Zahirah: Coming Full Circle

by Nerissa

The first time I really met Zahirah was at Vivian's Parsa Kabob student hafla. She was in a yellow costume, one I was later to learn she purchased at Rakkasah East the October before at first first troupe performance. Zahirah was blonde then and already an incredible dancer. She performed to a song I know to this day as the "Habibi guitar song." And she took my breath away. Her movements were sharp and her isolations were crisp. Her long torso and slim waist were made for the movement of the dance and the energy around her expressed pure joy.

At some point just after that show I remember her telling me, "I think I'm going to use Zahirah as a dance name." It means shining, and it describes this woman perfectly.

Zahirah fell in love with bellydance before she ever considered doing it herself. On special occasions she always insisted on going to Marrakesh in Washington to watch the dancers.

"I was absolutely enthralled by the music and their movements. One time, as we were enjoying the performance, a friend that I was with suggested that I take lessons," she said.

This suggestion prompted her to buy Dolphina's Goddess workout video, and soon after, she joined Piper's class and then another at Joy of Motion. In addition to studying with Piper, she has also taken classes locally with Lotus Niraja and Antonia.

"My teachers are all my role models, I have learned so much from Piper, Lotus, and Antonia. They all have such different ways of teaching and things to offer. We are so lucky to have them in the area. The perfect balance can be found by studying with all 3 of them. They have taught me so much about technique, emotion in dance, and even professionalism," she said.

Zahirah also tries to attend as many workshops as possible and said she takes something from each one. The workshop that affected her most was the Suhaila workshop last summer in New Jersey. Suhaila brought Zahirah's dance and awareness to a new level.

"It was a truly humbling experience. It opened my eyes and made me realize how serious and difficult this dance can be. I would love to study with her some more and do one of her week-long workshops in California," she said.

After that, she said she has trouble citing one workshop over another. However, one that stands out in her mind was taught by Suzie Tekbilek.

"She barely spoke English, and wasn't classically trained, so she just danced to the music the way she knew how, with so much spirit, and we just followed along," said Zahirah. "We did that for two days, she never said a word about how to do it, but I think I learned so much. It was like learning 'the real way' from watching your mother in the kitchen. "

All those workshops and classes are paying off. Zahirah is now teaching in Columbia and dancing all the time. She is regular dancer at the Desert Café in Baltimore and was recently added to the line up at Marrakesh. Her dreams of dance have come full circle - from watching to being a novice to a professional performer.

"The first night that I performed at Marrakesh was so incredible. I remember going there to watch other dancers in awe, and now I was up there, it was a dream come true. I was dancing at the place that inspired me to dance in the first place, a place that I always aspired to dance at," she said.

Yet with all her success, she is far from realizing all her goals.

For the future, Zahirah hopes to make dance her life. She said she hopes one day her life is to wake up and stretch and then practice drills and then dance.

"I want to perform for many people, I want to touch as many people as possible with dance. It is the one thing that I think that I can do well and it is what I was born to do. I want to be a great teacher also," she said.

Currently her regular life basically supports her dance life. She works a full time job as a graphic designer and is planning a June 13 wedding in addition to working on Baltimore Bellydance, teaching, performing and studying bellydance.

"I am so thankful for my fiance Chris who is so supportive and understanding and always pushes me to be better and achieve my goals. He is a true blessing. Also, all of my friends and family who support me and believe in me: Nerissa and her fiance, my mom and dad, my brother and sister-in-law, all of my friends and family that root for me," she said.

Zahirah got started in other forms of dance at an early age. She studied ballet and tap through high school and worked as a techno club dancer while attending college at Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia.

"When I got into college, I became absorbed in the rave party scene and spent many hours every week dancing. I don't think most people realize how talented some of those dancers are... Although most of them aren't classically trained, they are absolutely mesmerizing and have an amazing technique and style. There were no real teachers -- just meeting up at friends' houses to go over dance moves and different spins. We would even have choreographies," she explained. "I was a pretty good dancer and was often asked by promoters to perform on certain nights. It was a lot of fun and pretty much what I lived for. I still use some of the moves and energy that I learned from those days in my performances today, I think it was invaluable experience."

Recently Zahirah danced on a few very special stages and had two more invaluable experiences: the Bellydance Superstars and the Salome Opera at the Lyric Opera House.

Performing with the Bellydance Superstars was an honor for Zahirah and she said she felt that she got an overwhelming response from opera patrons as well, many of whom had never seem bellydance before.

Dancing with the Superstars was an extra special moment in Zahirah's dance career. She thinks of many of them as her idols because they are taking bellydance on the road and introducing it to so many people as an art form.

Other favorites include Jillina, Suzanna del Vecchio and Jamila al Wahid.

"It is a combination of perfected technique, a true dedication to the dance -- not just a few hours a week, but a daily, ongoing quest to be better-- an innate understanding of the music and how to bring it to life, and how to communicate with the audience that makes a great dancer," she said.

One thing is for sure - with all that she has done so far, Baltimore is sure to see many more great things from shining star Zahirah!