Winners of the Miss Bellydance UK 2011 Oriental Group
& The Shimmy in the City Festival, London 2011
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Krystina
The Egyptianize Dance company was formed in January 2009 by Krystina who is the artistic director and choreographer.
First learning the basics of bellydance in Richmond, Krystina then went on to learn her art with Josephine Wise in North London and became a member of the Masriat Dance Company. Having travelled regularly to Egypt, Krystina has had the advantage of advanced training with the top teachers/dancers and choreographers of which there are far too many to mention. Gaining her teaching diploma in 2002 with JWAAD (Josephine Wise Academy of Arabic Dance), Krystina is now also one of the tutors on the teacher training course. Krystina has been teaching Egyptian dance now for over ten years in the SW London area.
Angelica
Angelica’s interest for an Arabic dance started from the time of her holiday to Tunisia in June 2006, the same year she started a beginners’ class with Krystina and another JWAAD tutor Beatrice Curtis. Angelica is now a JWAAD affiliated teacher based in Middlesex. www.desertjasmin.com Angelica prefers the Egyptian style of bellydance for its powerful, elegant technique, which encourages good posture, balance and grace. In the process of her training, Angelica is creating her own style, which underlines her individuality with a combination of Russian soul and Arabic feeling of music. Throughout these years Angelica has atended numerous workshops with some of the best known bellydance teachers in the world. Her solo work has included dancing at dance parties (Haflas) in UK and Germany, participation in the amateur dancers’ competitions in 2009 at International Bellydance Congress in the UK and the festival Al-Salam in St. Petersburg, Russia. Angelica is now also a regular dancer at The Arabesque Nights Showcase in West London.
Claire
Claire, a Medical Physicist and mum to two teenage boys, has been one of Krystina's students since attending a beginners workshop in January 2007 in the spirit of trying something completely different as a New Years Resolution. She found the workshop fantastic fun, so signed up for a course of lessons and has been a regular and enthusiastic student ever since.
Previously, Claire had spent many years going to various yoga and aerobic classes, but always had a secret desire to dance since performing the Can-Can, the Charleston and a number of other dance styles in musical productions at school!
Jennie
Jennie fell in love with Egyptian dance as a teenager when, at the tender age of 15, she was inspired by a dancer in a music video to take her first class. After several years’ break from the belly dance scene, Jennie reignited her passion for all things oriental 6 years ago and hasn’t looked back. She is known for her fluid and elegant style and for singing along to her music even when she doesn’t know all the words! A student of Krystina Gould, Jennie has studied under the UK’s Eva Green and Jacqui Jamal, taken private lessons with Cairo’s Yasmina, Caroline and Amani and attended workshops with some of belly dance’s best known teachers such as Randa Kamel, Leila of Cairo, Mohamed Kazafy, Serena Ramzy and Yousry Sharif.
Judy
Judy is originally from Liverpool, where she developed a passion for dance and creativity from a young age. She studied ballet, tap and jazz, performing regularly and eventually choreographing for a local revue show. Her love of dance has found her dabbling in styles from salsa to baroque, and in 2008 led her to belly dance classes with Krystina. Judy thrives on the unity and artistry of dancing in a troupe, and is very proud to be a member of ‘Egyptianize’.
Kasia
Kasia was first introduced into the world of Egyptian Dance in 2007 through attending performances such as Galit Mersand's show 'Bellylicious' and Ann White's 'Planet Egypt' along with her friend and fellow Egyptianize member Natalie. After starting her own study of the dance with Krystina in April 2008 Kasia soon discovered that bellydance was not only a great work-out for the mind and body but also a fun way to make new friends and socialise. Since then she has attended workshops with other respected teachers such as Heather Burby and has also performed at many private functions before becoming a member of The Egyptianize in January 2009. Growing up, Kasia had a dream to be a ballet dancer, but it wasn't meant to be, so she took up the cello instead and has performed all over the world as a professional musician. Today her youthful desires for ballet has finally been satiated with her inspiration and new found love of oriental dance.
Nadia
Nadia's interest into bellydancing began in 2004 when she fell in love with a dance costume in a bazaar...which she just had to have! After attending a class of Krystina’s, she was hooked. “I was astounded by the beauty in flow of movement and amazing isolations.” Nadia has been learning with Krystina ever since. Nadia is also inspired by Yasmina and has attended a couple of her workshops.
Nadia is originally from New Zealand and was a performing member of Ngati Ranana for a number of years and more recently, dances with Beats of Polynesia.
Natalie
Described as a natural dancer by many respected members of the bellydance community, Natalie began her study of the dance with Krystina after a New Years resolution to ‘do something for herself’ and has gone on to develop her dancing intensively. She attends workshops with many well known teachers from Egypt and the UK and is also currently working towards her JWAAD diploma. Having gained experience dancing with the Veil, Cane, Isis Wings and Melaya Leff she is currently developing her interests in Khalighee and Nubian dance styles. Natalie teaches her own 'FAB Bellydance' classes in Hampton Hill and performs regularly at showcases, parties and other events. For more information please see www.bellydancestudent.co.uk
