internationally . This was the early days of the internet , mind you ! And that is when my touring took off .
Right around this time is also when I moved to Montreal to be with my then-boyfriend , now husband , and so much happened in my life . Such a busy moment in my life ; however , I knew in my heart that moving to Canada to be with Eric was the right thing to do . But leaving my family , my friends , and my dance community was the hardest decision of my life .
I cannot believe that dance took me to all these wonderful places . I have taught and performed in over 50 countries . I get emotional thinking about it , because I have had the great fortune to meet and dance with so many people , and I have friends all over the world . And , to have students and colleagues that I cherish . My dance career is all a wonderful blur and I feel so lucky to have experienced it all . And , I do not take it for granted .
As the story goes , I was an American dancing in a Greek restaurant in Mexico when I met my French- Canadian husband , Eric . Reconnecting 8 years after meeting at my first international dance contract at a Greek restaurant in Puerto Vallarta , Mexico , back in the ’ 90s , I ’ ve had Eric ’ s unwavering support and still do .
Aziza in Argentina
Even now I cannot believe the fact that people from all over the world would invite me to come and dance with them . It feels amazing that my dance , which was cultivated in a certain area and passed down through certain dancers in a certain style is passed to others through my teaching . For example , I ’ m pleased that the way I dance with a veil can be seen in performances of dancers around the world . I am so fortunate to have been able to share this legacy of my teachers around the world .
Eric and Aziza
I had found my way back to dance , I had made a career of it , found the connections to my body , to the music , to my audiences and then I moved from everything I had known to a new place to reconnect with the love of my life , while at the same time beginning to tour 6-7 months of the year . Thus , connection and community became even more important to me .
I have had many memorable experiences while touring . One of the most significant was the opportunity to spend a year touring and teaching with master percussionist , Issam Houshan . Issam is a crazy talented drummer and a most generous and patient instructor . I ’ ve learned so much in the time we spent working and traveling together .
While it was a wonderful experience , traveling can also be lonely and difficult . I missed the deeper connections with students , with being able to see dancers progress and grow . My husband also wanted something we could produce together that would allow me to stay in Montreal for the summers , thus the idea of Dreamcamp started to take shape .
January 2021 � The Belly Dance Chronicles 15