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Staff Bios
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Welcome to The Maya Zahira School of Belly Dance, Kansas City's Premier Belly Dance School!
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KC Metro Area
Maya Zahira - Director, Instructor
maya@mayazahira.com
785-979-4681
Maya Zahira is a professional belly dance artist, choreographer, educator, fitness instructor, certified Zumba instructor, percussionist, women's retreat facilitator, and Reiki master.
As director of The Maya Zahira School of Belly Dance and the owner of Maya's Oasis, she has played a significant role in the rise in popularity of belly dance in the Kansas City area. Maya continues to lead the way in helping to transform, heal, and inspire women in the Kansas City area and beyond.
Maya Zahira began studying belly dance in 1999 under the instruction of Saudi-born Ferdoas Afani. Shortly thereafter, Maya traveled to New York City, where she studied at the Serena Studios in the Theater District. Maya continues her education by regularly attending workshops taught by world-renowned belly dancers. She has studied Middle Eastern Dance with master teachers Dalia Carella, Morocco, Yousry Sharif, Serena Wilson, Ansuya, and many more.
Maya Zahira performs at a number of venues, including birthday parties, baby showers, wedding showers and receptions, corporate events, "belly-grams", international festivals, sidewalk sales, Girl Scout meetings, summer camps, women’s retreats, and more.
Maya specializes in Egyptian, Turkish, and American styles of modern bellydance, folkloric bellydance, Romany Gypsy, Saidi, veil, Egyptian Pharonic, world dance fusion, and dance meditation. Maya is known for her technical precision, flowing dance style and joyful stage presence.
Maya's special accomplishments include being featured on the Discovery Health Channel and The Learning Channel, as well as numerous television appearances on the Topeka, KS news. In addition, Maya was the Lead Dance Director for the 2009 award winning independent film, "Is It Jazz Yet?" by director Fred Weems.
Maya has been featured in Hawaii Bellydancer Magazine, the Leavenworth Times, and several times in the Kansas City Star. Additionally, Maya has been a contributing writer for Zaghareet Magazine.
Maya holds a Bachelor's Degree in Education. She has more than eighteen years of professional teaching experience, plus extensive experience in training people how to effectively teach.
Over the years, Maya has trained hundreds of belly dancers, many of whom have gone on to become teachers and performers themselves! Former students of interest are--Amara Duende (director of Troupe Duende), Zoria Kali and Jalilah (members of Troupe Duende), Melody Gabrielle (solo performer), Beth Jones (solo performer), Huraiva Alimah, Gaitri, and Cathia (Eyes of Bastet Troupe), members of Massive Tassell Bellydance Troupe, and many more!
As a percussionist, Maya specializes in advanced finger cymbals (zills), doumbek, djembe, and tar, with emphasis in Middle Eastern, Arabic, African rhythms, and free-form rhythms. While primarily self-taught, Maya has received instruction from Clark Jameson and Buddy Helm and she has received certification in the Helmtone drumming technique.
Maya is a master teacher who has been praised by many for her compassionate, patient, and fun teaching style. Her innovative cutting-edge instruction incorporates extensive break-down of the body movements combined with creative combinations and choreography. Maya is known for her ability to provide instruction for students of varying learning styles and ability levels from absolute beginner to advanced.
Many students are inspired by Maya’s personal transformation through belly dancing. Maya lost 70 pounds by belly dancing, but she gained something very valuable—increased self-esteem and a healthier, more positive body image. Maya believes that belly dance celebrates ALL women of all shapes and sizes. She is a strong advocate for the use of belly dance to assist women in becoming more comfortable with their bodies.
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