Previous MEDC Guest Artists:
2008
First started in 2008, the annual Collegiate Middle Eastern Dance Conference is the first and only Middle Eastern Dance event run for and by college students. Every November, bellydance clubs from across the East Coast gather at Columbia University to participate in a weekend of dance education and performance.
The Conference begins with a series of workshops taught by professional bellydance instructors, and concludes with a showcase in which they and the participating clubs perform. The showcase is open to the public, and aims to increase awareness about the growing Middle Eastern dance community, especially among college students.
CU Bellydance hopes that the Conference will continue to foster strong ties among the participating student groups, as well as between the collegiate and professional bellydance communities. We encourage all college bellydance teams to join us for this wonderful opportunity!
Columbia University, NYC ~ cubellydance@gmail.com
2009
2010
Luna of Cairo is an American belly dancer living and working in Cairo. Her authentic Egyptian style, musical interpretation, and stage presence make her one of the most sought-after dancers in Egypt. Luna is currently contracted at Le Memphis Nile cruises, where she performs daily. In addition to her dancing, Luna holds a Masters degree in Middle Eastern Studies from Harvard University, where she studied radical Islamist movements in the Arab world. She is fluent in Egyptian Arabic, Spanish, and English, and holds a B.A. in journalism and political science. Read her blog here!
2011 Guest Artists
Mimi Fontana is one the driving forces behind the New York City Tribal Belly Dance community. A former figure skater and bass guitarist, for the last decade she has devoted herself to ethnic dance forms, specifically American Tribal Style Bellydance.
Creator and Director of Manhattan Tribal, New York City’s first professional ATS performing company, Mimi is actively teaching locally and internationally, performing and helping to foster a community for this eclectic modern dance format. Learn more about Mimi and Manhattan Tribal here.
