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Willow is an ecclectic bellydancer who's style ranges from American Cabaret to Turkish, Tribal Fusion and Gothic inspired Bellydance. Willow is a Certified Personal Trainer, and received Level 2 Certification in the Suhaila Salimpour School of Belly Dance in October 2008. While Willow's teaching draws extensively from the Suhaila Salimpour Format as well as her 13+ previous years of bellydance training outside of the Salimpour Format, she is not an authorized teacher in the SSSD Format. Willow began studying bellydance in 1992, after falling in love with bellydancers at a renaissance festival! She plunged herself into classes and workshops with an almost obsessive passion and has studied intensively with notable, top level teachers and dancers from around the country. Some of Willow's early teachers include Keke Aziz, Deborah Maltese, Morocco, and Aviva. Willow began performing professionally in 1994 on Long Island in restaurants, private parties and senior residences, as well as at festivals and haflas, which gave her a very strong foundation in performing in many different types of venues for different audiences. Willow has studied with and been influenced by dancers and teacher of many different styles and disciplines of bellydance, including her current teacher Angelique of New Paltz, NY, Ansuya, Anahid Sofian, Altagracia, Aszmara, Zaleh Fereshta, Rachel Brice, Tamalyn Dalal, Zafira Dance Company and Suhaila Salimpour, to name only a few. In 2002, after moving to the Hudson Valley and discovering how few bellydance classes were available at the time, Willow decided it was time to begin teaching. Since then, the Hudson Valley has become a Mecca of bellydance, drawing dancers and teachers from many styles of bellydance including Egyptian/American, American Tribal, Tribal Fusion and Temple Bellydance, and supporting several annual bellydance events. In addition to the body movement itself, Willow's love of this dance has lead her to study the history and cultural aspects that have defined the many faces of the dance as we know it today. Her research of Arabic culture gives her a unique sensitivity and understanding of the roots of Middle Eastern Dance as it is performed in this country as well as where it originated. Willow has continued her study into movement to include such disciplines as hatha yoga, strength conditioning and fitness training. She studies regularly with master-level teachers at every opportunity, striving to refine her technique while always maintaining strong roots into the foundation of Middle Eastern Dance, as well we expanding her own personal style by drawing from many varied influences and styles of dance and movement. Willow combines her love of bellydance with her love of costuming by making many of her own bellydance costumes. She owns and operates Crimson Gypsy Designs - a costuming business that focuses on corsetry and renaissance inspired fashions. She has recently developed a line of bellydance and yoga wear - blouses, pants, skirts and dresses - geared towards those who desire a refined fit and freedom of movement for an active daily lifestyle. Her clothing websites can be found at Crimson Gypsy Designs and Bellydance and Yoga Wear. |
If you are interested in booking Willow for a performance at a party or special event, please contact her at: |
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This page was last modified on 11/02/2009 If you have any questions or comments regarding this site, All images, material and designs on this site copyright Crimson Gypsy Designs © 1999 - 2009. All rights reserved. |
