Photo by Aleks Malczewski
Sahlala
Past , Present , and Future of One of America ’ s Premier International Dance Companies
By Tori King
On a dismal November day in 2021 , I walked into Evolution Studios in North Hollywood . A masked admin met me at the door and directed me to the studio where the Sahlala Dancers were rehearsing . I had just moved to Los Angeles from Boise , Idaho , and I was trying to find my place in the belly dance scene .
Through the hubbub of a busy studio , I could hear the singsong “ 5-6-7-8 ” cutting through the din of the capoeira class and the commercial audition held next door . I tentatively walked into the Sahlala rehearsal , and , over the next two hours , experienced the most physically demanding dance audition since my foray into Middle Eastern dance 8 years
20 The Belly Dance Chronicles � January 2023