Belly Dancer & Artist
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She saw her first professional belly dancer at Le Paon Rouge nightclub in Beirut, Lebanon when she was 16 and was smitten by the beauty of the dance. It would be eight years later that while browsing in a Los Angeles bookstore she came upon the instructional book by Marta Schill -- The Compleat Belly Dancer, the very first of the now common how-to books on the art of belly dancing. Using the footprint diagrams and still photos in the book, a mirror and her memory of what she saw back in Lebanon, she taught herself the basics. When she discovered that Marta (former President of MECDA - Middle Eastern Culture and Dance Association) was the featured dancer at The Seventh Veil on Sunset Boulevard, she spent many a weekend night watching and absorbing the nuances of Marta's mesmerizing style. She has been watching and absorbing many dancers and styles ever since.
With the global village concept in mind, Bahira likes to blend and fuse dance steps from many ethnic cultures in innovative and playful ways and uses story-telling and drama to keep choreography interesting for the viewing audience. In 2001 she formed
Troupe Nambah with her good friend, Mandella, in keeping with the ethnic fusion style of belly-dancing using dance steps from Egyptian, Turkish, Indian, Moroccan, African, Flamenco and American Tribal dances as well as her Arabic roots. In 2005 she formed her newest troupe, Indigenous, to further this style by incorporating other non-Mid Eastern ethnic styles of dance.Bahira lives in Santa Clara, California with her husband David, son Doug and two crazy cats named Calie and Sallie. In addition to dancing, Bahira loves cooking (her specialty is Middle Eastern, of course), creating dance costumes, drumming and writing. Her fondest dancing memory is an impromptu duet with a Tuareg man in front of an audience of German campers under a canopy of Saharan stars in the small village of Merzuga, Morocco. The Germans were surprised to learn that she was American, not Berber, and the dancing went well on into the night!
Up-Coming Performances and Events
Photo Galleries: Past Performances
Past Events Attended MECDA's Hafla at the Hoover Photos here
Services, Supplies & Retail Outlet: Marrakesh Express Catering
The Pink City Shopping Emporium
Bahira's Beautiful Bedlah Mermaid Hair At The Pink City & Lunatic Fringe
Bahira's Blends & Brews At The Pink City
Grandma's Closet Inside The Pink City
Other Interests & Hobbies: Photographic Art
Solo Performances
Bahira has performed solo for many years as part of a Catering/Dancing Middle Eastern Experience Entertainment Package created by her using her talents as a chef and dancer. She has also performed for restaurants in the Los Angeles area and more recently in the South Bay area. She has soloed at Bistro Atash Kadeh Persian Restaurant (now closed) and Menara Moroccan Restaurant. At the present time she is not employed as a restaurant soloist , but keeps her performance skills active at Haflas (dance parties), student nights and private performances, as well as performing in two active belly dance troupes.
Bahira is available for hire at Restaurants or private parties (NO BACHELOR or STAG PARTIES) and may be contacted via e-mail at: 
bahira.net
Troupe Nambah
Bahira is co-director of
Troupe Nambah which
has performed regularly at Menara Moroccan Restaurant in San Jose.
Troupe Nambah bills itself as "World Fusion Style" belly dance, a term coined by Bahira to avoid being locked into any one style of Belly Dance...and there are many. The philosophy behind World Fusion Style belly dance is to celebrate as many different forms, styles and rhythms from all the musical cultures of the world as possible. Bahira and her good friend, Mandella, co-founded
Troupe Nambah as a way to fulfill the need to express themselves in a positive and soul satisfying form of the dance and with the ultimate purpose of dancing through life itself. Practice is essential to the Troupe's success and synchronicity is one of the signature trademarks of the Troupe. Variety in music, steps, costumes and style keeps the Troupe interesting for the audience and prevents performances from becoming "routine" as is often found in larger troupes. Variety within synchronicity is the Troupe's goal, but joy in the dance is what is stressed most.
Troupe Nambah
annually performs for local community festivals and is a popular feature at both the Santa Clara and Milpitas Art & Wine Festivals. Troupe Nambah also regularly performs at Bay Area belly dance festivals such as Desert Dance (San Jose), Rakkasah (Richmond) and Summer Caravan (Oakland).Troupe Nambah
is available for hire at corporate events and private celebrations and will gladly volunteer for worthy causes when available.More information on
Troupe Nambah and its dancers can be found on the Troupe's website, as well as lots of photos of past performances. Check it out! www.troupenambah.com
Indigenous
In 2005, Bahira created Indigenous, a Mytho-Poetic belly dance troupe in order to further her desires to widen the scope of Mid Eastern belly dance. The troupe's goal is to blend belly dance with other non- Mid Eastern ethnicities and other tribal dance styles, to entertain via story-telling and to stretch the limits of the current dance's edges.
More information on Indigenous and its dancers can be found on the Troupe's website. Check out the photos of Indigenous's recent performances and the dates of upcoming performances! www.indigenousdance.net
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The Bennuvians
Bahira is also a former member of The Bennuvians, a troupe directed by Alcina , House Dancer for Menara Moroccan Restaurant and belly dance teacher at Sunnyvale Parks and Recreation. The Bennuvians appeared at many of the Bay Area's large belly dance festivals such as Desert Dance, Rakkasah West and Summer Caravan. They have also performed for Hands On The Arts in Sunnyvale and several Health and Fitness Fairs in the Bay Area. The Bennuvians are no longer actively performing at the present time, but small groups of the members may appear from time to time at restaurants or local festivals.
You can find more information about Alcina on Alcina's website: www.swordtamer.com