About the Rising Phoenix Dancers

The dancers have continued their studies with other teachers and have expanded their repertoire to include a wide variety of styles, from contemporary fusion to classical raks sharki to folkloric styles from different countries of North Africa and the Middle East. In addition to the choreographies by Aelura that they started with, they now perform their own original choreographies as well as dances they learn from teachers from all around the US and the world.

The group performs at local restaurants, festivals, parties, seminars, and special events. Past performances have included SunFest, the Ft. Lauderdale Folk Festival, the Florida State Fair in Tampa, the Multicultural Festival in Ft. Myers, the opening weekend of the movie The Mummy Returns, and the opening ceremonies for the King Tut exhibit at the Ft. Lauderdale Museum of Art. The Rising Phoenix Dancers are also popular performers at bellydance seminar shows, performing regularly at various events around the state including Kahreen and Kira's and Joharah's shows in Miami, Beledi Productions and Babylon Breeze Productions events in the Orlando area, Global Dance Arts productions in Gainesville, and Oasis Dance Camps. You can read some of the reviews people have written about our shows.

Of course, as time passes, the membership changes. Since around 1985, the troupe has been directed by Sherezzah Bint al-Waha. Although we no longer have any founding members, the current group includes some long-timers as well as relative "newbies," and our dancers represent a range of ages and ethnic backgrounds. For more details on our members, check out our members page.