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ANDREANA'S BIO
Sultry... Spicy... Dazzling & Dynamic describes Andreana! She has been performing professionally for 16 years in all forms of dance and has been teaching for the past 10 years. Audiences admire Andreana for her artistic interpretations, her understanding of the culture, her musicality and innovative style. She has dedicated her life to her #1 passion DANCE! Dance and music are in her blood due to her strong Serbian and Lebanese heritage. Her parents, Pava and Jameel, and maternal grandparents have strong musical and dance backgrounds. Andreanas background in dance ranges from tap, jazz, ballet, point, lyrical, hip-hop, salsa, and Hawaiian/Tahitian. Her mesmerizing and beautiful representation of belly dance has been written about in the Chicago Tribune, Arts & Alive magazine, and Jareeda international magazine. Andreana and Pava were also the featured Spotlight Dancers on Yasmina's website, www.joyofbellydancing.com.
Besides training with Pava, Andreana has studied with internationally known Suhaila Salimpour, Beata and Horacio Cifuentes, Cassandra, Momo Kadous, Yousry and Nourhan Sharif, Tasha Banat, Dahlal, Rania, and Jillina. She believes that its just as important to take as many workshops as possible, as well as enroll in taking weekly classes at a dance studio.
Andreana was the featured performer at Juliana Assyrian Restaurant/Nightclub in Chicago, IL, every weekend in the year 2004. In April, 2004, Andreana was the guest performer for the "Bellydance Superstars" Tour in Champaign, IL. In May, 2004, she performed in Hollywood, CA, for IAMEDs show/DVD, "Belly Dance Rocks!" She continues to travel throughout the country to perform and teach workshops, spreading her knowledge of the beautiful art of belly dance.
Currently, Andreana is the main teacher/choreographer for Pava Productions, teaching group and private classes 5 days a week. She recently began teaching belly dance fitness classes, which have been a big hit! Using all styles of Middle Eastern music, from ancient to pop, she continues to keep the interest level of her students high. She also emphasizes a strong background in technique in her classes.
Fall, 2005, Andreana was proud to join the Peoria Ballet Company staff, teaching ballet and tap lessons 4 days a week. She's also the Ethnic Dance Director and Youth Choir Director at All Saints Greek Orthodox Church. Besides dancing, she teaches piano and models independently for catalogs and commercials. You can check her out at www.sofisstitches.com, modeling Renaissance costuming!
Andreana has captured a style of her own, using her charisma to charm audiences everywhere, her creativity to perform dynamic combinations, and her musicality to perform as one with the music. Performing her high-energy drum solos leave her audiences breathless and are often the reason why women initially sign up to take from her.
Her dancing has been acclaimed as inspiring, captivating, charismatic, and artistic. Andreanas spirit, poise and passion are always expressed through her love of The Dance.
PAVA'S BIO
Pavas name has been synonymous with Belly Dance for 30 years. She has taught, performed, and held workshops throughout the Midwest. Pava's love for dance began as a toddler being surrounded with dance and music her entire life with her mother, Stanika, being a folk dancer and her father, Nicholas, having a Serbian Tamburitzan Band. Through her youth and adult years, Pava trained and taught all forms of various dance from ballet, tap, point, jazz, tumbling, Hawaiian, Tahitian and Gypsy Flamenco.
Pavas belly dance career began in 1973 with Charmaine in Chicago. She studied extensively in San Francisco in the late seventies. Through the years, Pava was trained by some of the finest internationally known dancers and choreographers in the US and the Middle East such as Cassandra, Bert Balladine, Mary Ellen Donald, Jamila Salimpour, Morocco, Aisha Ali, Mahmoud Reda, Momo Kadous, Horacio, Nourhan Sharif, and many more inspiring performers.
Pava Productions was founded in the late seventies and to date has over 50 students and three performing dance troupesPavas Gems, The Caravan Dancers, and The Habibi Dancers. She has provided a wealth of knowledge that she has shared with her students over the years.
Pava was the first in the Midwest to provide a "Bellygram" service for birthdays and special occasions. Pava's "signature dance" was performing with two scimitars while standing on stemmed glasses at many local clubs and restaurants regularly in the 70s, 80s and 90s. Pava and Jameel were the first Middle Eastern dance couple to perform regularly in the Midwest beginning in the early 80s.
Andreana and Pava also teach folk dances from The Balkans and are the directors for the All Saints Greek Orthodox Folk Dance Troupe. Besides holding an annual dinner/show/hafla, Pava Productions perform regularly at various public functions such as The Olde English Faire. She also provides a variety of goodies for dancers in her Treasures & More Boutique. Pavas a firm believer of offering her talent to many fundraisers to give back to the community that has openly embraced the art of Middle Eastern dance.
Pava continues to broaden her horizons to this day attending various workshops. She attributes her longevity to good genes, never compromising her principles and remembering her roots. Pava has such a wonderful sense of humor and wisdom. A positive attitude and openness to try new forms of the dance, always keeps her performances fresh, exhilarating and most of all entertaining. Pava's belief is that belly dance can heal your mind, body and spirit. Belly dance will always keep Pava energetic and young at heart.
JAMEEL'S BIO
Jameel has been professionally bellydancing for 25 years with Pava Productions. Besides being Pava's dance partner, he solos for a variety of occasions captivating the audience with his double sword routine while dancing on stemmed glasses. Besides belly dancing, Jameel specializes in debkes & Greek folk dances, plays the tabla & tupan and designs & sells custom belly dance sportswear tops.
His flirty and playful spirit is demonstrated through his love of his Lebanese culture and music.
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