacher and Dancer. She continues to study Hip Hop under Master Teacher Gary Kendell and Bellydance with Palika of Heavy Hips Tribal Bellydance. Ultimately, Carmela dances for the joy of it and loves to share it with others through choreography, improvisation, and performance. GitanaGitana is a Certified Pilates Instructor (Physical Mind Institute) and a Certified Personal Trainer (Int'l Sports Science Assoc). She also brings a tremendous background in event productions. Gitana is the Artistic Director for Universal Synergy Productions/CoEvoluation Institute which is a non-profit promoting community awareness on current environmental and social justic issues through performance art installments. Gitana is bilingual in Spanish and English.
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