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| About Jenann |
Summary Jenann combines many experiences and skills to provide a combination of coaching, creative movement, art and unique guidance. She incorporates aspects of nature and principles from a wide range of spiritual disciplines. Jenann has a smooth dramatic dance style. She specializes in controlled Egyptian hip work accented by flowing veil work. From graceful swirls of the veil to striking hip and torso movements, from mysterious rippling hands to quivering vibrations she teaches grace, elegance and self empowerment. She has performed with numerous companies and directed several of her own. Her ability to listen, incorporate lessons from nature, break down movement and work with students at an individual level makes her an excellent coach and instructor. Throughout the years Jenann has studied numerous belly dance styles under numerous instructors including; Phaedra Sekhmet, Randa, Azuri Zanarr, Dahlena, Ibrahim Farrah, Bert Balladine, Serena, Morocco, Suhaila Salimpour, Shakira, Jemela Omar, Yousry Sharif, Akashi, Dalia, Sergio, Leila Gamal, Kathy Ferguson, and Mohamed Khalil director of the National Folk Troupe of Egypt. She has also completed many team work and coaching programs including the 'Fire Walk.' Detailed Biography Jenann began her dance studies in 1971 at Pofahl Dance Studio’s in Gainesville, Florida and performed with the Gainesville Civic Ballet Company. She studied acrobatics, tap, jazz, and ballet. During the same period, she studied gymnastics at P.K. Yonge High School and Tae kwon-Do martial arts. During Jenann’s junior year of high school, she left her classical dance studies to take a belly dance course offered at Santa Fe Community College and has been specializing in the Egyptian style of belly dance ever since. After just one course, she joined the Dancers of The Nile Company and began performing professionally. Jenann spent her senior year of high school attending Santa Fe Community College on a full academic scholarship, graduating from P.K. Yonge in 1978 as class valedictorian. In 1979, she graduated from Santa Fe Community College with an Associate of Arts degree on the Honor Roll. She went on to study at University of Florida. During her college years, Jenann continued to study belly dance under a wide number of instructors. She also taught courses and provided choreography for group and solo dance numbers, managed shows, designed and created costumes and makeup. She continued to perform with the Dancers of the Nile which transitioned into the Oasis Mid-East Company. Along with belly dance, she taught jazz, aerobics and worked as a fitness trainer with Nautilus equipment. She choreographed and created various dance characters, performing at the Ironwood Gulf and Country Club and delivering dance grams for Balloons and Bows. She was also the manager and choreographer for the Scruples Lingerie Shows. At the University of Florida, Jenann studied theatrical arts as well as Speech Communication. She graduated in 1983 with a Bachelors of Arts in Communication, graduating with High Honors as a member of the Phi Kappa Phi Scholastic Honor Society. After graduation she continued with graduate studies at the University of Florida for a Masters of Fine Arts with the Theatre Department and was a member of the University of Florida Players specializing in costume design and makeup. Before completing this degree, she changed academic direction and began her studies in the computer technology and program management field which took her to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In Pittsburgh, Jenann continued her dance studies while working as a computer specialist and program manager. She was a member of the Miraje Mid-East Company providing choreography and performing across the Pittsburgh Tri-State area. She branched out into a wider variety of dance forms and creative movement. In 1989, she studied Dunham African-American Modern Dance at The Oakland School of Dance and in 1991 Flamenco and Sevillanas at Point Park College. She also studied gypsy dance, ballroom, African, yoga, and even had the opportunity to work with a Lipizzaner stallion, belly dancing on horseback! In 1989 Jenann traveled with Turquoise International Tours to Egypt to study under Mohamed Khalil, the director of the National Folk Troupe of Egypt and see the top Egyptian Dance Performers including Nagwa Fouad and Fifi Abdou. The same year, she moved to Northampton, Massachusetts for one year, where she joined the Crescent Dancers and continued to teach, choreograph and perform. When she returned to Pittsburgh in 1990, she formed her own dance company, the Sahara Mid-East Dance Troupe and continued to entertain in the Pittsburgh Tri-State area. In 1991 she traveled to Spain and Morocco getting a chance to see traditional Moroccan folk dancers and Flamenco Y Clasico at the El Patio Sevillano. In 1995, Jenann traveled to Mexico City to perform at the Adonis. After returning she moved briefly back to Gainesville, Florida before relocating back to Massachusetts, this time just west of Boston. In Boston Jenann continued to perform and resumed her study of Tae kwon-do with the Starling Tae kwon-do Academy. In 1996 she traveled to Korea with the East Coast USA Tae kwon-do Team to study at The Kyung Hee Tae kwon-do University, WTF Kukkiwan and the Hwrang Institution of Learning with spiritual discipline based on Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. Throughout the years she was also building up her communications, team work and coaching skills as a certified PMP (Project Management Professional). In 2000 she had the opportunity to complete the 'Fire Walk' coaching program cumulating in a walk across hot coals. In 2009 she was awakened to study the magick and power of animal totems and now incorporates the beauty of nature in all that she does. Dance and Theatre Companies Gainesville, Florida Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Northampton, Massachusetts Professional Appearances Jenann has taught and appeared at countless seminars, universities, colleges, fitness centers, night clubs, benefits, weddings, international events, church functions and festivals across the US and Mexico. Some of them include: Florida Pittsburgh Tri-State Area Massachusetts Other Areas |