World-renowned dance teacher and choreographer Mahdy Emara is one of the most sought-after artists in the international oriental dance scene. Born in Cairo, Egypt, he trained at one of the country’s top dance institutes. He began teaching at a young age and soon moved on to choreograph major stage productions. Now based in Amsterdam, Mahdy founded his dance school and group “Baladi,” performing across Europe. He also organizes festivals that have featured renowned stars such as Dina from Egypt and other international icons. Many international dancers have been trained under his guidance. Mahdy continues to teach and perform at some of the biggest belly dance festivals around the world.

In this episode you will learn about:

- Becoming a troupe leader in Egypt at the age of 16

- The nuances of bringing folklore from life to stage

- Mahdy’s experience of moving to the Netherland and starting his teaching career there

- His decision to focus primarily on professional level students instead of beginners

- How to be responsible and supportive judge at a competition

Show Notes to this episode:

Find Mahdy Emara on Instagram, and website.

Follow Iana on Instagram, FB, and Youtube . Check out her online classes and intensives at the Iana Dance Club.

Find information on how you can support Ukraine and Ukrainian belly dancers HERE.

Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast