Aszmara

Aszmara has toured throughout the United States and Europe teaching workshops, seminars and performing. A leader in the field of Oriental Dance, she was one of the founders and principal dancers of the AAMED Award winning mid-eastern dance company, Oriental Images, and is co-director/co-founder of SaZ Dance Theatre, a multi-cultural women’s dance company. She is also a principal dancer with Transition, an Ethnic Jazz fusion music group since 1988. Aszmara’s dance interprets the music with her own blend of Modern, Traditional and Folkloric Arabic and Turkish Dance.

Autobiography, by Aszmara

This blessing, the gift of dance, has enriched my life from the first moment I entered into its world. Circles have been completed – after having seen the dancer Sabah Nissan perform on the Carnegie Hall stage, there she was at a tiny club, smiling encouragingly at me when I was just beginning to dance in the New York City Club scene. Years later, she became an important member of my and Roberta Koch’s company SaZ Dance Theatre. The first live band I ever saw was while I was vacationing in Provincetown, MA. The name of the group was Taksim, led by clarinetist and percussionist Souren Baronian. Years later, I started working with Souren in NYC and eventually toured with his group Transition. Another circle completed.

My coming to the dance is not an unusual story. Having never seen this dance form, a friend dared me to take a Belly Dance class with her. Not one to back down from a dare, I went to the local “Y” and was immediately struck by the beauty of the movements and the music. The impact was tremendous and the feeling of “this is it!” permeated my being. I knew I needed to follow my heart. And my heart led me well.

The dance has given me so much over the years; friends, strength, the magic of performances…

As a choreographer, I am able to create visual expressions of music and while performing, allow the music to use me as an instrument. As a teacher, I am privileged to share my knowledge of the music and the movements to beginner and professional dancers and to take them to higher levels of achievement and expression. In workshops and seminars, I am pleased to present high levels of choreography and movement exploration that opens new possibilities for the dancers participating. I am blessed by the joy of this dance and by being surrounded by people who inspire the love and knowledge of this beautiful art form.