Sonya Blacker

Sonya Blacker is a multi-award winning dancer & ambassador of Pan Arabic Dance based in Chicago, teaching both locally & nationally her varied styles of Oriental Dance since 1999. In 2004 she opened her own 2-studio dance school Arabesque Dance, where she gives home to other instructresses while embracing all traditional and modern cabaret styles as well as tribal style belly dance fusion. Arabesque & Sonya proudly sponsor numerous annual events, ranging from nightclub haflas to large sell-out theater shows. Tempering fusion with knowledge, Sonya sought her certification in teaching Mid East Dance in Cairo Egypt June 2006 by legendary master Mahmoud Reda & Farida Fahmy, after 10 years of dedicated dance training & she is also “Hadia certified” Levels 1 & 2. The perpetual student, she strives to be an example to the new generation & uplifting to the expectations of what is belly dance, as a performer, a mentor, an event sponsor, competition judge, troupe director, video producer, and artist. Visit her online at www.SonyasSouk.com  &  www.ArabesqueChicago.com

 
Ajanta Chakraborty

Ajanta is the founder of Bollywood Groove, a Bollywood/Bhangra dance company with presence in Chicago and neighboring cities. She has a Senior Diploma in Indian classical dance, Bharatnatyam, from Prayag Sangeet Samiti and has been performing on stage all her life. Ajanta's passion lies in making the Indian dance styles accessible to adults and kids in a way that is both joyful and effective. In a short span of a few months, Bollywood Groove has had the privilege of spreading the Bollywood joy to all over Chicagoland including World Music Festival, 2010. Bollywood Groove offers group and private classes and their dance troupe performs at public and private events. More information at http://bollygroove.com/