Spotlight Dancer/Troupe
Samarra

Most know me by Candice but my new Egyptian Dance name is Samarra…

Well I'm totally honored to be Yasmina's feature spotlight dancer! Thanks Yasmina!! You rock, and you are one of my favorite dance teachers!!!

I started my first dance class in1989-1991 at Shining Movements Dance Studio I studied Pilates, Tap, Jazz, and Ballet and graduated to Pointe in 1990…..pretty fun!

In 1992-1993 I auditioned at Broadway Dance Academy so I could start to compete and perform. Woowee…Hard stuff and scary but its still paying off!

1992: I attended Kino Junior High and made the cheer team. I was the dance captain and I choreographed all of our routines. Thanks to Paula Abdul, for I was so inspired at this time! Ha Ha… Seriously she was my first dance inspiration. It was in my early teens that I knew I wanted to make it my profession.

In 1993, I attended Mountain View High School for my sophomore year and made the junior varsity cheer team. I was voted captain here also, and choreographed all routines as well. While other teens were out at malls or just hanging out, I was making up dances on my spare time….lol!!

In 1994 I left Public school and enrolled at Ben Franklin’s Academy. We had no athletics or dance or cheer here so I tried out for the Phoenix Cardinals Cheerleading Squad. I was under age but I still made the team. Yup I was underage but nothing would hold me back from Dance… Yea I caught dance fever!! I cheered/danced for one year. Thanks to Nicole Bidwill and Vicki Phifer for letting me still cheer. This was a lifetime experience that I will never forget and was the start of my Dance profession!!! 

In1995-1998 I enrolled at Scottsdale Community College. I trained for my dance degree and took more Jazz, Modern, Latin and Ballet. This is a great school and they had a rockin’ dance program and instructors and I thought it was all that, until the day came where I attended my first belly dance class!!!!!! I HAVE FALLEN IN LOVE WITH BELLY DANCING.

From 1998-up to now I have had a focus on the Middle Eastern Dances. In 2000 I studied at the Scottsdale School of Middle Eastern Dance Thanks to Pam Robertson, (aka Gazelle), I was shown so much grace and was opened up to different styles like Mediterranean influence, Gypsy, Tribal, Egyptian and Turkish, and just so much more about belly dance.

Throughout my studies of Bellydance, I have taken class after class from the famous, Helena Vlahos, Yasmina, Mara, Ava Fleming, and Roza. Thank you all, you are the Best!!!!

In July of 2008 I took another route of dance with a burlesque group called Scandalesque. I was named Chi Chi Bonita, the tantalizing goddess of the shimmy and shake. I was able to display some belly dancing but not as much as I preferred even though, it was great performing at large beautiful venues and working with others on stage was a great experience for me. I stayed until the end of the year and have come right back to being a full time student and performer of Raqs Sharqi (Belly Dance) my true passion!!! 

Well after all these years I feel that now when I dance I am really dancing the true art of the Belly Dance! It’s taken years to build this confidence and a lot of training but I have had a blast throughout my studies. Thanks to All my teachers for your inspiration and knowledge.

I just entered my first belly dance competition at the Wiggles of the West in Las Vegas July 2009 and won 1st in my category. I couldn’t have done it without all of my great teachers! Belly Dance Rocks!!!

I’m currently working on a competition called Belly Dancer of the Universe that will be held next February in Long Beach California. I hope to do well since I have great teachers like Helena Vlahos and Yasmina at my side coaching me through it!!! Yay…

To wrap my whole dance experience up in a couple of sentences, all I can say is Bellydance is a blessing to me and I hope everyone can have such a great experience with it too!!! So give it a try at least 3 times and I'm positive you will fall in love! 

With dancer love, my past, present and future is Dance! 
Candice - Samarra

Contact Samarra:
email: candyland0321@yahoo.com
booking contact Happy Entertainment: 602/275-0226

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