About Spirit of the Lotus..
		Spirit of the Lotus Dance Company was formed in August 2007.  While the troupe is fairly new, all members have performed professionally together for the past six years. Spirit of the Lotus performs a wide range of bellydance styles, with our specialties in Egyptian and Fusion bellydance.  On the stage, the troupe has an unique energy and a welcoming vibe for all to enjoy.  We're excited to announce that our troupe has been nominated "Best Kept Secret" by Zaghareet Magazine for 2008! Be sure to read about each member and other instructors below. Iona - Owner, Instructor  "All ages, all colors, all shapes and sizes, and all dancing!" Photo by jawileyphotography Iona discovered bellydancing in July 2002 and hasn't stopped since. Content with just being a student, she started taking classes with Yasmine to get fit and surprise her husband.  He insisted that she continue to dance, and she happily agreed.  The dance had become a part of her life, and before she knew it she'd was asked to join the Magic-Hips Dancers, a professional troupe based in Charlotte.  She is currently one of the founding members of Spirit of the Lotus Dance Company and faculty member of Central Piedmont Community College where she teaches Egyptian Bellydance. Through the years she's participated in various workshops to help strengthen her dance, and found her inspiration in Bozenka and Rachel Brice.  Iona's warm smile and energy on the stage captivates her audience instantly!  Because percussion instruments were a major part in her life growing up, she naturally gravitated to zills and various hand drums, and finds major inspiration in Issam Houshan and Karim Nagi (Turbo Tabla).   Finding bellydance set in motion a dream to own her own dance studio and spread the spirit of dance to others.  Lotus Dance Studio is that dream realized. Iona is married to honeydo Maurice and a proud new Mother of one daughter. Nayna - Studio Guru, Lead Instructor  "If it ain't fun, why do it?" Photo by jawileyphotography Nayna began in bellydance in 2002 under the instruction of Yasmine and her love for this dance grew quickly.  With her fluid like movements and natural skill Nayna enjoys the improvisation that is allowed in bellydance.  Nayna's performances reflect her joy in the dance, and both students and audiences find themselves drawn in by her infectious smile and quick wit.  She loves to teach and has a great rapport with her students, allowing them to feel relaxed and liberated.   An alumni member of The Magic Hips Dancers, Lead Instructor, and Director's Assistant to Yasmine, Nayna brings a in-depth knowledge of studio operations and dance instruction.  A bit of a pyro, any opportunity to work with fire fans, fire fingers, or poi is a good one!  Her inspiration comes from Rachel Brice and Suhaila, and she is Level 1 certified through the Suhaila Salimpour School of Dance. Nayna is a proud Mother of two sons. Naima - Instructor Naima has been a national performer, choreographer, and teacher of Middle Eastern dance for over a decade. A student of dance since age 3, she has studied ballet, jazz, and modern variations with the Richmond Ballet as well as with Marian Meese, giving her technique the framework of western dance and the substance of Middle Eastern Orientale. As a former principal with the Pyramid Dance Co. in Memphis, TN, and with the Lotus Dancers of Omaha, NE, she was most recently a member of Yasmine’s Charlotte-based Magic Hips until 2006 and is a founding and current member of Spirit of the Lotus. Although best known for her articulate performances to the Egyptian classics and for her elaborate veil work, Naima has also researched and brought traditional folkloric elements from North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and Turkey into modern stage choreographies. For more information, please visit www.rakssultana.com. Victoria - Instructor   Photo by jawileyphotography Despite having the self-proclaimed attention span of a gnat, Victoria took her first bellydance class in 2002 under the instruction of Yasmine. The confidence she found caused her to fall in love with the art form and she hasn’t stopped dancing since.  An original member of Magic Hips, she has performed in numerous venues, provided workshops on costuming and performance preparation and is well known at Lotus Dance Studio for her catering, exceptional checklists and making somethin’ outta nuthin’ – hence the Mrs. MacGyver nickname.  She is most proud of being a founding member of Spirit of the Lotus. Those who have interacted with her will tell you that Victoria brings an element of joy and lighthearted humor to both her instruction and her performances. She is personally inspired by the amazing dancers Tamalyn Dallal, Gina, Aziza, Bozenka and Suhaila Salimpour. She is married to Mr. MacGyver and is the mom of a very witty son. ~1001 E WT Harris Blvd Suite W. Charlotte, NC 28213 ~ 704.510.5075~