Asphalt

(Italy)

"Before starting to study with Joana I first fell in love and felt inspired by her dancing, wherein I found something "mystical" that makes me always think that Federico Fellini would have put her inside one of its magical movies.

Joana, as a teacher, is truly a gift.

She teaches without any reserve and she never stops giving, I'm always impressed about the amount of amazing contents she manages to give!

She conceived a peculiar "format" for his courses, that makes the process of learning fun, enjoyable and stimulating, because she gives, in addiction to the dance classes, many things to discover little by little. I always have the feeling I am a child with a box full of colorful toys to play with.

What I'd like to underline among everything is that Joana has the will to give her students fundamental tools for a more autonomous development of the dance. That it also means that she teaches at a "multilevel" way, always entering the field of self development.

I personally feel I have, with her, the chance to make order among everything, not only among the huge world that concerns "oriental dance", because joana spreads a direct knowledge of the egyptian culture, not only studied, but truly lived and absorbed beneath the skin, so she can put, and she wisely does, the dance teaching into contextualization; but also, I feel I'm developing a deeper understanding of what  dance technique is made of.

I personally realized that Joana lets you "return" to the dance technique, as kind of something your body belong to, something it deserves and it should explore, to feel more. 

Definitely huge and well beyond expectation."

Dana Moreno

(Colombia)

"I´m very happy to have met Joana on my Oriental Dance path.

In her courses and method I´ve found answers to several needs and questions.

For instance, I´ve learned about the essence of Egyptian Dance, what is essential and what makes it magical.

Everything Joana shares in her courses fascinates me: the concepts she introduces, the exercises she proposes help you find, recognize, and build the unique dancer each of us carries within.

In all of her courses, I find an integrated and permanent way to develop self-empowerment, Egyptian Dance technique, and the essence of each style, all of it backed-up by the great richness of Joana´s experience in Egypt and her studies with the greatest musicians and Egyptian Dance masters. Furthermore, she does it all in a fun and vibrant way.

I´m deeply thankful for her generosity and for her willingness to create work that brings real evolution in her students.

Each course at Joana Saahirah´s Online Dance School is a meeting with myself, with my personal powers and unrecognized gifts.

Basically, I´m witnessing major growth in my dance and, above all, I feel happier and able to express who I am."

Zoe Ni 

(China/USA)

Yes, simply the BEST. She pours out so much love, passion, light through the screen to all students and it inspires me so much. There had been doubts, confusions in my head but she is the one saying exactly what I need to hear to awaken myself. Now I feel my heart is more open for every movement. Her classes change the landscape of my dance basically. She is such a blessing to the education of Egyptian Dance today.

Yara Sultan

(Savannah, USA)

She´s a really *magical* dancer and teacher, my understanding of Egyptian dance (and my dance) has been trans-formative, deepened, since taking ONLY her online classes! She develops each class personally based on your needs that are visible (and invisible) to you. What you think you know, you really have no idea! I don't even know how to begin without writing a novel. I can only imagine what her live classes/workshops are like! Not only does she develop your dance, but your understanding of Egyptian history, the people and their culture, and learning the heart of it all... the great secrets to this dance you don't hear about in your normal classes. Time is spent in EACH class developing not only your dance but your understanding of the magic behind it all. Sometimes in very unusual but exciting, and interesting ways.

Alana Hessa Svetlana Lastochkina

(Russia/Spain)

And that´s true! I´m one of those super lucky and happy people = Joana's student and I can't thank her enough for all that she's shared with me, taught me, for her huge help to find my difficulties not only in dance but also in life. I am so excited to continue our path and see what comes next, because I never know what to expect but I am completely sure it will be a magic discovery, a precious experience, a light that will guide me in my way called Life. I can't recommend Joana enough. You just ought to try her classes, and it is not what I am saying, but what comes from the deepest part of my heart.

Ana Rita Pacheco

(Portugal)

Jian Sakakeeny

(China)

When a dance friend from the Philippines sent me the link to Joana’s Facebook Live chat on her Baladi Awadi course I didn’t realize that I was going to hit a jackpot that would enrich my dance life forever.

The more courses that I take, the more I get hooked.

Before long, I have signed up 8 separate courses and most recently the annual membership for the signature course. But why?

First of all, what appealed to me was the holistic approach that Joana takes to each of her courses, i.e. physical, emotional, and spiritual. And it makes total sense to learn how to integrate these elements to enhance the soulfulness of the dance, a passage leading to the divine.

Secondly, all the courses that I have taken were well designed and really focused on each of my problematic areas such as shimmies, hands and arms, hips, traveling steps, how to interpret lyrics, etc. As the result, my vocabulary for each area got greatly expanded and my techniques, strengthened.

Thirdly, Joana’s dance style is creative in such a way that really resonates with me.

Furthermore, Joana is incredibly knowledgeable about not only Arabic music but also non Arabic music.

Since I started working with Joana four months ago I have created three choreographies. I noticed a dramatic difference between the ones that I created before and the new ones after Joana’s school.

The creativity that Joana emphases so much has become a crucial driver in my approach. Suddenly I feel very liberated in my application of the techniques and concepts that I have learned.

Joana often says that education and application go hand in hand. And I found that the creativity she instilled in us can really make the application take off.

I recommend Joana´s School to anyone because of the transformation that I have experienced in my choreographies and performances.