Dancers
The dancers in our troupe come from a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, and skill levels.
As we strive for professionalism in every performance, we balance our shows to include simpler dances for our newer members, as well as more complex choreographies to challenge those who have been dancing for a while.
Jaleila, Katijya, and Diana
Jaleila saw her first Middle Eastern style dancers in several movies popular at the time when she was 11 or 12 years old. She loved the music and the mystique suggested by the dancers. When she saw “Scheherazade” her interest solidified.
Jaleila took her first classes through the YWCA in San Bruno, California in 1973 studying with Nakish, a very energetic and dramatic dancer. After arriving in Juneau in 1974 she was unable to find any classes until 1976 when Jaleila learned about classes being taught by Odette Foster and began studying with her.
Jaleila’s first workshop experience was with Jamila & Suhaila Salimpour at their week long event in San Francisco. While there, she was able to meet the musicians of the Emerald Nights, and was also privileged to see the wonderful drummer Mary Ellen Donald, as well as Boston’s George Abdo and his orchestra perform live as part of the workshop.
Jaleila has also attended workshops in Seattle and Yakima, Washington (where she taught a cane/veil workshop) and she has danced and taken workshops at “Rakassah” in Richmond, California where she had the opportunity to study with many nationally and internationally known dancers.
As one the founding members of The Daughters of the New Moon, Jaleila has loved the camaraderie and fun she’s experienced over the years. It’s been challenging, too! Katijya and Diana loved to change her position in a group routine right before we went on stage! One benefit of performing Jaleila didn’t expect… once petrified of public speaking she can now do so with little or no nervousness!
Katijya saw her first Middle Eastern style dancer at Zorba the Greek’s in Sacramento, CA and knew she had to learn this dance. She first began taking classing in 1976 through Juneau Community Schools with Dorie Swanson and later with Odette Foster. She expanded her studies to Jamila and Suhaila Salimpour’s week long workshop in San Francisco where classes were also taught by Aida.
Later Katijya studied with Badawia, Amir, Delilah, Dahlena, Bert Baladine, Beatta Zadow, Samisha, and Morocco, as well as many others and had the chance to meet the musicians of Emerald Nights as well as see George Abdo’s orchestra perform live. Katijya took private lessons from Jodette in Sacramento, who turned out to be the instructor of that first dancer she had seen years before!
Katijya has performed nationally and internationally throughout Southeast Alaska, Seattle, Portland, Yakima, San Francisco, Boise, Whitehorse, the Caribbean, and London. She has performed at Rakassah, at Fantasia, on cruise ships and the Alaska ferries, in gymnasiums, bowling alleys, private clubs and lodges, saloons, private homes, gardens, beaches, hotels, civic centers, and in the Office of the Governor of the State of Alaska!
Katijya began teaching for Juneau Community Schools in 1981 with Diana. In 1999, she added a small dance studio to her home where she continues to teach and the troupe meets to rehearse. As CEO of The Daughters of the New Moon she encourages and assists troupe members in seeking a wide variety of instructors and says, “I encourage my dancers to recognize their own beauty and talent, make lasting friendships and expand their horizons through this dance.”
Diana began her career as a belly dancer, teacher, and troupe co-leader when she was quite young. When Diana was about 7 or 8, she and her sister took a “Ballet-Tap-Acrobatics” class. For the annual recital, the class did the Oriental Dance number from the Nutcracker Suite. They had satin harem pants and vests, a little cap with a chiffon veil, and they even had cardboard finger cymbals painted silver. They were probably as awful as any first year children’s dance class, but Diana loved her outfit and thought the whole event was wonderful. Unfortunately, she and her sister couldn’t continue with ballet classes so Diana’s budding career was stalled for a time. In junior high school she was involved in a teenage folk dance group and continued with it through high school.
When Diana moved to Juneau in 1972 there was no Juneau Folk Ensemble or any belly dancing. Then, in the late 70’s, Community Schools offered a beginning belly dance class so she signed up. After the first class, she went out, bought one of the two belly dance records in town, and purchased fabric for her first set of harem pants. She was hooked!!!
Shadiyah Hayed was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska, and started taking Middle Eastern Dance lessons with Josetta in 1987. She apparently had a knack for it, as within a few months she was performing professionally both as a musician and company dancer with Josetta & Company. Her first public solo performance with the troupe was at the opening of the Anchorage Center for the Performing Arts in 1989.
After moving to Juneau, Shadiyah joined the Daughters of the New Moon in 1996, and has performed with the troupe ever since. Over the years, she has expanded her repertoire through workshops and independent study, and has choreographed several group and solo dances. More recently, she has branched into designing and creating unique dance costumes for herself and others, which she enjoys showcasing in performances.
Shadiyah first had the opportunity to teach dance in Anchorage in 1993, and discovered that she loved it. She has since been teaching beginning classes and provides some private instruction.
Rhiannon became interested in Belly Dancing in Juneau in the early 90’s, when she and her sister would watch Daughters of the New Moon rehearse in the commons at community schools right before their square dancing class, dreaming of the day that they could be part of the bellydance group too.
Ten years later Rhiannon got her chance, when she heard from an old friend (also a former member of the square dance group) that she could take bellydance classes from those same women she used to watch. And the rest, as they say, is history. Rhiannon took her first class in the fall of 2002, her first workshop after two weeks of classes, and began dancing with the troupe the following summer.
Kalirah began dancing early in life with lessons in various styles of ballroom, country, and folk dancing; which would stand her in good stead when she began to bellydance. In 1999, she was finally able fulfill a longtime wish and took her first bellydance lessons through Daughters of the New Moon. Kalirah quickly adapted to the dance form and came to love the movements and musical interpretation inspired by Middle Eastern music and dance.
With the Daughters of the New Moon Kalirah has been able to realize her desire to teach and takes great pride in introducing her students to her chosen art form.
Rahil was introduced to Middle Eastern dance in her hometown community schools program in Chugiak, Alaska. She started lessons in earnest in 1988 while attending Michigan State University and has danced with various troupes since then.
Rahil has been a member of the Habibi Dancers in Michigan, the Beledi Dancers in Brisbane, Australia, Haffi Hareem in Anchorage, and is now fortunate to be a part of Daughters of the New Moon. Primary influences are Artemis (Turkish style), Rahya Hassan (Egyptian), Morroccan Shikat, and Cassandra Shore (Egyptian Saidi).
Latifa began with square dancing in Juneau, Alaska in 1985 and later took up round dancing, then western dancing and line dancing. One style led to another and before you know it, here comes Middle Eastern dancing.
With encouragement from her step-daughter Kalirah, Latifa began taking lessons in Middle Eastern dance with Katijya and Diana in May 2002, later continuing with her first workshop with Amaya that was sponsored by Daughters of the New Moon. When first taking lessons, performing with the troupe was not even a consideration for Latifa. But the dance is addictive and by June 2003 she was performing with the troupe at every available opportunity.
She is working on the next generation of belly dancers with 2 of her granddaughters that want to practice with her every time they come to visit. Of course, they love to "make outfits" from grandma's scraps and use her zills.