Zahirah - Choreographer and Performer. For more information, please see the Zahirah button

 

 

 

 

(Photo by Kyle King)

Clio became interested in belly dancing as a young girl due, perhaps, to watching way too many "I Dream of Jeannie" re-runs. She began taking belly dance lessons in junior high. As she traveled around the country, in the course of high school, college, and graduate school, she continued to take belly dance lessons with various teachers. A founding member of Noore Kavir, and a current student and teacher of belly dancing, Clio performs in various venues around Houston.

Shalimar became interested in belly dancing while living in Cairo, attended many shows and began lessons. Upon her return to Houston, she resumed her classes with Zahirah. Shalimar has enhanced her training by attending workshops with Angelika Nemeth, Leila Gamal, Aida Nour, Delilah, Habiba , Shoshanna, Victoria Markey, Ishtar , Momo Kadous, Bozenka, and Morocco (Carolina Varga Dinicu). Other forms of dance training include ballet, jazz, tap, Chinese sword and fan dance, and Taiwanese tribal dance. Performances include SBISD annual recitals, Sirrom School of Dance shows, Experiential Lifeworks show, Crawfish Festival in Old Town Spring, George R. Brown Convention Center, UU Music Festival, Dance from the Heart, HABDA Shows and Zahirah’s Bellydance Studios show/student nights, and Helios. She is a member of the Houston Area Belly Dance Association (HABDA). She is an original member of the Noore Kavir Troupe. Other interests include Yoga, Tae Bo Kick Boxing, Pilates, and weight training. Shalimar was born in Singapore but has lived most of her life in the U.S. She was Miss Chinatown Texas and represented Texas in the Miss Chinatown USA Pageant in San Francisco several years ago. Besides English she is fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese, Fukienese, and Malay. She is held in high regard as an interpreter for a Feng Shui Master. She is of Chinese/Dutch descent.

Savillah became interested in belly dance after enjoying her first live belly dance performance on a boat trip down the Nile River in Egypt. Belly dance lessons began in 2002. Savillah has studied belly dance with Zahirah, Farasha, Zymirrah, and Sahira. She also studied Israeli Dance with Rachel Weisblatt. Savillah attends workshops regularly. Dance has been a part of her life from the age of five and includes many years of tap and ballet classes. In high school, she was a member of The Stephen F. Austin High School Scottish Brigade and is a second degree brown belt in Judo. Savillah has degrees in fashion design and illustration from The University of North Texas and a master’s degree in art education from the University of Houston. Savillah is a professional artist and art instructor. Memberships include HABDA (Houston Area Belly Dance Association).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christy began belly-dancing in Austin while attending the University of Texas. Her first belly dancing class was sometime in 1999, however, she was not inspired and did not pursue the art form. During 2003, as a new year's resolution to find some exercise she enjoys, she began taking beginner belly dancing lessons under the instruction of Zein Al-Jundi. By the next year, she was in the Bint El Balad Ensemble under the instruction of Zein. During her time in the ensemble, she performed at Haflah's at La Zona Rosa and at The Red Fez during their famous “Arabian Nights”. Upon graduating in December 2004 with her Master's in Engineering, Christy moved to Houston to pursuit a career. She returned to belly dancing in July 2008 when she began taking classes with Zahirah Noor. Christy joined Noore Kavir in January of 2009.

2009 Performances

Saturday,April 18, 2009: (CANCELLED due to weather) International Festival- guest dancers of the Tribal Lillies
Tuesday, April 28, 2009: (CANCELLED due to weather) Avant Garden- guest dancers of the Renegades and their collection of Carnies
Saturday, May 2, 2009: Main Dancers at The Universal Unitarian Music Fest off Wirt Road
Tuesday, May 5, 2009: RESCHEDULED to June 9...see below
Friday, May 15, 2009: Corpus Christi - Shimmy By The Sea
Tuesday, June 9, 2009: Avant Garden- guests of Almaazah - Noore Kavir and Zahirah's students.
Saturday, July 25, 2009: Leila Gamal show @ Sirroms
Saturday, August 29th, 2009: DanMar Gala Mediterranean - New studio Grand Opening
Saturday, September 12, 2009: HABDA Gala Hafla
Monday, November 9, 2009: Avant Garden- guests of Almaazah
Saturday, May 1, 2010: Houston, TX (off Wirt Rd.): Universal Unitarian Music Fest
Friday, May 14, 2010: Corpus Christi, TX: Shimmy by the Sea