ABOUT

Jennifer was first drawn to bellydance by her love of Middle Eastern music. This admiration for the music drew her into the dance studio while she was studying at the University of Texas at Austin. Her respect for MENAT cultures and desire to build a deeper knowledge of the art form brought her to the internationally acclaimed Salimpour School of Belly Dance, in which she currently holds her 301 certification (formerly Suhaila Level 3) and 302 certification (formerly Jamila Level 3).  Jennifer is the official Houston connection to the Salimpour Institute, and has been given permission from Suhaila to introduce the program to the greater Houston area.  She is the ONLY Houston dancer to have formalized instructor training directly from master instructor Suhaila Salimpour.

As an instructor, Jennifer draws on her decade of experience teaching in secondary and collegiate classrooms. Her dance instruction is based on her skills in differentiating instruction to meet the needs of all students and to help them reach their personal goals. Her ability to dissect complex movements and concepts allows the beginner dancer to develop a strong foundation while aiding experienced dancers in refining artistic and technical concepts.

As a performer, Jennifer draws on her strong technical training, coupled with a deep knowledge of musicality, and respect for the cultural traditions of the origins of the dance. Performing professionally for years, Jennifer has worked weddings, restaurants, festivals, gala shows, and community events. She performed for multiple years at the Texas Renaissance Festival as a crowd favorite for her use of a variety of props and her vivacious stage presence. Jennifer is proud to be a member of the longest running belly dance troupe in the world, Bal Anat. In 2018, she performed with the group in honor of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the troupe by Jamila Salimpour.

Jennifer is passionate about the art of Middle Eastern Dance. With a Master’s of Arts in History, Jennifer has intensively researched the socio-cultural histories of Middle East and North Africa.