Teachers confirmed for 2019 Festival!
Havana Habibi Festival 2019 Teachers - Confirmed!
BOŽENKA
Bellydance Superstar Boženka is an award-winning, internationally acclaimed dancer performing and teaching worldwide. Boženka meaning, “touched by God”, is the auspicious birth name of this world-renowned performer and master teacher whose gift for the art of belly dancing transcends her Cuban-Spaniard-Czech heritage. She has enthralled diverse audiences all over the globe while inspiring every performer that has had the good fortune to witness her style and grace live and in color. Her distinguishing elegance and her classic and earthy technique has elevated Boženka to superstar status. Boženka is a leading exponent of Oriental Dance “Raqs Sharqi”. Her special teaching technique and her wonderful spirit make her workshops/performances a fulfilling and motivating experience for all who attend. An exemplary artist and role model, Boženka continues to set her standards higher with each performance and workshop.
Image and bio from Boženka’s website - learn more at http://www.bozenkadance.com/.
NOURHAN SHARIF
With over 4 decades of experience, Nourhan Sharif is a leading artist of Middle Eastern dance and music. Her years of immersion in Arabic culture lends her dance an authentic depth that is immediately recognized by her audiences – including students, peers, and Middle Easterners. Nourhan deftly combines Egyptian lyricism and Lebanese theatricality with her own personal expression. Nourhan’s dance style exemplifies great technique, focused energy, dynamic presence, and precise articulation. Within her more contemporary renditions, knowledge of the folklore and its various rhythms are always evident.
Image courtesy of Nourhan Sharif; information source: http://saffrondance.com/bios/past-guest-faculty/nourhan-sharif
ESRAA WARDA
Esraa Warda is best known by the powerhouse vibration of her hips -- a pure representation of North African traditional movement meeting New York fervor. Of Algerian origin, Warda is a community-taught dancer with "street cred" from women elders in the artistic community both in Morocco and Algeria.
As an educator, she prioritizes the preservation and transmission of traditional North African movement knowledge amongst women. As an artist, Warda is a rebellious spirit who challenges traditional norms and stigmas that limit women's public expression and movement. She is a driving force in bringing Moroccan/Algerian dance out of the margins and is influencing the global culture scene in recognizing North African dance as a distinguished artistic expression.
Warda has been featured on Al Jazeera Francais , NBC Asian America, Wada7, and Hespress - and has taught all over the world from the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago all the way to the National Algerian Centre and Kings College in London. Warda collaborates with world music artists such as Bnat Houwariyat, Morocco's premier all women percussion ensemble based in Marrakech, and has performed at places such as NYC'S Museum of Modern Art PS1, Cuba's Havana Habibi Festival, and Marrakech's Festival Ghiwane. (esraawarda.com)
VALERICK MOLINARY
Valerick Molinary is an award winning artist known for her unique and elegant style, which flows seamlessly while having that touch of sassiness resonant of her native Puerto Rico. She has taught and performed at international festivals across four continents. For over 15 years Valerick has dedicated herself to the in-depth study of Arab dances and folklore, traveling to study at diverse Arab countries such as Egypt, Lebanon and Morocco. She has a BA in Hispanic Studies and Comparative Literature, the influence of which can be seeing in her creative and poetic approach to choreography, dance teaching and production. Since 2015 she organizes the Lebanese Love Affair, an annual event in Miami dedicated to providing a platform for dancers to study directly from renowned and dedicated Arab dance artists, all in a big celebration of love for Raks Sharki and the countries that gave birth to it.
She is an award-winning, highly respected dancer and teacher and a true passion for bellydance and female empowerment. If you're in Miami, check out her new dance studio at Creative Hips! We are thrilled to have Valerick Molinary with us again this year as a teacher for Havana Habibi Festival 2019!