Contact Melanie at 574-533-0222
or melanie@melanieinmotion.com

About Me

Before we get to the "official bio", I′d like to share some tidbits that are often asked of me...

bullet People come up to me all over the place and its fun to see them hesitantly inquire, "...um, are you the...Belly Dancer?" --- YUP, that′s moi.

bullet How did I get started in this?...After many years of dancing professionally, free-lancing as an area choreographer, and teaching ballet for area studios as well as my own, my husband, Don and I got involved in a civic theatre production of "Man of La Mancha". I won the role of the "Gypsy Moorish Dancer" (mostly by looks, no doubt) and in the process of hunting down appropriate costuming, was privileged to meet my future mentor, nationally acclaimed artist, Leila Gamal. Leila gave me a crash-course, an armload of gorgeous costuming... and loads of inspiration...I was HOOKED. And that was 16 years ago! I fell in love with the wonderful and exotic music, rhythms, culture, and the freedom of this dance. Leila taught me well, introduced me to "the circuit" and helped promote me as a soloist throughout the years, in addition to being part of her troupe, "El Amiraat".

bullet How did you get the name "Amani Ali"?....There is a huge M.E. "dance circuit" all across the U.S. (and around the globe, for that matter). It is customary for dancers to take on a professional name from the M.E. Early on in my studies, I had the privilege of studying with one of the master international teachers, Mr. Mahmoud Reda, of Cairo, Egypt. Mahmoud was a famous Arab movie star and dancer and later went on to form the first National Egyptian Folkloric Ballet, turning his special attention to doing field research to preserve ancient dance styles. I have studied with him many times and one day he told me of how much I reminded him in dance-style and looks of one of his dancers, "Amani", which translates "things wished for" or "hope". Though I thought he might be pulling my leg a bit, I thought it lovely that he suggested the name, so "Amani Ali ("most high")" it became. An interesting aside...we wrote a few times and he finally sent me two pictures of the real Amani – I am nearly a dead-ringer after all!!

bullet Since you specialize in Romany (Gypsy) style dancing, why don′t you have a Rom or Turkish name?.... I will forever love Egyptian style (and any style of M.E. dance), but a couple of years into my studies, I got introduced to Turkish Rom style and that jazzed me the most. I′ve taken my career and my troupe mostly down that path. Had I foreseen this, I would now be known on the Circuit as "Yildiz", my favorite Turkish name...However, most know me as "Amani", hence the Arab name.

bullet Where did you learn all that you have learned?.....In addition to Leila Gamal, there are many excellent teachers that come to mind. Ruby Jazayre of South Bend, IN, is also another fun and active instructor, as well as a nationally known dancer, who produces two excellent shows a year, bringing in many nationally known, as well as internationally sought after dance masters. I have traveled throughout the Midwest, as well as to NYC for such notables as Ibrahim Farah and Yousry Sharif, and to Wash. D.C. to find the best instruction available. The teachers are too numerous now to mention, but my primary inspirations or instructors in the Romany genre are the dynamic dancers, Elizabeth Artemis Mourat of Wash. D.C.; Dalia Carella of NYC; and Eva Cernik of Denver, CO. In addition, another wonderful and gracious teacher/friend is the gifted dancer, Tahja, of Sarasota, FL. All in all, it has been a breathtaking and fascinating journey these past several years...

bullet What is the meaning of your troupe′s name?...."Raqs Shuvani" is a melding of two languages..."raqs" is Arabic for "dances of" and "Shuvani" is Romany for "Wise Woman"--- "Dances of the Wise Woman". My sometimes satellite group, "Svatura" is Romany for "Gypsy Tales".

the condensed "OFFICIAL BIO":

Amani Ali, of Goshen, IN, is an accomplished choreographer, teacher, and performer of Oriental Dance. Originally hailing from the Washington D.C. area, where she had extensive training and experience as a classical ballerina, she later went on to study the culture and dances of the Middle East under the excellent tutelage of her mentor and friend, artist Leila Gamal. In addition to studies with many other top international teachers, Amani eventually became a soloist on the dance circuit, as well as a member of Leila′s "Troupe El Amiraat". She is currently an area instructor and artistic director of her own group of student dancers, "Raqs Shuvani". In addition, she has formed a satellite group with Ft. Wayne dancers for occasional shows, "Svatura"

Early on her career, Amani fell in love with the "Roman" (Gypsy) styles of dance with its intricate, asymmetrical rhythms and energetic music. She began studies with the best of the genre: Elizabeth Artemis Mourat; Dalia Carella; and Eva Cernik. She has taken her style and her career, as well as her troupe, "down the Romany Trail".

Amani was honored by Artemis in 2004 to be named one of the top five of the new generation of Turkish dancers in the U.S., and was honored to be interviewed by Artemis for an article on this subject in the Sept./Oct. 2004 issue of "Zaghareet!" magazine. Now that there is growing interest in Romany dance, Amani looks forward to any opportunity to pass on what she has learned and hopes to both preserve and promote the unique spirit and rich heritage of the Rom people, as well as the diverse dance styles found throughout the vast lands of the Middle East.