The Art of Belly Dancing is as ancient as time...

Shahravar began studying and performing Middle-Eastern dance styles in 1991. Sword work, "Raks Sayef," is her true specialty. As a master instructor, dancers are drawn to study with her.

 

She has been teaching since 1993 and opened the Urban Ghawazii Belly Dance Studio in 2008. She also founded the popular Troupe Habibi Habibi in 2008. She now owns the Salt City Dance And Fitness Studio and Boutique in Salt Lake City and works with the Ruby Star Bellydancers.

 

Together with Desert Journey School of dance the co host the annual Utah Summer Dance Festival that is host and mentor to our local Bellydance and beyond community.

 

She created Salt City Dance & Fitness Studio, which offered a beautiful and welcoming space for all dance & fitness instructors to offer classes for their students as well as a Boutique onsite and online featuring bellydance costumes, yoga and Zumba wear as well as jewelry.

 

Shahravar is an inspirational, articulate and highly educated instructor. She has enchanted audiences and mentored students throughout the United States. She has been performing and teaching at festivals, seminars and productions throughout her career. With a mastery of stage props, her workshops in Sayef-sword, veils, Assaya-cane and Zills-finger cymbals are motivational and enlightening.

 

In 2004, Shahravar created Utah's first collaborative belly dance troupe, Shah Sitara, a performing level group of advanced students. Over the years, Shahravar's work has been featured in Jareeda Bellydance Magazine, she opened for Beats Antique, and has been an instructor for Cues & Tattoos festival, she has performed and taught workshops throughout the United States and has studied under experts as varied as Mahmoud Reda, Carolena Nericcio, Sahra Saida, Cassandra, Aziz, Ansuya, Amaya, Alexandra King, Bert Balladine, Rachel Brice, Kami Liddle, Ashley Lopez, Aziza, Delilah, Zoe Jakes and many more. Her specialties include swords, veils, zills, folkloric, and improvisation. She was awarded "Best Fusion Bellydance" by Salt Lake City Weekly.

She has traveled and studied with legendary masters of this dance for over 20 years to hone and perfect the true essence of Oriental Dance, continually expanding her knowledge and repitoir made visible with soulfull, inspired performances. She often draws on her early years of Punk and New Wave music appreciation to add a dynamic fusion to performing modern belly dance. Shahravar has created a unique style of her own, infusing Middle-Eastern dance with Indian, Thai and her own artistic interpretations, diversifying one of the most Ancient performing arts without losing its integrity. 

 

"My dance background follows classical cabaret, tribal and folkloric paths. Studying the rich cultural history as well as technique, I am well trained and research  Flamenco, Zahmbra, Turkish and "Gypsy" (preferred term is Rom or Roma), American Tribal, Saudi Folk, Khallegy, Tunisian, Egyptian Cabaret and Lebanese Debke Line dances."