Bellydance Odyssey Productions/Dance Odyssey Studio
a non-profit public benefit corporation
Bellydance Odyssey Productions (BOP) was founded by Vashti in 2001. The very first event produced was entitled "Bellydance Odyssey" and it was a benefit dance production for the Santa Cruz Women's Health Center. The very first volunteers were members of Troupe Dajti, directed by SeSe Geddes. After the formation of the company, Vashti began teaching dance and continued to produce theatrical shows featuring belly dance in Santa Cruz County. In its second year, BOP began its most longstanding production, the Luna Gitana Bellydance Festival. Now in its seventh year, the show has featured several high caliber artists in the industry. In 2005, after the birth of her son, Vashti invited a group of dancers to help run the production company. The company continued to expand, increasing the number of master class offerings and performance events. BOP produced Bal Anat Tribal Karnivale in conjunction with Suhaila Salimpour and also began Hafla Santa Cruz, originally co-produced with Masala Imports, which benefited RAWA and Katrina Hurricane Survivors in its first and second years respectively.
In 2007, the company expanded yet again, this time to open a dance studio. The studio offers quality, innovative instruction in belly dance and other complimentary dance forms. In addition, the studio includes children's programming and a broad range of fitness classes. This year, the company is undergoing another transformation: conversion to a non-profit public benefit corporation. The transformation is fitting, given the amount of public benefit service BOP has offered to the Santa Cruz community and beyond.
Board of Directors
Vashti (Jessica Delgado), Artistic Director
Yasmin (Jennifer Ludwick), Executive Director
Tim Brattan
Kelly Duncan
Ruth Fisher
Jose Franco
Jalilah (Feliz Guarino)
Jean Kegebein
Doug Masury
Nafila (Renee Storlazzi)
National Advisory Board
AZIZA
Dalia Carella
Karim Nagi
SeSe Geddes
Shoshanna
Suhaila Salimpour
Zaina Hart
