Workshops for Bellydance Showcase Texas!

Our workshop instructors for 2026 are: GILANA, JEANETTE CUNNINGHAM JR, SAQRA and
SPECIAL GUEST: NIZANA EL RASSAN!

NIZANA

Nizana is the producer of the Night in the Global Village online haflas, running non-stop since April 2020. She teaches workshops and co-produces live haflas in the Tampa Bay, Florida area. Nizana is a staff writer for Fanoos Magazine, and her reviews, articles and interviews have been published in 8 bellydance magazines (and she was on the cover of two!) Nizana has been part of the Florida, California Bay area, and Washington State dance communities, studying, teaching, troupe directing, performing, and producing events for quite a few years now.

JEANETTE

Jeanette is a Texas legend from Austin. Workshop instructor and performer, event producer, workshop promoter and most recently brought Aziz to Austin for an intensive in 2019. She also produces the monthly Carousel Caravan which is celebrating 30 years of continuous performances. She currently teaches classes in her home studio Full Moon Studio and has a long history of teaching classes for the University of Texas and adult learning programs.

A captivating dancer of sensual strength and dramatic passion, Jeanette's performance is a melding of American styling with classical Egyptian. Her fiery grace and fluidity of movement is demonstrated in her liquid veil and flamboyant sword numbers. Her sense of humor and play are demonstrated in her “Beledi Stick” and “authentic snake” dances as well as her audience interaction.

Jeanette is a much sought after performer and teacher in local studios and seminars due to her longevity in the dance, her technique and mastery of the veil.. She loves to share her experiences, her knowledge and her love of this inspiring, strengthening and beautiful dance.

This matches her philosophy of “Dance Hard. Live Easy!”Jeanette's greatest influences in dance are those that she most studied with such as Amaya, Bert Baladine, Elena Lentini and Mahmood Reda. Her first solo performance was on the Mirage Belly Dance Troupe stage at the University of Texas Student Union with veil in hand, as she says she needed something to hold on to, she was so nervous. She has performed in exotic places such as Ixtapa Mexico to Dimebox Texas! She has performed for a Texas Supreme Court judge, a Baptist preacher and on the 15^th hole of a golf course in February.

GILANA

Gilana (one of your Showcase hosts) is a lifelong ballet, jazz and modern dancer and teacher. She started dancing at age 3 and hasn't stopped! A scholarship winner to the School of American Ballet, an apprentice with the Sacramento Ballet and later a dancer with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. She

Gilana found belly dance later in life when she met a young woman in an adult ballet class who was a bellydancer and convinced her to give it a try. One class and Gilana was hooked on the music, movement and bling! 25 years later, she has won numerous awards and competitions, including Grand Bellydancer of the Year and International Ambassador of Bellydance; and has had the chance to perform all over the US and internationally.

This workshop, Into to Goblet Dancing, will provide an overview of the history and origins of goblet dancing, tips for choosing your goblets, balance and strength technique and the opportunity to dance on them, both stationary and moving. A few goblets will be provided at the workshop but participants should purchase thick, sturdy glasses to hold your weight. I recommend Mexican stemmed margarita glasses as they are strong enough for most dancers.

Photo credit: Vance Strickland Photography has performed and taught all over the West Coast.

SAQRA

Saqra is one of your event hostesses. She has been a featured instructor across Europe and Asia, has been featured in Morocco and Egypt, and has performed all over the Americas. She thought she was retiring when she moved to Texas, but it didn't work out that way! She is still performing and teaching internationally and is having a blast going back into producing with her friend and partner in crime, Gilana.

Saqra is known for being able to make complex topics and movements simple and logical for everyone and giving challenging suggestions to dancers of all levels!

NIZANA Nizana is the producer of the Night in the Global Village online haflas, running non-stop since April 2020. She teaches workshops and co-produces live haflas in the Tampa Bay, Florida area. Nizana is a staff writer for Fanoos Magazine, and her reviews, articles and interviews have been published in 8 bellydance magazines (and she was on the cover of two!) Nizana has been part of the Florida, California Bay area, and Washington State dance communities, studying, teaching, troupe directing, performing, and producing events for quite a few years now.
JEANETTE Jeanette is a Texas legend from Austin. Workshop instructor and performer, event producer, workshop promoter and most recently brought Aziz to Austin for an intensive in 2019. She also produces the monthly Carousel Caravan which is celebrating 30 years of continuous performances. She currently teaches classes in her home studio Full Moon Studio and has a long history of teaching classes for the University of Texas and adult learning programs. A captivating dancer of sensual strength and dramatic passion, Jeanette's performance is a melding of American styling with classical Egyptian. Her fiery grace and fluidity of movement is demonstrated in her liquid veil and flamboyant sword numbers. Her sense of humor and play are demonstrated in her “Beledi Stick” and “authentic snake” dances as well as her audience interaction. Jeanette is a much sought after performer and teacher in local studios and seminars due to her longevity in the dance, her technique and mastery of the veil.. She loves to share her experiences, her knowledge and her love of this inspiring, strengthening and beautiful dance. This matches her philosophy of “Dance Hard. Live Easy!”Jeanette's greatest influences in dance are those that she most studied with such as Amaya, Bert Baladine, Elena Lentini and Mahmood Reda. Her first solo performance was on the Mirage Belly Dance Troupe stage at the University of Texas Student Union with veil in hand, as she says she needed something to hold on to, she was so nervous. She has performed in exotic places such as Ixtapa Mexico to Dimebox Texas! She has performed for a Texas Supreme Court judge, a Baptist preacher and on the 15^th hole of a golf course in February.
GILANA Gilana (one of your Showcase hosts) is a lifelong ballet, jazz and modern dancer and teacher. She started dancing at age 3 and hasn't stopped! A scholarship winner to the School of American Ballet, an apprentice with the Sacramento Ballet and later a dancer with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. She Gilana found belly dance later in life when she met a young woman in an adult ballet class who was a bellydancer and convinced her to give it a try. One class and Gilana was hooked on the music, movement and bling! 25 years later, she has won numerous awards and competitions, including Grand Bellydancer of the Year and International Ambassador of Bellydance; and has had the chance to perform all over the US and internationally. This workshop, Into to Goblet Dancing, will provide an overview of the history and origins of goblet dancing, tips for choosing your goblets, balance and strength technique and the opportunity to dance on them, both stationary and moving. A few goblets will be provided at the workshop but participants should purchase thick, sturdy glasses to hold your weight. I recommend Mexican stemmed margarita glasses as they are strong enough for most dancers. Photo credit: Vance Strickland Photography has performed and taught all over the West Coast.
SAQRA Saqra is one of your event hostesses. She has been a featured instructor across Europe and Asia, has been featured in Morocco and Egypt, and has performed all over the Americas. She thought she was retiring when she moved to Texas, but it didn't work out that way! She is still performing and teaching internationally and is having a blast going back into producing with her friend and partner in crime, Gilana. Saqra is known for being able to make complex topics and movements simple and logical for everyone and giving challenging suggestions to dancers of all levels!