|
|
Renee
Araneda
While Renee's passion for dance has inspired her to study many
styles over the past eighteen years, her primary focus has been
African dance.She has performed nationwide with various dance
ensembles including Lokole, The Chinyakare Dance Ensemble, Sambada
and now WCD!
|
|
Kompiang
Metri-Davies
Kompiang Metri-Davies is a native of Bali, Indonesia, where
she learned the traditional arts of music and dance from 5 years
of age. She has been living, dancing and teaching in the Bay
Area for 16 years now, working in traditional and multi-cultural
modes, and is now the artistic director of Gadung Kasturi, a
non-profit dance and music ensemble, for which she also provides
choreography, arrangements and costumes, and under the auspices
of which she teaches dance to children and adults. |
|
Aliah
Najmabadi
Aliah Najmabadi is an international performer and traditional
dance activist of Persian & Central Asian dance. Currently
Program Director for the Tajik Dance Initiative based in the
Republic of Tajikistan, Aliah formerly served as Assistant Director
of Ballet Afsaneh of which she was a principle dancer from 1998-2008.
Aliah holds an Mmus Performance degree in Central Asian dance
from the School of Oriental & African Studies (London) and
a B.A. in both Iranian Studies and World Arts & Cultures
from UCLA. Aliah joined WCD in 2008. |
|
Nadia
Roan
Nadia Roan developed an early interest in dance when she joined
San Francisco's Chinese Folk Dance Association (CFDA) where
she was introduced to movement as a way of cultural representation
and expression. She became fascinated by the diversity within
ethnic dance and continued dancing with the CFDA for 11 years.
Her passion for dance led her to also pick up ballet, jazz,
hip hop, and salsa. She is thrilled to be a member of WCD. |
|
Hannah
Romanowsky
As a seasoned performer on the proscenium stage, Hannah Romanowsky
draws her aesthetic impulse from many years of study in both
Eastern and Western classical dance, and she has enraptured
audiences with her wide range of expertise rooted in the enchanting
forms of North Africa, the Near East and Central Asia. Hannah
holds a degree in Dance Ethnology and World Music from San Francisco
State University. She is the founder and director of the educational
youth program Danceversity and is currently pursuing an advanced
degree in psychology. |
 (c)Taboo Media |
Kristen
Sague
Kristen Sague holds a BFA in Modern Dance from the University
of Michigan, as well as studying and performing in social dances
in Palestine, with Folclorico de Oriente and Luis de Roblejo
in Cuba, Dagbe Cultural Centre and Fatawu Sabiyu in Ghana, and
with Guru Mata Prasad Mishra in India. She currently dances
with Ballet Afsaneh, Sharzad Dance Company and is delighted
to be working with Wan Chao Dance Company. |
|
Tara
Catherine Pandeya
Tara Catherine Pandeya is trained in multiple dance styles;
ranging from Central Asian, to Middle Eastern, Western classical
jazz-tap and Classical South Indian dance. She has been a principle
dancer and soloist with Ballet Afsaneh for over 10 years. Tara
was chosen as a featured artist through the California Arts
Council's 'Next Generation' Young and Upcoming Artists Grant
program in 2002. Most recently Tara was a featured soloist in
the highly selective San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival for
the 2007 season. |
(c)RJ Muna |
Miriam
Peretz
Miriam Peretz is an internationally acclaimed performing artist
and dance instructor. She was a principle dancer with Inbal
Ethnic Dance Theater in Tel Aviv, Israel, and is now assistant
artistic director and principle dancer for Ballet Afsaneh with
whom she has been a member since 1998. Miriam's love of dance
has led her on an extraordinary life long journey that has taken
her throughout the Middle East and to her original birthplace,
Israel. These cultural exchanges have inspired her to use the
arts as a bridge to create respect, love and unity among people
of different backgrounds and spiritual traditions. |
(c)Juan Carlos Betancourt |
