Joanna Belly Dance

MENAHT dance, which covers Middle Eastern, North African, Hellenic and Turkish forms, is Joanna's field, and it has taken her to festival stages in France, Spain and Greece. She's the resident belly dance teacher at Maison Burlesque. Sets can be Oriental in the Egyptian, Greek or Turkish traditions, cabaret, or dark fusion on request, and the folkloric work covers Raqs Sharqi, Saidi, Raqs Baladi, Iraqi Kawleeya, Khaleeji, Turkish Romani, Tsifteteli and drum solos. Music spans Egyptian pop and mahraganat, Lebanese, Greek, Turkish, Persian, Palestinian, Moroccan, Bollywood and more, so a set can be built around your family's background. Props include engraved and bronze lacework Moroccan swords. Performances run 10 to 30 minutes. Audience participation is part of how she works, and she'll drop it if you'd rather she didn't. She needs a room to change and store props.