Vashti

Vashti is the Artistic Director for Bellydance Odyssey Productions/Dance Odyssey Studio. Vashti has been studying folkloric dance forms for over thirty years and began dancing at age three. At age twelve, Vashti performed with Silayan Dance Company in Los Angeles, California. After studying ballet, Mexican folklorico, Polynesian, flamenco and Filipinio folkloric dances, Vashti began her study of belly dance in Santa Cruz, California with SeSe Geddes in 1991. She immersed herself in the dance form studying with a wide array of master teachers who specializations cover the belly dance/raks sharki diaspora as well as folk dances of the Middle East, North Africa, and Roma. Vashti is also certified in Level 1 of the Suhaila Salimpour Format. Vashti began teaching in 2000 and founded Bellydance Odyssey Productions in 2001. She has directed and choreographed several student ensembles including the multi-award winning Bellydance Odyssey Raks ensemble. Vashti has also been awarded for performances as a solo artist.

Currently Vashti bases her teaching at Dance Odyssey Studio where she is teaching Int/Adv Belly Dance, Bellydance Blast: Latin Fusion, Gypsy Bellydance Choreography, Prenatal Bellydance and Intro to Bellydance. Vashti also teaches performance skills intensives and provides private coaching for dancers seeking to improve their performance skills or dance competitively. For a full class listing click here.

Vashti continues to serve as Artistic Director for the Bellydance Odyssey Dance Company and she just completed work with the Harbor High School Escapade Dance Company on a belly dance fusion choreography. Vashti's Gypsy Passion, produced by Cheeky Girls Productions is now available for purchase! The DVD features skirt technique as well as other elements of Spanish stylization. Click on the You Tube link below for the trailer. Click here for the companion choreography notes.