Aziza is one of Cairos top stars. She performs regularly and can be seen most nights on the ‘Royal King’ boat. A cabaret she works in regularly. Aziza is an amazing dancer with her own unique style which wows audiences both in Cairo and at festivals around the world.

Aziza is in great demand to teach and perform at many festivals. She has a warm and generous nature. Aziza takes time with her students and loves to share her passion for bellydance.

When last at JoY, everyone loved her workshops. We are delighted she is back to both teach and perform. Azizas workshops are highly recommended.

Rachael Redfern is an internationally acclaimed fusion bellydancer based in London, UK. She is well-known for her distinctive dance stylisation infused with glamorous dark vintage aesthetics as well as for her inventive choreographic work, strong musicality and smooth, precise technique. She is the producer of London Fusion Fest and the director of fusion dance troupe Verbeia.
She has worked professionally full time as a teacher and performer for over five years and has taught frequently sold-out workshops and intensives for dance events in fifteen countries to date within Europe and North, Central and South America. She has headlined dance festivals such as Caravanseray (Vienna, Austria 2023), Alma Fusion Festival (Lisbon, Portugal 2024) and Gothla (Aix-en-Provence, France 2024).

Passionate about bellydance since her early teens, she first studied Egyptian raqs sharqi and baladi before falling in love at first sight with fusion bellydance when Rachel Brice and the Indigo performed in her hometown in 2005. Since then, she has devoted herself to intensive training in this style including as scholarship award winner for both Zoe Jakes’ Dancecraft (Key of Diamonds 2018) and Rachel Brice’s 8 Elements (Initiation 2019) programmes.

Rachael has had the joy of performing solo or with her troupe Verbeia across many prestigious venues in London such as Sketch, Egg, The Steel Yard, House of KOKO, Sadler’s Wells and beyond.

Darkstar is one of the UK’s most celebrated tribal and dark fusion belly dancers. She has developed her own unique style known as ‘Belly Popping’, a fusion of belly dance and street dance popping with a darker aesthetic. She loves to use robotic, tutting and fluid stylisations to create dynamic, engaging routines. Renowned for her creative choreography and musicality, she often creates Theatrical and emotionally charged routines to showcase the creative side of her dance. She has performed all over Europe and the USA and teaches regularly weekly. Having trained intensively with some of the best belly dancers and poppers of our time she is passionate about inspiring students in this intense and captivating dance style.

SILVIA first took Egyptian Belly dance class in 1994, in Norwich, UK. Since then, she has never stopped studying and dancing with the most important Masters of Egyptian Dance!

During her years of dance development as a teacher and dancer, she constantly studied with the best of the Egyptian on the dance scene, such as: Zaza Hassan in Paris, Yousry Sharif of New York, with Wael Mansour, Aida Nour and Lubna Emman from Cairo, Kazafy from the Reda Troupe, Randa Kamal in Cairo, Nesma Andalus and, most of all, she studied with the iconic dancer, choreographer and teacher Mr. Mahmoud Reda for several years.

In the year 2000 Silvia started to teach Egyptian dance in Italy where she now lives. As a Dancer, she has performed solo in many shows around Italy, and in England, and has also been a member of the Italian based Kazafy troupe as a dancer.

Silvia’s own dance style has developed mainly through the years she spent studying with Reda. Twice a year, from 2003 to 2008, she would attend an entire week of private classes and seminars with him. She has been trained in the most classical and elegant style.

As a teacher, Silvia’s extensive experience has allowed her to develop a unique teaching style based on the classical Egyptian moves. Her workshops usually are heavily based on technique: basic hip and arm techniques, travelling steps, turns and change of directions, and use of floor space. She will build up gradually, starting from the basics, and

developing these techniques into comprehensive classical and modern combinations.

Serena Ramzy Born in Sao Paulo, Brazil in a community fully integrated with Middle Eastern culture, Serena Ramzy started to dance at the age of 8 years old. Encouraged by her two professional dancing sisters, Serena began with ballet and modern dance and of course, the Brazilian Samba. Having learned from her sisters, in 1991 Serena became one of the youngest professional belly dancers in Brazil at the age of fifteen.

In 1996, Serena began collaborating with the world-renowned percussionist Hossam Ramzy. Together, they toured over 25 countries to perform and teach. During this time, Serena spearheaded the first national dance performance by women in the history of the Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia, commissioned by the top authority of the country to celebrate the 100th anniversary of their Independence Day. Later in 2006, Hossam and Serena founded the Drumzy School of Music and Dance.

In 2004, Serena’s first DVD “Visual Melodies” was released and in 2006 the second “Bedouin Tribal Dance”. In these instructional DVDs, Serena presents the purity of music translation in “Visual Melodies” and the joy of folklore in “Bedouin Tribal Dance”.

Recently, she has founded Serena Ramzy Dance Company in which she is the principal dancer, choreographer and artistic director. They perform regularly all over the UK and have presented a most enchanting show “The Dance Queens of The Nile”, which is a celebration and reverence to the ancient and Golden Era of Egypt.

Serena has performed all around the globe. Her performances vary from classical to traditional folklore to baladi (urbanized folklore) to modern improvised dance to improvised live music by the top professional musicians from Egypt, capturing the hearts and imagination of audiences all over the world.

Currently, Serena resides in the UK countryside and continues to tour the world, performing and teaching, reaching audiences and students from the five continents. Serena’s magnificent feel and natural expression of the music has become highly acclaimed as the personification of music translation.

Rachael Borek is a teacher and professional performer based in Manchester. Her love of Egyptian-style bellydance, from classical to baladi, is driven by a passion for live music and improvisation, and for honouring the culture behind the dance. And her holistic approach to bellydance technique is inspired by her training in contemporary Pilates, as well as a deep interest in biomechanics and the human body.

Rachael’s classes are information-packed and kind of nerdy, but also first and foremost, FUN. She weaves together technique, visualisation, and storytelling, to help you learn at your own pace whilst embracing the joy of dance and never straying too far from Raqs Sharqi’s roots as a dance of community and celebration!

Anna Kemper

Anna is a Bristol based dancer, producer and educator.
She grew up in a family of performers and producers, immersed in the sounds and songs of Eastern Europe and the SWANA region. She has trained and travelled extensively around the SWANA region, is the UK’s leading finger cymbal percussionist, has been performing for over 3 decades and teaching SWANA dance since 1997. She toured England with Turkish fusion band Oojami, shared headlines with bellydance superstar Sonia Ochoa, produced and performed in shows with English/Egyptian band Beledi Blues and highly regarded US dance organisation the Salimpour School, and been invited to perform and teach across the UK, Europe, India and the US. She has been commissioned by the city of London local authorities to perform and teach within communities and outreach organisations including the London 2012 Olympics, CRISIS UK ,The Big Dance and Lambeth Council and been recipient of Arts Council England funding for coordinating and producing the London leg of the Bal Anat 60th Anniversary International Tour in 2018, as well as directing and performing in the Turkish/Eastern Mediterranean live music ensemble Chalguh Chengi from 2020 until now. She ran one of London’s first and most critically regarded SWANA dance schools “Small World Bellydance” from 2002-2021 before relocating to Bristol.
Anna has a reputation as an outstanding dancer percussionist, having trained in special Egyptian Toura (finger) cymbals with renowned Egyptian percussionist Hany Morgan. She is the only dancer in the UK to incorporate this technique with her dancing

Nawarra Hailing from Casablanca in Morocco, studying Arts and Drama at University before taking the opportunity in 1996 to come to the UK and Continue my Studies in Leeds. In Morocco I was a member of Various Theatre Groups specialising in Sketch-shows and Comedy and working with some of the Top Moroccan Comedians. I love to entertain and bring a great passion, high energy and sense of fun to every performance.

Privileged to be pointed at several times as the Moroccan Fifi… Built my own dance style and honoured to see my name more and more linked to anything Moroccan. With a master’s degree in Drama and Arts, I also work as a Freelance giving Lecture in Both Universities – Bradford and Huddersfield — on North African cultural Heritage related subjects. I took Part in an enormous dance event all over the world for more than 15 years from Morocco to Russia, Ukraine, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Israel, Croatia, Turkey Greece, Japan, Ireland, and a lot more… I was a guest performer in Sweden recently.

Funoon Project was a simple dream that came to Reality thanks to so many dedicated dancers. The passion behind Funoon show Tour in the UK was just phenomenon It’s a theatre show dedicated entirely to the Folkloric dances of the Middle East, demonstrating that there is so much love to Arabic Dance than the Glittery World of Cabaret Belly dance, I have co-founded Funoon company – Venture spreading access to traditional ME dance, and mainly seeking in Introducing not only Arabic Music but the Arabic language through either acting or Introductions to every folkloric dance. This has drawn a high interest from the Arab media. I e BBC Arabic, AlGhad Alarabi nd Aljazeera nd Hespress

I have also set up a flourishing travel Agency taking dancers from all over the World to experience the sights, sounds, people and Culture of my beloved Morocco at first hand.

My Drive to keep Folkloric style alive is big, especially the North African one. I will carry on doing it till my end… so Funoon Dance camp is and will go on to become an inspiration and ongoing resource for dancers as well as a source of Pleasure and pride for people of Arabian Descent coming or growing up in the UK…”

Anne graduated with a master’s degree in dance and Somatic Wellbeing from the University of Central Lancashire and has 25+ years’ experience in Middle Eastern dance. Anne teaches in the Northwest and in Morocco on desert retreats. Anne is a well-known face on the JoY stage, being our compere for the teacher’s gala show for the last 19 years.

Tina Jackson of Dancers Bizarre has for many years trained extensively in authentic and traditional Romani dance styles, learning in community settings as well as with the greatest master teachers. Dancers Bizarre perform Romani and variety dances in the UK and internationally. Tina delivers occasional workshops on different aspects of Romani dance, and is delighted to be back at JoY for 2025

Deirdre is here from Scotland.She says: I LOVE to teach and dance, but we know it’s more than that, it’s about self-development in movement, confidence and connection. And I am delighted to be back in Saltaire.
My dance journey started in Egypt travelling after uni, and then through work and travel Global Caravan has been a companion of mine since 1999. It inspires me to keep developing, learning and grounded in my mind, body, spirit. It has also kept me connected across a global dance village.
The deep connection and friendship with so many other amazing dancers and teachers having your back is a blessing and fills me with delight and gratitude. I have been a Master Teacher with GC since 2014 and love to keep learning and sharing. I have also directed the wonderful Caravan Project United Kingdom since 201

RYT500 Yoga Teacher, Master Teacher/Leader Global Caravan Tribal Bellydance, and Sacred Feminine practitioner. For the past 17 years I have worked as a teacher and performer internationally. I have been dedicating myself to Tribal Bellydance since 2005 and I am known both for my work with the dance company Les Soeurs Tribales, of which I am a founding member, and as a performer of the Gypsy Caravan Dance Company (now Global Caravan Tribe) of which I am a member since 2010, I am Master Teacher and Leader Global Caravan Tribal Bellydance and co-founder and director of the Caravan Project Italia Tribal Bellydance Company, the official Italian dance group Global Caravan Tribal Bellydance, born in 2015.

In January 2018 I started the Asif and Cinzia project in collaboration with my husband Asif. I currently teach and perform as a dancer paired with my husband Asif Qu, as a member of the Global Caravan Tribe, with Les Soeurs Tribales and with Caravan Project Italia. I offer Global Caravan Tribal Bellydance certification programs and Trainings for Tribal Bellydance dance teachers in Italy and abroad. I aim to train Tribal Bellydance Teachers and Instructors with an integral approach, people capable of transmitting the technical, artistic, and philosophical aspects of these strictly connected disciplines with competence and enthusiasm.

In July 2020 I created Adi Sakti Flow ™ a fluid workout inspired by yoga and dance. It is a sequence of movements to celebrate the female body, to deepen the connection with the sacred inner creative power.

I currently teach weekly classes, monthly training, seminars, and workshops of Yoga, Tribal Bellydance, Global Caravan Tribal Bellydance ™, and Adi Shakti Flow in Italy and abroad, live, and online. Up to now I have taught Tribal Bellydance and participated as a performer in many international festivals, including World of Orient, Bellydance Congress, Jewel of Yorkshire, Bellydance Jakarta, Tribal Umrah, Tribal Gathering, GFAD, Rome Tribal Meeting, Jewel of Yorkshire, Tribal Goddess, Tribal Sleepover, Serendipity. I have performed at Tribal Fest 2009, 2010 and 2015, Rome Tribal Meeting, Majma, World of Orient, Bellydance Congress, Jewel of Yorkshire, Bellydance Jakarta, and many other events. Since 2023 Cinzia I am member of the reunited international renowned company Les Soeurs Tribales.

Maria D’Silva is an Egyptian Dance Artiste, Teacher, Judge and Events Organiser based in the UK.
Maria has received recognition as the second generation that brought Egyptian dance to the UK .She has contributed towards raising the profile of Egyptian dance Internationally.
She is the founder of Belly Dance Mania Festival, where she hosts National and International teachers and performers in Leicester.
Maria has also previously travelled and represented the UK abroad, both in teaching and performing. She was especially invited to represent the UK in 2024 to teach and perform at the Opening and Closing gala shows at Raqia Hassan Ahlan Wa Sahlan International Festival in Cairo. Flying the British flag , she has been invited this year ,2025 to teach and perform at the worlds biggest dance festival in Cairo again, Ahlan Wa Sahlan International Festival.
Maria has been featured on television for Al Jazeera TV for a documentary based on Arabic Dance, spotlighting Maria as a non-Arab artiste. She has also appeared on Sky, Midlands Today and the BBC. She has been featured in numerous dance magazines such as North African Magazine, MADN , Mosaic, Nada and many more.
She is trained in Latin, Modern ,Ballet and Drama and uses these as an added skill to perfect her craft and love of belly dance. Her love and passion

ASIF QU is a percussionist and teacher specializing in Middle Eastern, now based in Italy. Mostly a self-taught musician, he has enriched his training through workshops and private lessons with Faisal Zedan, Tim Garside, Chas Whitaker, Karim Nagi and Issam Housan. Asif has created percussion groups across the UK, and teachers online daily. He has taught and performed at some of the UK leading dance festivals including Jewel of Yorkshire, Majma, Tribal Goddess, Serendipity, Tribal Sleepover, Gfad, events in Italy such as the Milano Bellydance Meeting, Tribal Alchemy in Turin, Laus Raqs Festival in Lodi, and in Switzerland. He is one of the founding members of the band The Nomads alongside Mike Parnell, Mark Carlyon. He teaches and performs regularly with his wife, Cinzia Di Cioccio, and they have formed their own unique style of improvised dance and drum

Eleanor has had a lifelong passion for belly dance. Currently the director of leading UK belly dance agency Taste of Cairo and Shimmy School, alongside studying for a master’s in dance and Movement Psychotherapy, Eleanor believes everybody can danc

Helena is an award-winning professional performer and teacher of Egyptian dance based in Leeds. Helena is also the director of the Orientale Dance Company. www.helenabellydancer.com