Thread: Midwest Bellydance Challenge WINNERS! PIC LINK ADDED

The following are the contestants for the 2008 Midwest Bellydance Challenge in the order that they will perform on Saturday August 23rd! Advance price daytime event wristbands and evening finals tickets are available on www. shimmychicago.com

GOOD LUCK TO ALL THE CONTESTANTS!

STUDENT CATEGORY
1. Stephanie Holz (IL)
2. Roxanne DiLegge (IL)
3. Nasim (WI)
4. Debra Adamson (IL)
5. Galiah Lavan (IL)
6. Lisha (IL)
7. Danielle Orell (CA)

TROUPE CATEGORY
1. Ashar Dance Company (WI)
2. Gaia Rising (IL)
3. Zephyra (IL)
4. Safiya Dafiya (IL)
5. Hellacious Hips (IL)
6. Ro-He (IL)
7. Seven Wonders (IL)

TRIBAL SOLOIST CATEGORY
1. Mia (MI)
2. Marci Ann (IL)
3. Nicky Shek (IL)
4. Mae the Bellydancer (IL)
5. Laura Riebock (IL)
6. Jezminda (IL)
7. Karen Hersh (IL)
8. Ayperi (WI)
9. Jeanette (WI)
10. Mahela (WI)

PRO CABARET SOLOST CATEGORY
1. Malaika (IA)
2. Arielle Leger (WI)
3. Ariel (IL)
4. Tipsuda Bahri (NJ)
5. Galatea (WI)
6. Shahina (IL)
7. Nandi (MO)
8. Amanda Rose (AZ)
9. Kahina (WI)
10. Drea (IL)
11. Mariah (OH)
12. Andreana (IL)
13. Mirah Ammal (MN)
14. Shara (MO)
15. Brea Morgaine (MN)
16. Magdalene (NE)

Any word on the judges yet, Kim?

Good luck everybody and congrats on your event, Kimahri!!

Originally Posted by laura 2

Any word on the judges yet, Kim?

We're all set...I'm waiting for a few bios and then I'll be able to put the Meet the Judges page on shimmychicago.com

~~Kimahri

Originally Posted by Kimahri

We're all set...I'm waiting for a few bios and then I'll be able to put the Meet the Judges page on shimmychicago.com

~~Kimahri

Yay!!!!!!

Here we go! I am looking forward to meeting all of you! ..g.:

I haven't booked my flight yet. I'm assuming ORD airport. Is that correct? Also, what hotels should I call to book room? Maybe I missed this info posted here or there.
Buono Fortuno everybody involved with contest!
Mariah

Originally Posted by MariahOhio

I haven't booked my flight yet. I'm assuming ORD airport. Is that correct? Also, what hotels should I call to book room? Maybe I missed this info posted here or there.
Buono Fortuno everybody involved with contest!
Mariah

O'Hare is closer but Midway isn't out of the question if you get a great fare! The hotel info was in the first contestant email, here it is:

Near ILS:
Courtyard By Marriott Elmhurst
370 North Route 83
Elmhurst, IL
Rooms start from $89.00

Holiday Inn Chicago-Elmhurst, Il
624 N. York Rd.
Elmhurst, IL
Rooms start from $114.00

Springhill Suites By Marriott Chicago Elmhurst
410 West Lake Street
Elmhurst, IL
Rooms start from $109.00

Near the theater:
Motel 6—Villa Park (2 blocks from the theater)
10 West Roosevelt Road
I-355 at Roosevelt Road/SR 38
Villa Park, IL, 60181
Phone: (630) 941-9100 | Fax: (630) 941-1167
Rooms start from $49.00

Quality Inn (IL263)
933 S. Riverside Drive , Elmhurst, IL, US, 60126 |
Phone: (630) 279-0700 Fax: (630) 279-0131
Rooms start from $84.99


Comfort Suites Oakbrook Terrace
17 W. 445 Roosevelt Rd.
Oakbrook Terrace, IL
Rooms start from $94.99
La Quinta Inn Oakbrook-Chicago
1 S.666 Midwest Road
Oakbrook Terrace, IL
Rooms start from $95.00

Greetings!
Qick question... will the DVD include the student category (and all the day competitions) or only the eveing show?
Holy Baloney I'm nervous!

Nasim

Originally Posted by KelsNasim

Greetings!
Qick question... will the DVD include the student category (and all the day competitions) or only the eveing show?
Holy Baloney I'm nervous!

Nasim

DVDs of the separate daytime categories and the evening finals will be available to contestants only. The order form is going out in the next contestant email tomorrow.

~~Kimahri

Wonderful! Thank you so much!
See you in 12 days......{shiver}..

Have fun and good luck, y'all!

There were some intermittent glitches happening with PayPal over the weekend, I apologize to those that had difficulty placing ticket orders. The advance price tickets have been extended through Friday August 15th so everyone can be taken care of. You can also pay by credit card instead of using PayPal, just call me (630)297-5445.

Thanks and my apologies again for any inconvenience!

~~Kimahri

I really hope I can somehow make it up there to watch. Gotta see about getting a wheel chair!

my vending cart has wheels. We got some folding chairs and duct tape. We'll do what we have to do to get you here!

Nilaja

Originally Posted by theesfield

my vending cart has wheels. We got some folding chairs and duct tape. We'll do what we have to do to get you here!

Nilaja

OMG, the mental picture!!!! ..l;,

rotflmao you guys crack me up :)

Originally Posted by theesfield

my vending cart has wheels. We got some folding chairs and duct tape. We'll do what we have to do to get you here!

Nilaja

Dude I was thinking we push her down the street on a bed Monkees-style and then park that sucker in the middle of the gym

~~Kimahri

Wow!! Lotsa Blue Lotus Tribe representatives there! Drea (Oriental soloist) and Laura (Tribal soloist) are current members and Seana, who directs Ashar (troupe) was one of our founding members. I'm gonna have to go and root them all on!!

Originally Posted by Kimahri

We're all set...I'm waiting for a few bios and then I'll be able to put the Meet the Judges page on shimmychicago.com

~~Kimahri

I can't believe it's only a week away!

I know it's out of your hands with the bios, Kim, but will we at least be finding out who the judges are this week? The anticipation is killing me.

Good luck to all the contestants!!

I won't be able to cheer you all on in person since I'll be out of town. Can't wait to hear all about it.

In alphabetical order but all near and dear to my heart here are the judges for the 2008 MBC!

BASHAR BARAZI
Mr. Barazi is the President and CEO of 3B Media, Inc, parent to MAQAM, the world’s largest producer and distributor of Arabic and Middle Eastern media. With offices in Chicago, Los Angeles, Madrid and Tokyo, the company operations span media and entertainment marketing, music production, artist management, dance shows, concerts & live events and online distribution. He manages and produces some of the most accomplished music and dance artists, and is the executive producer of the ground-breaking show “A Dream of Arabia”, a Broadway style theatrical experience of Middle Eastern music and dance.

SAMANTHA BRENNEMAN (Hanan)
Samantha Brenneman, aka Hanan of the troupe Smoke, is a trained visual artist who took up bellydance training with Gabrielle Deschaine, who had formerly danced with Read My Hips, Chicago’s first ATS troupe.

Hanan was an original member of the Gypsy Queens, and danced at many of their shows around the Chicago area. She began teaching under the auspices of Grow in Motion, Gabrielle’s studio in Forest Park, and at the Pav YMCA, developing a student following, and becoming inspired to deepen herself further as a dancer and a teacher. She developed and now directs a tribal troupe, Smoke, and a student troupe, Gűlbahar, both of which give regular performances in the Chicago area.

She teaches tribal bellydance at Triton College and at Intuit Dance Studio in Oak Park, where she and the troupe also host quarterly haflas and participate in many Arts District events. She has studied with Carolena Nericcio and with Rachel Brice, having recently realized a dream of performing in Carolena’s Tribal Pura Gala Show with her troupe, Smoke. She will be pursuing certification with Carolena this fall.


JAWHARA (Felicia Elias)
Jawhara is a Chicagoland area educator, performer, researcher, writer, and the artistic director of "Anwaar El Sharq" dance company, has been involved in Raqs Sharqi (Middle Eastern dance) and its ‘sister idioms’ for over 25 years. In addition to private classes and specialty seminars she teaches Raqs Sharqi through the Glen Ellyn Park District, and will also be teaching in Mt. Prospect this fall.

Jawhara is on faculty at Elmhurst College,(Elmhurst), teaching a full credit academic course, "Middle Eastern Dance Through History to Today." It has both studio and classroom component, providing students a multi-disciplinary approach to this dance –through history, ethnomusicology, political science, theology, sociology, women's studies - and more, students learn the entire context of the dance rather than just mimicking movement.

One of the core objectives is to increase student awareness of the connection among art, religion and politics in the near/middle east, and expanding their 'world view' of cultures unfamiliar to them.

STEFANIE MASTERS
Stefanie Masters is an Award-Winning Belly Dance performer and has been featured in Time Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, M Magazine, and the 2008 spring issue of Belly Dance A Raqs Sharqi Magazine. She has been a professional performer and instructor since 2000 and with her extensive background brings a uniquely holistic outlook to her classes and seminars. By teaching self-confidence through posture, breath, technique, and positive thought, she helps women realize the beauty and power they hold within themselves.

Stefanie is a Certified and Licensed Massage Therapist, also Certified in Prenatal & Postnatal Massage. She is a Certified Yoga Instructor, registered with the Yoga Alliance, and a Certified Birthing Doula, registered with the Massage Doula Network. Stefanie is a Certified Level One Instructor in Kajira Djoumahna’s ATS format and will be continuing her education with Kajira for her Level Two Certification next month. Stefanie holds a diploma in fitness from PCDI, and is pursuing her training as a holistic psychology practitioner. Stefanie is owner of Dance For The Soul, and offers a 15 month Belly Dance Teacher Training Program in the Masters Format, that is the first of its kind and approved by the Wisconsin State Educational Approval Board.

Stefanie resides with her husband Dave in Wisconsin and teaches classes from Milwaukee to Sheboygan. For more information or to contact Stefanie please visit her website at Welcome To Dance for the Soul with Stefanie Masters or email her at stefanie@danceforthesoul.com



NA’AMA ROSE
Na'ama Rose is executive director of the Na'ama Rose Dance Center - a not-for-profit organization devoted to providing the south suburbs of Chicago with a multi-cultural dance program. She holds a B.A. in dance from Barat College and has spent the last twelve years devoted to the study of Middle Eastern dance. She has performed professionally nationwide and devotes her time to teaching and choreography and is took 3rd place in the 2007 Midwest Bellydance Challenge. Na'ama has studied in Egypt and was one of the first group of dancers to receive a certification in belly dance with Mahmoud Reda and Farida Fahmy. Na'ama is currently enrolled at Northeastern University and has begun an intense study of Flamenco dance under the tutelage of Libby Komaiko, founder and artisitic director of Ensemble Espanol.

SHIRA
Shira is known worldwide for her work as a researcher, author, and publisher of information on Middle Eastern dance, music, and culture. She has been interviewed by the New York Times and Wall Street Journal for stories on Middle Eastern dance, and is highly sought after as a contributor to magazines centered on this art form. Her web site,
Belly Dancing -- Art Of Middle Eastern Dance -- Bellydancing in Iowa City, is the most comprehensive and most linked-to Oriental dance web site in the world. She has traveled multiple times to Egypt and Turkey to pursue continuing education.

SONYA
Sonya Hohmann is the founder of Arabesque dance studio in Chicago and is the director of her dance company Ro-He. She is the winner of the 2004 Golden Navel Competition and the 2007 Midwest Bellydance Challenge. Sonya’s foundation is Egyptian style Arabic dance. She spent 6 years as a principal dancer in 2 dance troupes where she performed folkloric, traditional, cabaret, and themed or "interpretive" Mid-East dance in more than thirty-five choreographed theater shows, fusing her study of Tahitian, Polynesian & Bollywood/East Indian with flavors of Oriental & Andulusian dance.

In 2006 Sonya traveled to Cairo, Egypt to intimately study the dance with world renown instructor & choreographer Mahmoud Reda, and with Egypt's "Queen" of dance itself Farida Fahmy. Sonya is proud to be one in the first group of professional dancers to receive a teaching certificate in Egyptian belly dance from Egypt. Sonya continues to seek knowledge to enrich her instruction and dance skills by staying abreast of all the current trends & new innovations and generously imparts this knowledge to her students.

Some wonderful special "extras" for all of the contestants have arrived at my house..g.:

I've got a secret...I've got a secret.....

~~Kimahri

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to say that I won't be able to make it this year! I am disappointed that I won't get to meet all of you. Have fun and good luck everybody!

Those are some great judges. I kind if wish I had signed up to compete. Good luck everyone and have fun!

Im wishing all the contestants the very best of luck...Break a bead! I will be there to cheer you all on tomorrow!

Nilaja

Directions - check
CDs burned - check
Home pedicure - check
Massage therapy - check
Backstage snacks purchased - check

Well, its offical - I've got nothing left to do but pack my bag tonight, and then try really hard to get some sleep. If you see me Bhuzzing at 1am, tell me to GO TO BED, okay?

See y'all tomorrow morning!

OY......after this is all in past tense have I got stories for y'all

~~Kimahri