Asharah

Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Asharah has been involved in the performing arts her whole life. As a belly dancer, she is best known for her dramatic fusion of tribal, Turkish, and cabaret styles. Her crisp technique, musicality, and finger cymbal playing skills have been noted and admired throughout the belly dance community and by her audiences. Before she started belly dance, she was an award-winning competitive figure skater for nearly twelve years and has experience in ballet, modern, ballroom, and flamenco. While earning her B.A. in Near Eastern Studies from Princeton University, Asharah took belly dance classes with Alexia (Kim Leary), a Suhaila Salimpour format certified instructor. She has also studied seriously with fellow Joy of Motion instructor Artemis Mourat, and credits Suhaila Salimpour, Carolena Nericcio, Jill Parker, and Rachel Brice for their guidance and inspiration. She has performed as a soloist at many venues around the country in California, Northern Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, and Manhattan, as well as at some of Washington, DC's largest nightclubs: Nation and the Black Cat. She has also performed throughout the region with the avant garde belly dance troupe Martiya Possession which blends the gothic aesthetic with Middle Eastern, Indian, and classical Spanish dance. Ever since her childhood, Asharah has had a profound interest in Middle Eastern arts and culture. She believes that strong technique and a firm understanding of the history of belly dance are two essentials for every dancer, but she also believes that as artists, we shouldn’t be afraid to experiment and expand on the knowledge of our mentors and colleagues. ASHARAH.COM