Biography

Linda began to study Middle Eastern dance in 1998 when she found her first teacher. Since then she has worked diligently to study from many teachers of various styles, ethnicities, and regions as she continues to learn and share the joys of this ancient dance. Although she is excited to be a part of the commercial world of Oriental Dance, her first love is the art; the joy and passion of sharing the dance with friends and students.

Like many people born and raised in the Nashville area, Linda studied music and dance since she was a small child. Over the years, she developed a fervent interest and knowledge of Broadway-style productions, classical music, and acting. Thus, her parents enrolled her in the usual dance forms like Jazz, Tap, and Ballet, as well as gymnastics. But she was soon disinterested. She eventually studied violin, piano, clarinet, base clarinet, percussion, and voice. She earned placement in Mid-State and All-State honor choirs as well as positions as section leader in one of the country’s top show choir’s with which she performed for 4 years. She was a choreographer and lead performer in this group, traveling with them to Canada, the Caribbean, all over the US, England, and France when she discovered a dance more ancient that really caught her attention.

When she was 12 years old, a friend of the family showed Linda a few belly dance steps. Although Linda was intrigued, it was three more years before she actually decided to take a look at an instructional video. Although instruction was scarce in Nashville at the time, Linda decided to find a live teacher. With a little searching, Denele became her first instructor.

She began performing under Denele and eventually other instructors in 1999 when she also began teaching friends and family. Her first solo appearance was in May of 2000. She eventually began teaching group classes all over middle Tennessee.

Throughout her career, Linda has attended workshops, and had private instruction and guidance from Performers like Laylia, Deniz, Belladonna, Morocco, Horacio and Beata, Yasmina Ramzy, Travis, Azur Aja, Raqia Hassan, Amar Gamal, Arabesque Dance Academy, and more. She is in high demand as a private and group instructor. Several of Linda’s students are now leading performers and teachers themselves in Middle Tennessee and elsewhere.

Today Linda is proud to be an organizer, instructor, and performer in Nashville’s growing Middle Eastern dance community. She performs on occasion with Middle Eastern Musicians and is often invited to perform at private functions, benefits, festivals, and regional events and workshops. She is a featured performer in Nashville’s finest Middle Eastern restaurants*. She has performed all around the country in cities like Atlanta, Greensboro, Spokane, Nashville, Columbus, Huntsville, and Ft. Lauderdale. She was also invited and privileged to perform and instruct in Cusco, Peru in 2001.

In 2005 she received a personal invitation from Yasmina Ramzy to attend the audition-only, Pro Course through Arabesque Dance Company in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She was also invited to perform at the Ambrosia and Gypsy Co-op Restaurants during her stay. Due to popular demand, Linda was asked to teach a workshop on her unique and well known belly moves and floor-work technique. This blossomed into Linda’s specialty “Belly Moves workshop”.

In 2007 she was an invited performer at the first Annual International Belly Dance Conference of Canada (IBCC). She was a lead dancer and choreographer for the Nashville Opera’s production of Samson and Delilah. Her knowledge and professionalism place her in high demand at educational events and international festivals for Nashville Public Schools, Festival of the Nations, and other organizations. Linda is frequently invited to perform and instruct in cities around the US and Canada.

Locally, she organizes large belly dance parties (haflas), workshops, Belly Dance shows, and other gatherings designed to help the community network, learn, and grow. Her main goal as a dancer in Nashville is to educate the public and new dancers about the rich tradition and elegance of this art form in hopes that they will continue to support their local Middle Eastern cultural communities.