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Middle Eastern dance is as esthetic and holistic as it is misunderstood.  The Bellydance is a spiritual connection between mind and body. 

-Soraya, www.bellydancebysoraya.com

 

My name is Viola Nelson, and I have also performed under the name "Zareena".  Since beginning the study of Bellydance in 2001 it has been an important part of my life, fostering healing, personal growth, and an inspiring level of creativity.

 

I began studying Bellydance in 2001 with the Nazeem Allayl studios in Atlanta, Georgia.  Using my degree in Anthropology and the arts, I delved into the background of

Middle Eastern dance and dedicated years of research into the more accurate and historical way the dance has developed, instead of accepting the general views that it was a dance of seduction as portrayed in movies and television.

 

Today the dance form, also known as Oriental dance, Middle Eastern dance, or Raqs Sharqi  (Arabic for dance of the East), is practiced and performed all over the world.  Its cultural evolution spans many centuries.  The modern way that Bellydance is performed contains elements that come from folkloric Arabic and North African dances, gypsy dances from surrounding cultures, and modern dance forms such as jazz and ballet.

 

This site is dedicated to my personal discovery of this amazing art form and why it has become a life mission, and to my ongoing research on the history of Middle Eastern dance.

 

Click on the HOME button at the top of the page to go to ABOUT and HISTORY

      

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