Ahava

Ahava, meaning ‘Love’ in Hebrew, is a multi award winning performer from the San Bay Area. She is well known for her graceful Egyptian style, commanding stage presence and crowd pleasing drum solos. In her efforts to become a knowledgeable dancer and instructor, Ahava, has s committed to studying not only Middle Eastern dance but the language and culture as well. Ahava has studied West African Senegalese, Ballet, Jazz, Modern and Hip Hop. At the age of fourteen her career was put on hiatus as Ahava suffered terrible injuries from a hit and run accident.  After a 2 year recovery and at the age of sixteen, Ahava accidentally discovered belly dance realized her true calling. Ahava has studied with such well known instructors as Frederique, Leea Aziz.  Ahava is heavily influenced by Egyptian dancers such as Samia Gamal, Taheya Carioca, Naima Akef, Mona Said, Sahar Hamdi, the one and only Fifi Abdo. (Ahava has had the great honor of performing for Madame Fifi twice!).  In the summer of 2007 Ahava made her very first trip to Cairo at the annual Ahlan wa festival. She was an invited performer and performed in the famous closing gala before an audience of nearly 2,000 people.  Ahava has won many titles including such titles as 2006 Queen of Raks, 2008 Belly Dancer of the Year. She is also the featured dancer in several and instructional DVDs such as: Jillina’s Shape up and Hip Out, Combination Nation (Cheeky Girls), Belly Dance 007 (IAMED), and the popular By Dancers for Dancers volumes 2,3 and 5.  Black Orchid Danse is thrilled to have Ahava as one of its 2010 instructors.  www.ahavadance.com