About Sumra
Known to the Utah Middle Eastern dance community as the graceful and sensual Sumra, began studying the art of dance at the age of six. During her growing up years she explored tap, jazz, ballet, Modern and Latin dance styles, with an emphasis on the ballet "I was a little ballerina," she recalled. As an adult, however, she found little opportunity to dance until the day in 1998 when her youngest sister, Nikki (dance name, Nari) dragged her to a belly dance show in Salt Lake City. "I felt an immediate connection to the music," she says and soon afterwards began seeking out the only belly dance available in tiny Logan, Utah: a group of enthusiastic, but loosely organized women who had formed a club at Utah State University."The teacher quit after a few lessons," she remembered, but she and a handful of other women didn’t allow that to stop them, "we started teaching each other," she explained, making use of tapes, seeking out workshops and lessons. They began offering basic lessons themselves, and more and more students started showing up. They pulled together a performance troupe—Shazadi—and Sumra started choreographing for the group, which was soon invited to dance in various locales around the state. Throughout this period, Sumra, "hungry for knowledge," traveled the country seeking the tutelage of well-known dancers who could help expand her growing art: "I’d schedule three to four private lessons and then hop on a plane to California." The approach allowed her to investigate myriad techniques that she then honed into a superb craft marked by her own distinctive style. "It’s as if I’ve had very few teachers," she mused, "but also a ton of teachers." Dance, she says, "allows me to create and be creative in an art form that speaks to me."
Sumra continued as part of the USU Middle Eastern Dance Club for a number of years, helping to develop a full roster of classes and create a student troupe so that up and coming dancers could have the chance to develop into accomplished performers. "I love watching people who’ve been awkward or shy come out of their shells and become beautiful," she says of teaching. In 2007, with the dissolution of USU MED, she founded Shimmering Sands Belly Dance Company with the help of another belly dancing sister, Krista (dance name, Kinza) who subsequently moved to Salt Lake City. Shazadi—of which Sumra remains both principal dancer and choreographer—has become a much in-demand troupe at events around the state of Utah, won top awards performing around the country, and has been invited to perform in places such as California and Florida. Sumra herself has placed in the top three at various competitions including Wiggles of the West, Double Crown Belly Dance Competition, and Belly Dancer of the Universe. Today, she is known as one of Utah’s most masterly dancers, one who combines grace with uncommon sensuality and beauty of movement.
Sumra teaches regular classes through Shimmering Sands, as well as private lessons and workshops.
Props taught: Veil, Zills, Cane, Sword.
Selected Teachers/Colleagues studied with: Virginia, Sahra, Aziza, Angelika, Sonia, Jillina, Hussan, Ansuya, Margo, Sadiyya,
Bio, Kathe Lison
Testimonials
"I love dancing with Shimmering Sands. Instruction is tailored to the students' abilities, with a perfect mix of encouragement and difficulty to expand one's dance repertoire and overall skills. Students are taught history and context of the dance, as well as improvisational technique and music theory. Shimmering Sands provides performance opportunities to every level of dancer, from troupe choreographies to improvisational solo sets. I value the community and friendship I've found through bellydancing with Shimmering Sands."
Kristal
"I discovered bellydance in Utah when I saw Shazadi perform at a charity event several years ago. I was in awe then of their skill and have become even more so since taking lessons: Performing belly dance correctly is a lot harder than it looks! But I wouldn't have remained involved with belly dance at all were there not such a terrific, professional group of dancers (here, in tiny Logan!) and a lot of the credit for their high standards goes to Shimmering Sands and Sumra. Belly dance is both tough and exhilarating, both disciplined and sensual. You'll never work so hard nor get such satisfaction in return."
Kathe