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Meet the Teaching Staff

The teaching staff at Visions of the Nile is dedicated to giving quality, dependable, organized, and fun instruction to its students. Their love of the dance is apparent in everything they do. They feel their primary obligation to students to accurately pass on their knowledge and are very excited to do so. All staff members have gone through extensive training and apprenticeships before beginning to teach.

Ameenah is the founder and the heart of the school and of its teaching methods. She is the only full-time instructor, lecturer, and performer in NE Ohio.This is not a part-time job or a hobby, this is the love of her life! She loves belly dance because it provides an outlet for the spiritual and sensual being that she truly is and a focus for her creativity. Ameenah enjoys creating or embellishing some of the costuming currently for sale in the Treasures of the Nile bazaar.

Ameenah has two daughters currently at home who are home schooled, and they are her star pupils in the junior dance troupe: Jewels of the Nile.

She began fulfilling her dream of belly dancing by taking lessons from Danielle Cowgill in the summer of 2000. She has also studied under Dahmia, Shakira, Aegela, Veena and Neena, and Carrie Konyha. She attended Oasis Dance Camp in 2003 with Cassandra Shore and Jillina and 2005 with Cassandra and Amel Tafsout, and seminars with Jasmine Jahul, Badia Samra El Nil, Faten Munger, Aeila, Mylitta, Tarik Sultan, Morocco, BellyQueens Amar and Kaeshi, Susanah DelVecciho, Tamera Henna, Zafira, Gypsy Soul, BellyJam 2004, attended and performed at BellyJam 2005, and MEDIA's Teachers Seminar. Ameenah is currently director of the dance troupes, lectures, and performs at most events.

She is the former Treasurer for the national organization MEDIA (Middle Eastern Dance Instructors Association). Ameenah now teaches intermediate and advanced classes, and private lessons at the studio and Stewart's Caring Place; and has taught at Ananda Center in Massillon, ProQuest in Richfield and Kent State University. She was the guest of Oasis that aired on cable broadcasting, and was interviewed for the Stow Show. She taught at the National Nursing Aides Convention and speaks and teaches at various public venues. Ameenah is also a Level 2 Reiki practioner.

The opportunity arose in 2001to open the Visions of the Nile venture. She now has the only harem room and bazaar in the area.

Dahmia has been a Middle Eastern and Polynesian dance teacher and performer in Northeast Ohio since the mid-70’s. She is Founder and Director of Ahawat el Rakisat (Sisters In Dance) and Sisters of the Islands. She recently attended her 21st year at the Oasis Dance Camp in Traverse City, Michigan. Dahmia feels it is important to support other teachers and sponsors of seminars and encourages her students and other dancers to attend. The only requirement to belong to Dahmia’s troupe is love of the dance and culture. Dahmia is also a Reiki practioner.

Yasmine fell in love with Oriental Dancing after practicing with Neena and Veena video series in 2002. Yasmine quickly found Ameenah to further her knowledge of this dance form. Since joining El Rakaset Gamela and Bahirah Jawahir, Yasmine has performed in many local nursing homes, community parades and festivals such as Stow's Aviation Day, Akron's Arts Festival, Cuyahoga Falls' Arts Festival and Celtic Medieval Renaissance Faire. Teachers include Ameenah, Dahmia, Shakira, Aegela, Cassandra Shore in addition to attending many seminars by top dance artists. Specialties include Classical Egyptian, Egyptian Pop, Zills, Candles etc. She is currently a student/teacher and is teaching beginning classes on Thursday at Visions of the Nile.

Rya began bellydancing on her birthday in December, 2002. After studying with Ameenah for several months and lots of hard work and practice, Rya began performing in the Spring of 2003. She began her student teaching in January of 2004, and has been teaching beginner & intermediate level classes since May 2004. Rya is now active in troupe performances as well as pursuing her own solo career. She has studied under Ameenah, Dahmia and Shakira and has attended seminars taught by Aegela, Amar Gamal and Kaeshi of Belly Queen, Tasha Banat, Jillina of the Belly Dance Superstars, Suhaila Salimpour, Raymere, and Karim Nagi Mohammed just to name a few. Rya’s specialties include: Classical Egyptian & American-Fusion Style Belly Dance & props including: Sword, Cane, Zills & Veil. Her dance training started with ballet when she was 6 years old as a “Dancing Moonbeam”! She has since studied: jazz, modern, ballroom & pom.

Rya's "day job" is as a Product Manager & has been married to her wonderful husband for 10 years. Rya is also a Reiki practioner.

After training with Art Kalmer for ballroom and swing dancing and attending Akron University Continuing Education classes for swing and Latin dance Malikah wanted to try a new form of dance. She has attended Visions of the Nile Belly Dance School since January 2005. She has performed at many festivals, local nursing homes and assisted living facilities as well as a belly dancing themed evening at a local pub. Malikah’s teachers include Ameenah and Rya. She has also attended seminars by Dahmia, Tamara Henna and Cassandra Shore . Malikah is currently a belly dance student and also began teaching at Visions of the Nile in August 2006. She teaches beginning classes on Wednesdays and Mondays.

Hadara joined Visions of the Nile belly dance school in January, 2004, after seeing a middle-eastern performance on a television show. Being a dancer since the age of six, and continuing her training into her first two years of college, she was instantly captivated by the technique and mystery of belly dance. “When I’m dancing, I feel as if I melt into the music. In my seventeen years of training, I’ve never performed a style of dance which has had that effect on me.” Hadara actively participates in local performances and has most recently been seen with four other dancers, performing at Georgie’s Pub in Akron, Ohio.

Currently, Hadara is teaching Beginner Belly Dance at the studio. She, in addition, brings experience through her career as a 9th grade English teacher.

Fahara is the youngest member of the teaching staff. She is the daughter of Ameenah and is her protege as well. Farhara is currently teaching the Kiddie and Teen classes, plus substituting in the adult classes. This fall she will be teaching adult classes at the Hudson Parks and Recreation Center. She has been belly dancing since 2001. She also brings with her an extensive musical background in piano and viola and is an excellent performer. She has also attended workshops with Aegela, Zafira, Gypsy Soul, and Dahmia.

Kalila is the co-founder of the school and its teaching methods. She began pursuing her interest in belly dance with Danielle Cowgill in the summer of 2000, since then she has also studied under Carrie Konyha, Badia Samra El Nil, Faten Munger, Aeila, Shakira, Tarik Sultan, Morocco, and Mylitta. Kalila performs on rare occasion.

Kalila brings with her a Masters Degree in Early Childhood Intervention and years of teaching experience. And although she has a "day job" her love of the dance and teaching is demonstrated in the ways she attends to her students. Kalila has worked on various stage productions and provides drama to the dance experience.