Introducing Soraya Zayed (aka Soraia Zaied)

Egyptian mega star dancer, teacher and choreographer, Soraya Zayed will be teaching 2-day dance workshops in the San Francisco bay area. Come learn the feeling of Egyptian Oriental dance from one of the most loved and most accomplished oriental dancers and a master teacher at "Ahlan Wa Sahlan" dance festival of Cairo, Egypt. We are very fortunate to have such a dance legend come to us from Egypt. This is her very first visit to the Western United States. She will be sharing her wealth of knowledge in Oriental dance and performing her signature fiery style that is revered all over the world.

Soraya Zayed is always featured as a star headliner at the "Ahlan wa Sahlan" gala shows as well as a master teacher at the festival. "Ahlan wa Sahlan" is the largest dance festival in Cairo, Egypt. Soraya was born in Brazil and has mastered many forms of Brazilian and international dances. She moved to Egypt in 2001 and began to master the modern form of Egyptian-style Bellydance under legendary choreographer, Raqia Hassan. Soraya is always innovating and creating her own signature performances that have captured the hearts and minds of everyone who watches her shows.

In her workshops, Soraya will teach her very unique techniques of Egyptian Oriental dance, the fiery Soraya touches that infuse Samba and other latin dances, and her signature captivating shimmies and drum solos.

Who is Soraya Zayed and why should I care?

If you enjoy dancing or watching dance, you should not miss Cairo's new mega star Soraya Zayed (aka Soraia Zaied). She will perform in Los Altos on June 1, ONE SHOW ONLY. Soraya will teach on June 1 & 2. Details here...

"Why should I go?"
Soraya is currently at the top of her game. If you were in Cairo and wanted to enjoy the best show in town, you would book an evening at one of the top 5 star venues. Chances are, Soraya would be the headliner. She dances multiple shows a night, every day of the week. In order to reach such status in the Bellydance capital of the world, one has to perfect the art of Egyptian Oriental dance which Soraya has done in a masterful way. Best news: She's coming to us. You don't have to go to Egypt to see her show.

"The show is too expensive"
Do you dine out? How much do you spend on a 3 course meal? How about the best Mediterranean food in town? When we, the local Middle Easterners, want to eat our delicious native cuisine, we go to Rose Market. They will be catering the event. How much do you pay to relax for an hour? Let's face it, we all need a 'pick me up' every now and then to face the stresses of daily life. After watching Soraya's show, you won't be able to wipe the smile off your face for months afterwards.

If you were to watch her show in Cairo, you would pay a lot more, in addition to flight, accommodation and everything else. It's actually a steal if you think about it: 4 hours of music, food and dance for $15/hr. It's cheaper than most classes. The event is guaranteed to satisfy all the senses. You can't afford NOT to go.

"The workshops are too expensive"
Dancers and dance teachers: Soraya will take your dance to the next level of professionalism. She will change the way you think about Egyptian dance. I used to think I knew how to shimmy until I took a shimmy workshop with Soraya where she taught at least 20 different kinds of shimmies (I lost count after 20). As artists, we never stop learning. You owe it to yourself to study with the masters. Your audience, students and fans will notice and love the difference. If you don't invest in yourself, your fans will not invest in you.

If you live in the western USA, you can't afford NOT to study with her. It doesn't get any cheaper given that you don't have to fly to Cairo for her workshops. At "Ahlan wa Sahlan", the biggest dance festival in Egypt, Soraya is a master teacher, which means her workshops are the most expensive. We are fortunate she will be coming all the way to us.

"Once you've seen one, you've seen them all"
Not with Soraya. She's a mega star at the top of her game. Her shows are in such high demand that she performs multiple times every night of the week. She always headlines the Gala shows at "Ahlan wa Sahlan", the largest dance festival in Egypt. One doesn't reach that level in the Bellydance capital of the world without offering something unique and special. If she was not unique, innovative and an amazing artist, you would not have heard of her outside Egypt.

"I'll catch her next time she's here"
With Soraya's schedule, popularity and fame, we're very lucky to have her come at this time. This is her first visit to CA, if she's not well received, she will probably not come back. Also as her fame grows, it will be even more expensive the next time around. You can't afford not to take advantage of this golden opportunity to see her and study with her this time. Who knows what may happen in the future.

Watch Soraya Zayed in action

Teacher

Soraya was born in Brazil where she began exploring different dance genres. After learning a few local forms she became interested in Bellydance. Although she gained local fame in Brazil, she was not satisfied and challenged herself by setting her goal on international acclaim. She moved to Egypt and began studying Egyptian-style Bellydance in 2001. She has become widely successful and can be seen performing in workshops, weddings and hotels throughout Egypt and around the globe. She is also a featured master instructor at the annual "Ahlan wa Sahlan" festival in Cairo and has successfully trained a number of other dancers who are well known in Egypt. Her performances and workshops have taken her to almost every country in Europe. She has also been very successful in the Americas as a dance trainer and mentor. She is reputed to have a unique and clear understanding of Bellydance and is very patient and kind with her students.

Performer

On stage, Soraya is absolutely phenomenal. She is always featured as a star headliner at the "Ahlan wa Sahlan" Gala shows which are attended by thousands of dance enthusiasts from around the globe. She mixes in her fiery Brazilian training with her passionate deeply moving Egyptian expressions forming her unique style that touches the hearts and souls of her audience. Soraya is continually innovating her shows and performs regularly at top 5-stars Cairo hotels. Her dance performances feature around 15 musicians and she is said to dance with her emotions on her sleeve. She performs multiple shows per night, every day of the week. She has gained international fame and regular followers around the globe.

Choreographer

Soraya began to master the modern form of Egyptian-style Bellydance under legendary choreographer, Raqia Hassan. She arduously studied the pure, professional form of Egyptian dance then decided to innovate! Her present dance form is a beautiful blend of samba and Bellydance and through her own expression has successfully created a highly energetic, emotional and sensuous dance form. Soraya is truly a magnificent dancer and an inspiration to all who wish to learn Egyptian-style Bellydance.

Students & Video Clips

Soraya is regularly featured as a master instructor at the annual Ahlan wa Sahlan festival in Cairo and has successfully trained many dancers who are well known in Egypt and all over the world today. Her performances and workshops have taken her around the globe and she is well respected and loved as a dance trainer and mentor. She is reputed to have a unique and clear understanding of Bellydance and is known to be patient and kind with her students. Soraya is also featured on many of Raqia Hassan's technique videos.

Enjoy the following teasers of what to expect:
Soraya in 2006
Soraya in 2008
Soraya Workshop in Brazil
Soraya Zayed video clips