Raks Halifa
Finding Inspiration in Every Turn
Raks Halifa (meaning "Dance Friends" in Arabic) was established in 2024 under the leadership of Talia to give students the opportunity to learn at a faster pace through choreography and performance. These dancers learn an array of different styles of Middle Eastern dance, the history behind it, props needed and of course, the skill of performance, stage makeup, costuming and professionalism. It is our hope that these dancers will eventually move into the professional level group, Shula Azhar.
Christeal
Understudy
Christeal grew up taking tap, ballet and musical theater. Her mother taught ballroom dance, so Christeal learned the partner dances of swing, salsa and fox trot as well. In college, she took her first belly dance class but for most of her adult life it faded into the background until taking Talia's class at Peninsula College. After her first performance, she was hooked! In 2024, Christeal became one of the founding memebers of Raks Halifa. She loves the positive, creative atmosphere Raks Halifa offers, and finds belly dancing a wonderful way to express herself through movement. "It's challenging, yet somehow intuitive." Christeal looks forward to growing her knowledge and technique with Raks Halifa.
Mahira
Understudy
Mahira started her belly dance journey many, many moons ago, as a young 18-19 year old, taking a class in college, but quickly shied away from it as it was very difficult, but always thought about going back to belly dance throughout the years. Then decided to take a class at Peninsula College in 2023 on a whim, and loved it so much! Her instructor, Talia, was such a great and patient teacher, that she felt comfortable enough to perform in front of a live audience at the end of the class. Mahira was stricken with the belly dance bug after that and really wanted to continue learning and growing as a dancer.
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Mahira loves the liberating feeling she gets every time she performs and at dance practice. She really loves how welcoming her dance community is and feels lucky to be in such an accepting and loving group of experienced dancers that genuinely want to see them grow.
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Mahira's goal is to get better at belly dance and grow the belly dance community, hopefully moving up to Shula Azhar one day.
Ivy
Understudy
Ivy is a lifetime dancer, although never formally trained. Originally from the east coast, she studied Women's Apparel at the Fashion Institute of Technology and is a strong advocate for cultural preservation be it through craft, design, music, or dance.
In 2014 while working in Ollantaytambo, Peru, she began group salsa lessons and quickly fell in love with Latin dancing - continuing the practice for nearly a decade. Her study of Egyptian belly dance began in 2023 after taking a Peninsula College choreography class with Talia and she was hooked. She now continues her study under with Talia with Raks Halifa, performing across the Olympic Peninsula while learning about stage presence, costumery and the different styles of Oriental Dance.
Avery
Understudy
Avery started dancing in Texas right after college roughly 16 years ago. Her first instructor taught Egyptian style belly dance predominantly and she worked with her for about a year. After a moving around for a while, and it took many years to find another steady instructor; when she did, it was through the Peninsula College and then from there, The Dance Center in Sequim. Avery has been dancing as often as she can since then.
What Avery appreciates about belly dance specifically is the isolation of movements - how the whole body can be moving, but everything is doing something independently of each other. This isolation takes great concentration and ever evolving skill. She also loves that belly dance can be done in a group or solo.
Avery's goal with belly dancing is to gain confidence, enjoy the dancing, and hone her skills to a higher level.
Devotion
Understudy
Devotion has always loved moving her hips. Taking a belly dance class with a friend in Austin Texas; I loved it. After traveling to Sequim she decided to invest in her own joy, healing and awake her womb.
Devotion's favorite thing about the art of belly dancing is how rhythmic the body becomes to the layered music and especially how sensual you get to be in a world where that natural feminine energy is not always welcomed or understood. This has also been a huge reclamation for her the past years.
She has built confidence by dancing with friends at local music events and singing karaoke to feel her own power. Devotion's goal is to learn all the basic belly dance moves and perform as much as possible in front of a live audience.
