Belly dance is such a celebration of the body. All too often in our culture, it is communicated to us that we should be at odds with our bodies, that we need to force our bodies to cooperate so that we can live up to a certain physical ideal. Belly dance is a vehicle through which we can reconnect not only with our bodies, but with our creativity, femininity, and maybe even our playful side. Seeing my students experience this has been my greatest joy. 

A lifelong dancer, Samar discovered Oriental dance in 2006 and was instantly smitten. She loves this dance form for its range of expression, its sensuality, and its rich history. Before finding her home in Oriental dance, Samar studied jazz, tap, modern dance, Irish dance, musical theatre, and yoga. 

As an instructor, Samar incorporates a strong emphasis on body alignment, the cultural context of Middle Eastern dance, and creative expression into her classes. She continues to study Oriental dance intensively with Saphira and has participated in workshops with Nourhan Sharif, Yousry Sharif, Raqia Hassan, Karim Nagi, Bozenka, Jasmin Jahal, and Mohamed al Hosseny, as well as many others. She performs as a soloist at restaurants and private events throughout the DC area, and as an ensemble member with the Maqsoum Student Company.