MANDY HABERMEHL, Founder of Down Hips

Mandy was first introduced to bellydance when taking Egyptian Drumming classes in 2002. She found immediate enjoyment in the Middle Eastern music and began studying under Alana Miller (now in Hong Kong www.uulady.com). 
Mandy has also studied under Dharlene Valeda, and Khizmet of Khizmet Bellydance in Cambridge, where she was a member of Khizmet’s troupe “Karma” from 2007-2009, Hiba (Guelph), Orkideh (Torono), Kim Green (Flamenco), Cassandra Fox (Clearwater), as well as classes and workshops with Ishra (Guelph), Sassy Ray (Burlesque), Alecia May (Hamilton), Jaene Castrillon (Folklore), Chantal De Santos (Germany), and with other bellydance greats, such as Jillina (bellydance superstars), Bozenka, Yasmina Ramzy, Aida Nour, Hadia, Aziza, Hannan Sultan, Nada El Masriya, Ranya Renee, Autumn Ward, Johara, Lesya Starr, Delilah, Sema Yildiz, Amel Tafsout, and Razia. Among her training, Mandy has increased her knowledge of the Anatomy of Dance through Jayne Cummings, Janice Moreside, and personal research.

In 2007 Mandy took interest in the development of Tribal Fusion Bellydance. She has taken classes or workshops from many instructors including the well known Valizan from Hamilton, Orkideh (Toronto), Amy Sigil of Unmata, Kami Liddle (Bellydance Superstars), Audra Simmons from Dark Side Studio in Toronto, Sera Solstice, Samantha Emmanuel, Andrea Fryett of Montreal, Marie-Chantal of Les Trib’elles, Neefa of Khafif, Mira Betz and Safa.

Mandy had previously taught dance at Haft Vadi Studio, Lifeline Fitness, outdoor festivals, community groups and special events. With no prior experience to dance or music, she is able to understand the hardships of learning a new form of movement from a beginner level. She seeks to find the enjoyment and confidence that bellydance can bring, and to help her students achieve their similar goals in the artform in a relaxed and enjoyable way. With a love for the supportive environment of bellydance, she tries to promote confidence and fun for women of all shapes and sizes and ages, while being aware of proper technique to avoid injuries.

In 2009 Mandy opened up Down Hips Dance Studio as a home to many dance instructors and students with the endeavor to create an adobe for a variety of instructors and bellydance forms in an open and supportive community. Shortly after she founded the Down Hips Dance troupe with whom she now dances with along side 9 other fantastic ladies!  Mandy is a 2010 Nominee for the KW Arts Award, Performance Category.

She credits Khizmet of Khizmet Bellydance in Cambridge (www.khizmet.com)  for showing her the true passion and love in bellydance, and for her pure support in instructing, dancing and life!

Mandy Habermehl teaches: Egyptian Bellydance, Veils, Tribal Fusion

email mandy@downhips.com

FAITH

Faith discovered belly dance in 2007 when she took a class with Khizmet (Khizmet’s Bellydance Studio) on a whim, and subsequently found her new addiction. She continued to study with Khizmet, and complemented this with study under Rhaehana and the completion of the Middle Eastern Dance I course at Haliburton School of the Arts with Yasmina Ramzy. She was a member of Khizmet’s troupe Karma and Rhaehana’s troupe Bella Luna, and is now part of the Down Hips Dance Troupe.  Faith continues to study under many instructors through a variety of classes and workshops, some of whom include Nada El Masriya, Hannan Sultan, Orkideh, Jillina, Johara, Hannan Sultan, and more. Shortly after discovering Middle Eastern dance, Faith took an interest in both classical and modern Indian dance, and has taken various classes and workshops with such instructors as Lopa Sarkar and Divya Kumar.  Faith began teaching in 2009, and loves seeing the joy on women’s faces as they discover what their bodies are capable of, from that very first shimmy all the way to a finally “getting” a complicated mudra!   Faith teaches: Egyptian Bellydance, and  Bollywood

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Krystina Bednarowski

Always admiring the Egyptian culture and music growing up it was only natural for her to have an interest in belly dance.  Noted for having the “hips” of the dance, she has learnt to embrace her figure and encourages her students to do so as well.

Her infatuation with bellydance began in 2004 being taught at Haft Vadi under Dharlene and Sheldon Valeda.  In 2005 she studied with Khizmet in Cambridge where she performed with Khizmet’s troupe Karma from 2006 to 2009.  She is now continuing her studies at Down Hips Dance Studio, and is a member of Down Hips Dance Troupe the “Bellydonnas”.

Krystina has previous dance experience in Jazz dance, and has also taken other forms of dance such as Burlesque, Caribbean Fusion, and Bollywood name a few. She has taken workshops and studied with instructors such as:   Cassandra Fox (Clearwater), Ishra (Guelph), Yasmina Ramzy (Toronto), Nada El Masriya (Toronto), Hannan Sultan (NC), Divya Kumar (Toronto), Gaelle Dufour (France), Andrea Fryett  (Montreal), Alana Miller (Hong Kong), Rhaehanna (Cambridge), Chantal De Santos (Germany), Unmata (California), Bellyqueen (New York), Ruby Jazyre & Leila Gamal (Indiana), Cassandra Al Warda (Ohio), Abrevaya & Nilaja (Illinois), Zahra (Michigan), Jaene Castrillon (Toronto).

Krystina Teaches: Bellydance

AMANDA ELGIE-BOETTGER

Amanda has been dancing for over ten years, and from her first experience with Egyptian Bellydance, Amanda was infatuated with the dance form.  With over 10 years of ballet experience under her belt, Amanda delved headfirst into her bellydance training, studying multiple times per week with a variety of dance instructors.  Her dance training in the field of bellydance has brought her to study under Mandy Habermehl, Cassandra Fox (Clearwater), Krystina Bednarowski, Alecia May (Hamilton), Khizmet (Cambridge), Jaene Castrillon (Toronto) and Orkideh (Toronto). Training in Egyptian bellydance, veils/double veils, tribal fusion, Caribbean fusion, and zills.  In 2010 Amanda joined the Down Hips Dance Troupe “the Bellydonnas” where she continues to perform for the public in venues throughout the tri-cities.  Amanda teaches:  Bellydance

TAMARA MACDONALD

Tamara MacDonald started dancing at the age of 2.  She studied various dance forms including ballet, pointe, tap, jazz and folk and completed various workshops with the National Ballet of Canada in Toronto up to the age of 16 when her love of horses took over.  She returned to dance 3 1/2 years ago realizing how much she missed the art form, starting her study of Bellydance with Khizmet in Cambridge, Ontario.  Since this time, she has broadened her studies in bellydance, veil and tribal fusion with classes and workshops with Mandy Habermehl (Kitchener),  Katie Hendricks (Kitchener), Orkideh (Toronto), Alecia May (Toronto), Hannan Sultan (Toronto), Ruby (Indiana), Sharifa (Michigan), Jamila (Indiana), Abrevaya (Illinois), Yasmina Ramsey (Toronto), Donna (Illinois) and Cassandra Al Warda (Ohio), Jaene (Toronto).  She has been a member of the DownHips Dance Studio troupe, the Bellydonnas, since 2009.

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SASSY RAY

A principle performer with Revue Royale Burlesque and the founder of Oh, You Tease!  School of Burlesque, Miss Sassy Ray has been bringing Burlesque Revival to the masses since 2006.  With a lifelong passion for theatrical performance and strong 15+ year dance background under her belt, Miss Sassy now focuses her creative energies on teaching and performing Classic Burlesque – recreating the lost Art of Tease so popular in the 1930s-1950s. Class in an Hour Glass!

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REBECCA BALAZ

Since 2004 Rebecca has studied many forms of bellydance including Raks Sharki, and other folkloric dances including Khaleegi, Alexandrian, Ghawazee, Saidi, and Turkish as well as modern styles such as Veils, Tribal Fusion, ATS, Caribbean Fusion, and Bollywood. She has had the good fortune of learning from these terrific instructors in sessional classes: Khizmet (Cambridge), Mandy Habermehl (Kitchener), Dharlene Valeda (Kitchener), Johara (Oakville),  Gaëlle Dufour (France), Orkideh (Toronto), Valizan (Hamilton), Alana Miller (Hong Kong), Hiba (Guelph), Rhaehana (Cambridge),  Alecia May (Burlington), Cassandra Fox (Clearwater), Faith Saraiva (Brantford), Katie Hendricks (Kitchener) and Shantell Powell (Kitchener).  She has enriched her study of bellydance by taking workshops with these great instructors: Ishra, Nada El Masriya, Kaeshi Kae, Audra Simmons, Amy Sigil, Carenza, Kay Lousie, Kajira, Marie-Chantal, Jim Boz, Bozenka, Jillina, Sera Solstice, Jasmina Amal, Asima, Aziza, Chantelle dos Santos, Safa, Naraya, Ranya Renee, Roula Said, Autumn Ward, Hadia, Sassy Ray, Deborah Shaw, Hannan Sultan, Andrea Freyett.  Rebecca has performed with Khizmet’s troupe Karma (2006-2009) and then with the Down Hips Bellydonnas (2009-2011).    This year, Rebecca is focusing on solo performances as well as collaborations with other dancers and is concentrating on furthering her training in tribal fusion technique and performance.

Karate-Aiki Jujitsu Academy Of Martial Arts

Down Hips Dance Studio also houses the Karate-Aiki Jujitsu Academy Of Martial Arts with lead instructor Sensei Silva, who holds a 4th degree black belt level.

Classes from 5 years old up.

Adults (male & female) are welcome, as well as parents with their children, or families.

$60.00/month/person.

Call 519-729-7882 or email jujitsu.karate@gmail.com for more information.