Staff Bios
Please scroll down to see all of our staff.
KC Metro Area
Maya Zahira - Director, Instructor
maya@mayazahira.com
Maya Zahira is a professional belly dance artist, choreographer, educator, IFA certified fitness instructor, certified Zumba instructor, and Reiki master.
Maya Zahira began studying belly dance 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, and Serena Wilson.
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 American style cabaret nightclub, folkloric, 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 holds a Bachelor's Degree in Education. She has more than twelve years of professional teaching experience, plus extensive experience in training people how to effectively teach. She is pleased to have the opportunity to fuse her two great loves: teaching and belly dance. Maya is a patient and encouraging teacher. Her innovative teaching style incorporates extensive break-down of the body movements combined with creative and challenging combinations and choreography. Maya is known for her ability to teach both the absolute beginner as well as the most advanced student.
Many students are inspired by Maya’s personal transformation through belly dancing. Maya lost 100 pounds in her first year of belly dancing, but as she lost the weight, 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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Amara - Independent Instructor trained in the Maya Zahira Belly Dance technique.
amaraduende@yahoo.com
When Amara discovered bellydance, she knew she had found the art form for her. She studied independently until 2003, when she began taking classes with the Maya Zahira School in Kansas City. She currently teaches both Tribal and Cabaret styles with the school as is the Coordinator for Troupe Duende, the Maya Zahira Tribal Troupe. She regularly performs as a solo dancer at many local parties and events. Amara continues to extend her knowledge of all styles of bellydance, and has attended seminars with such dancers as Ansuya, Rachel Brice, Jill Parker, Kajira Djoumahna, Kami Liddle, Sonia, Jillina, Heather Stants, Sharon Kihara, Darshan, and Dalia Carella. Her love of all forms of bellydance inspires others to explore this beautiful and creative art form. Amara's helpful and enthusiastic teaching style is welcoming to beginning dancers, and her talent and dedication is inspiring to continuing dancers.
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Etoile - IIndependent Instructor trained in the Maya Zahira Belly Dance technique.
etoile@mayazahira.com
Etoile Abet Flemons has had a deep love for dance since childhood. She has always enjoyed all forms of dance, and especially enjoys dancing with friends at parties and dance clubs. Etoile has been a member of The Maya Zahira Company since 2004. Her love of belly dance has drawn her to many performance venues, including weddings, graduation parties, Mothers’ Day celebrations, and more. Her strength as a dancer is that she lets the music move her. As a dance instructor, Etoile is enthusiastic and understanding. Etoile's teaching philosophy is that everyone has a dancer in them and bellydancing is healing and freeing for the sprit. She feels very blessed to be a part of the Maya Zahira School of Bellydance and to be sharing this beautiful dance with others!
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Saffiyah - Independent Instructor trained in the Maya Zahira Belly Dance technique.
saffiyah@mayazahira.com
Saffiyah Serene has been learning bellydance through the Maya Zahira School of Bellydance, taking classes with the school's director, Maya Zahira, and also with
the school's assistant director, Amara. The majority of her training has been with cabaret technique, although she has taken (and will continue to take in the future) some tribal-style bellydance, as well. Saffiyah is also a member of the Maya Zahira
Professional Dance Troupe. As a dancer, she is described as being poised and graceful. As a teacher, Saffiyah works well with beginner students. She holds
a B.S. in Elementary Education and has had extensive teaching experience with both children and adults. She spent 4 years teaching Beginning and Intermediate
Horsemanship and has been teaching first grade for 6 years. Her welcoming and relaxed teaching style and clear break-down of technique are intended to put
beginner bellydance students at ease while they are developing a new and exciting skill.
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Zoria - Independent Instructor trained in the Maya Zahira Belly Dance technique.
zoriakali@yahoo.com
Zoria Zoria started dancing to have fun and also to strengthen her back. She’s been taking classes with the Maya Zahira School of Belly Dance since 2004 and has been a member of the school’s Professional Troupe since 2005 and Troupe Duende since 2007. She has recently begun to teach Tribal Style classes in Olathe. Zoria has taken seminars with Ansuya, Kami Liddle, Sharon Kihara, Bozenka, Raffa, Urban Gyspy, and Issam Houshan She’s also on schedule to complete degrees next spring in Graphic Design and Theatre Performance.
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