Photo by Joe Hill

Silvia is a life-long dancer from Mallorca, Spain.  She started her career as a belly dancer 6 years ago, when realizing the enormous benefits that this art-form brings to women in both body and spirit (something that she felt truly missing in other dance practices). From her first teachers, Tasnim Melendres and the acclaimed Nur Banu, two natural born Egyptians, she realized how with the practice of belly dance, a woman can discover herself on a new level, increasing self-esteem and releasing tension. Silvia has studied with Rachel Brice, Sharon Kihara and Urban Gypsy, and has been a two-time finalist for the Belly Dance Superstars auditions as a Tribal Dancer. With her personal tribal belly dance project Shunyata Bellydance, Silvia has been performing at the Texas Renaissance Festival. She has also been invited to teach workshops around Texas. Silvia feels honored and blessed to be now part of the premiere Houston Tribal performance troupe Urban Gypsy, and expects that this new adventure will make her grow in talent all together with her new sisters in dance. Silvia teaches both Tribal and Egyptian style belly dance in Houston. 

Angela is a professional belly dancer with over 18 years of formal dance training. She studied the Erick Hawkins Modern Dance technique at Texas State University, in addition to jazz and ballet. She has over 8 years Middle Eastern dance experience in the American Cabaret style, having studied under the direction of Karen Barbee-Adkisson. Angela is currently an instructor, choreographer, and performer in Austin, TX dancing ATS (American Tribal Style), Tribal Fusion and Cabaret styles. Her expressive and fluid style, layered upon precise, controlled movements is a blend of various dance techniques combined with a dynamic presence that captivates and entertains.  The Ajna Project: Angela Nations, Lori Friedman, Jessica Hildrith.  ATS with a dramatic flair - performing now in Austin. 

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Photography on the Run

Jennifer fell in love with belly dance while attending the Texas Renaissance Festival as a child. She began her studies of the art while attending the University of Texas at Austin.  There she began studying gypsy-fusion style dance with Lucila Velez, and began performing at local events, including charity fund-raisers for the Children's Hospital of Austin.  After moving back to Houston, Jennifer threw herself into the art form by studying Egyptian belly dance with Sahira, American Tribal Style with Urban Gypsy, Tribal Fusion with Silvia Salamanca, and personal studies of other Middle Eastern dance forms.  She continues to expand her knowledge of the dance through workshops where she has studied with Fifi Abdo, Suhaila Salimpour, Ansuya, Rachel Brice, Sharon Kihara, Zoe Jakes, Ariellah, and many other dancers she respects and admires.  Jennifer made her Texas Renaissance Festival stage debut with Shunyata in 2008.

photo by Joe Hill