Suspira from Orlando!

[SatinWorship19]

I was researching the dance scene in Central Florida, since I'm most likely moving there - and I think I've found my new teacher!

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_XUBvcuMtA]YouTube - Suspira Orlando Belly Dance[/ame]

I love Suspira's exuberant, gorgeous style, and wanted to share the juicy goodness!

[Goldenpear]

Zfejzic studies with her I think

[Zepora]

Yes!!!! I have met her!!!! She is fabulous!!! So nice and down to earth. She used to perform at Disney World too! She is amazing . . . . Check out her website.

Orlando Bellydance - School of Middle Eastern Dance

I'm a little jealous! I would love to study with her and be in one of her troupes!!! She directs several of them and they are fabulous!!!

[SatinWorship19]

Some of the best dancers aren't as well known as they should be! I recognized the name, but had nooooooo idea she was such a beautiful, talented dancer.

It's funny, because as soon as I saw clips of Suspira and her lovely troupe, I couldn't help but to feel excited about moving. It always helps to know that I'll be within a sort drive away from some really great talent!

[Zepora]

Some of the best dancers aren't as well known as they should be! I recognized the name, but had nooooooo idea she was such a beautiful, talented dancer.

It's funny, because as soon as I saw clips of Suspira and her lovely troupe, I couldn't help but to feel excited about moving. It always helps to know that I'll be within a sort drive away from some really great talent!

I've often thought this about Suspira. She is soooo talented . . . she could be with BDSS! But she really seems to LOVE her students and LOVE directing her companies. I never asked her, but I kind of think she gets a lot of fulfillment from helping them succeed. She is just awesome that way! There should be more people like her in this world! It would be a better place!

[SatinWorship19]

That's the BEST. Altruistic teachers can be so hard to come by. And when a dancer is both talented and sweet, I can't help but to have big-time respect for them. She could easily be in BDSS.

She sure sounds like a doll!

[nazneen]

I've seen her perform and she's awesome!

[danielabellydance]

I saw her perform at Disney World! I had no idea who she was but she was so great, I came home and googled her and found her Orlando Bellydance site. She's awesome!

[zamora]

she is super sweet.had wonderful things to say to me after she bought my dvd's.very open and sharing.

[Mayliz]

Oh wow. She does fly under the radar, doesn't she? Suspira is absolutely amazing. An inspiring teacher who has taught more than 900 hundred students in the Central Florida area. She manages four dance troupes and teaches at least five classes every night. Absolute work horse! She hardly takes vacation time. But what's even more amazing, other than her talent, is how much time and effort she puts into helping her students become better dancers.

[ZanaRaqs]

satin-that's my first ever bd instructor (and only might i add) and troupe director. i have been with her for 2.5 years and i love her and her studio and dance companies! i was going to recommend u to her once u get here anywho :)
if u look on my profile, i have 2 troupe vids from youtube uploaded up there. i am in troupe ahlaam (just finished 2 seasons with them, hopefully going on the third-auditions are still going on) so feel free to google/youtube them :) (waiting on the next dvd to come out from our last showcase cuz that's when the newer youtube vids get uploaded but that takes a while lol)

she not only offers several bd classes at different levels 7 days a week, she also has other world dance workshops. i've taken polynesian, samba and bollywood workshops with her and those instructors are awesome as well because they are students that have been with her for years and have been, for the most part, dancing that particular world dance since they could walk. for example, my bollywood instructor has been doing classical indian dance (the name escapes me now of which ones specifically) since she was 3 or 4. and i've been taking bollywood with her for the past year now.

she also recently has offered a ballet for bd-ers workshop which i took twice and has helped me sooo much. she's due to offer a sword workshop soon and maybe even get PJ from bdss to come in for double veil. she's had sevdiah from tampa come in before for a turkish choreo workshop. so aside from offering all sorts of levels of bd for everyone she does have additional things going on too which makes over achievers like me happy :) lol

both her and her husband (who works at the front desk and does things for the dvd productions when we have our bi annual recitals) are totally awesome and she's probably the most professional dance instructor i know of within the central FL region because she takes the time to properly educate her students about both the dance and dancing in the 'real' world, i.e. professionally and whatnot.

here is her website: orlandobellydance.com and she's also on facebook but i don't have one so i can't provide the link lol just look up orlando bellydance i guess

:)

oh and p.s.-bhuzzer 'andalee' recently took a class with her when she visited and she told me she loved it :)

and yes she's super sweet and GORGEOUS aside from obviously being uber talented

i've recruited several of my fellow dance mates to bhuz so hopefully they'll chime in too! :)

[Mayliz]

Where are our lovely OBD girls? Come on, don't be shy. ;-)

[andalee-oriental]

Yes, Suspira is awesome. I sooooo wished I had known about her when I lived in Central, FL. What I do know is that I will take classes there every time I go down there (2-3 times per year).

I loved her style, her teaching, her dancing and personality. I am so sad I don't have someone like that here in NC. :( It was truly a fantastic experience!

ETA: I also loved her studio. It gives me hope that someday I will be able to open such a space.

[ZanaRaqs]

Yes, Suspira is awesome. I sooooo wished I had known about her when I lived in Central, FL. What I do know is that I will take classes there every time I go down there (2-3 times per year).

I loved her style, her teaching, her dancing and personality. I am so sad I don't have someone like that here in NC. :( It was truly a fantastic experience!

ETA: I also loved her studio. It gives me hope that someday I will be able to open such a space.

both her and her husband thought you were very sweet btw :)

[SatinWorship19]

Ack!!! You guys are making me SOOOOOOO excited!!!!!

The other day, I was so depressed about the possibility of moving. Now that I know I'll have some great learning opportunities in my new home, I feel so much better. In fact, my boyfriend couldn't leave Connecticut soon enough ..g.:

Bollywood, Polynesian and samba sound like sooooooooooooo much fun. I took a Polynesian class here and couldn't get enough.

I wanna meet my future BD friends. Show yourselves! ..l;,

[ayla_michelle]

Suspira IS awesome!!
I'm in one of her troupes (with Zana) and I love it. I'm excited for you to come take classes with us SatinWorship!..g.:

[SatinWorship19]

Hi Ayla Michelle!

I can't wait to join you guys, too ..g.:. Orlando's pretty close to Cocoa Beach, right? Maybe I'll pop in on one of your classes sometime in the next couple of months when I'm house hunting! Do you have any shows coming up?

[ZanaRaqs]

Hi Ayla Michelle!

I can't wait to join you guys, too ..g.:. Orlando's pretty close to Cocoa Beach, right? Maybe I'll pop in on one of your classes sometime in the next couple of months when I'm house hunting! Do you have any shows coming up?

well it's a good half an hour away but i know of several dancers who drive that long just to study with her. one of the troupe members that used to be with ayla and i lives in daytona and she drives a good 30-45 min. every week. but then i again, i drive 30 min. to get to my flamenco class and that's worth it and i would do the same if i had to for suspira anywho

we have a hafla comin up july 11th. location hasn't been released yet but its within the area. it's a more fancy hafla where dinner and drinks will be served and it will be at a hotel. the workshops that are going on now and just passed will get an opportunity to perform their choreos there as well as other pieces such as solos and duets, etc. i myself will be performing with the ladies that took the samba workshop, bollywood (which is going on now) and i'll be doing a flamenco fusion solo.

our bi annual show will be in october most likely. we just had one in the beg. of may and she always has 2 every year, one in the spring and one in the fall. those r the videos u saw on youtube and we have dvds that come out after every show (we are currently waiting for the dvds from our last show in may, takes bout 3-4 months to come out). it involves students from level 2 on up and her professional troupes. the 'midnight garden' piece u see in my profile was the opening for our show last year in october and so was the 'flirt' routine.

eta: but then we also have troupe gigs here and there at different venues. our next one coming up is in july i believe. we get quite the array of venues. so far with my troupe i've performed at the zoo, at a pre-oscar party, several diff. charity events throughout central FL, and a national geographic event where the Afghan amabassador was present, and many more which i cannot think of right now lol

[andalee-oriental]

Actually, we drove straight from the studio to the house in Daytona Beach and it look a little under an hour. Cocoa beach would be a little farther. It will be worth it though.

[andalee-oriental]

both her and her husband thought you were very sweet btw :)

Awesome. I thought they were super sweet too! You're so lucky to have them!

[ZanaRaqs]

yes that is true, it's bout 45 min. or so depending on the traffic. my bad, i haven't been to the beach in forever cuz i have dance on the weekends, both in the morning and in the afternoon and work during the weekdays :(

[andalee-oriental]

yes that is true, it's bout 45 min. or so depending on the traffic. my bad, i haven't been to the beach in forever cuz i have dance on the weekends, both in the morning and in the afternoon and work during the weekdays :(

Sad! Next time I go down there I will invite you to come out to the beach with us!

[palmier]

I saw Suspira in Disney a few years ago and I really liked her.
She was a lovely dancer and really came across as a nice person.
No one wanted to get up and dance that day so when she came to my table I followed her dancing. when she finished her set, she came to meet me and my right away son cause she knew I was also a dancer, she was so nice, she even e-mailed me after.
I like dancers like that who don't play the diva card.
I would go take classes from her or go see her dance again if I go to Orlando.

[SatinWorship19]

Even an hour's drive is nothing I'm not used to

And, wow, it sounds like your troupe has performed at some super cool venues! That's so exciting. I've always wanted to move somewhere that has a higher level of BD activity, as it's pretty sleepy here.

I just friended Suspira on Facebook ..l;,

[Mayliz]

We went to Cocoa last week and it took me about an hour from Kiss but my husband has a heavy foot. So it's gotta be about an hour on the beeline and her studio is already on the university side of town so it's a jump, hop and a skip (or is it hop, jump and a skip?) from the toll road.

No diva attitude! She always calls us divas in class which makes us laugh. I think that's how she keeps us from developing a complex. Ha.

[palmier]

No diva attitude! She always calls us divas in class which makes us laugh. I think that's how she keeps us from developing a complex. Ha.

let me rephrase.
I like dancers who drop the diva card when they are off-stage.
I am all for Divas on stage, I was just telling my students to be more diva like in their entrance last week-end..l;,

[SatinWorship19]

No diva attitude! She always calls us divas in class which makes us laugh. I think that's how she keeps us from developing a complex. Ha.

LMAO! Well, if you get your diva fix in class, then I'd imagine that keeps you from inflicting any sort of BDPD (Belly Dance Personality Disorder) on fellow dancers, or in the professional realm

Diva is essential in presentation. Personality? Not so much. LOL.

I'm so happy I started doing my research on the Florida scene. I was crying into my hip scarves about moving the other day. Now I'm feeling much better. It's so great to know that I'll already have some friendly faces and, from the sound of things, some great opportunities to look forward to.

[ZanaRaqs]

LMAO! Well, if you get your diva fix in class, then I'd imagine that keeps you from inflicting any sort of BDPD (Belly Dance Personality Disorder) on fellow dancers, or in the professional realm

Diva is essential in presentation. Personality? Not so much. LOL.

I'm so happy I started doing my research on the Florida scene. I was crying into my hip scarves about moving the other day. Now I'm feeling much better. It's so great to know that I'll already have some friendly faces and, from the sound of things, some great opportunities to look forward to.

so no need to worry, u will love it here as far as the dance scene goes :)
now clear out ur inbox cuz i'm bout to send u a PM lol

[SatinWorship19]

C'mon, Z, you can't get enough of my constantly overstuffed inbox!!!

..g.:

It's cleared just for you baby! PM away!

[suspira]

Awww, thank you, ladies! Yes, I do love teaching...I'm glad that comes across. ;) I started teaching when I was 15 and always had the dream of directing a professional company. Everyone thought I was crazy a few years back when I left my contract with Disney to open my own studio, but I felt my heart was really with my students, and I had performed 7 shows a day for too many years at Disney....hahaha! Watching my students grow as dancers is incredibly fulfilling for me, and I feel I made the right decision.

We'd love to have you in Florida, Satin :) Thank you again (and the rest of you!) for your kind words.