Press

PRESS

<<Photo of Ranya at Cedars of Lebanon nightclub, in New York Times, cover of Weekend section, August 14, 1998.

"Ranya is a vision... You can't take your eyes off her"
--New York Press

"Classy, poetic fluidity of gestures and isolations"
--Village Voice
(review of August 2001 peformance at Lincoln Center Out of Doors Festival, NYC)

Click here to read tribe.net review (by accordionist Ismail Butera) of Ranya's 3rd Annual Holiday Gala show (December 2007) and about the preparation process

DANCE STUDENT COMMENTS

Click here to read comments from dancers who have participated in Ranya's Performance Prep series, culminating in performance with a live Arabic band

In the time that I have worked with Ranya, my technique and understanding of bellydance have increased tremendously. Ranya shares with us a deep passion for the dance and a true respect for the culture. She is relentless about technique/ proper posture, and breathing. She also has the ability to demonstrate movements in a way that makes them as easy to learn as possible. I feel Ranya can help all students reach their highest potential as dancers and I consider myself fortunate to study with her. ---L., NYC

After trying a number of teachers, I decided several months ago to take the majority of my classes with Ranya because of the individual attention she provides each student, the relaxed yet challenging atmosphere she creates as a teacher, and her skill at describing the movements that make up the dance. I especially have benefited from Ranya's tendency to describe movements from the inside out. By this I mean that Ranya indicates what muscle groups are being used and stretched during a particular move. This is all part of her consistent effort to encourage a healthy, safe, and rejuvenating way to dance the bellydance! ---B., NYC

Ranya has a lot of patience as a teacher. I have learned an entire routine in less than 20 minutes where other classes make you spend hours trying to get a routine together. Ranya is totally committed to her craft. And along with dance movements, she also teaches us something about the culture and the language of the songs we use in class. ---C., NYC

Ranya's class is excellent for both physical toning and spiritual uplifting. She is very good about pointing out the fine muscle groups that should be involved for each move, which helps us to discover and focus on our own bodies. She also introduces the fun and the beauty of Middle Eastern music. Her sense of humor and cheerful personality are definitely some of the reasons why we keep coming back to her class. ---E., NYC

Ranya's understanding of Arabic language and music greatly enhance the keen insights she provides students in the interpretive elements of this dance. Her dedication to teaching and studying Middle Eastern Dance are well demonstrated in her ability to convey the wide variety and complexity of this tradition. Through studying technique with Ranya I have learned to think from the inside out. While focusing on body alignment before physical appearance I have found increased strength, control, and range within my movements. The use of her breathing technique has been especially helpful to me in learning to isolate muscles and in thinking about integrating personal expression with the steps. Ranya gives much knowledge and encouragement to those who study with her. Her respect for her students and her contemporaries, as well as her sense of humor, make her class a great place to learn, contemplate, experiment, and to grow. I recommend her class to anyone interested in Middle Eastern dance and music, in working on body alignment, breathing, and flexibility, and in sharing a great learning experience with other students. ----E., NYC

Ranya's breathwork both in her classes and workshops has taken my dancing to a whole new level. Performances since taking her breathing workshops have enabled me to relax and really feel the music as well as relate to audiences, from small intimate gigs to large staged events. I highly recommend her to all my students as well as to my professional dancer friends. No one else is teaching this, and I feel Ranya's techinque is essential to anyone who wants to feel more at home in their own body and at home in a performance.
--Mimi Fontana, dancer/instructor, New York City

Ranya is an extraordinarily gifted instructor and performer. I have found her breathwork techniques to be very effective in learning how to bridge the gap between the audience and the performer, as well as in learning how to create connections with others when dancing in a group. Ranya guest-facilitated one of the PURE (Public Urban Ritual Experiment) rehearsals and many of the dancers were blown away with what she had to share.
--Kaeshi Chai, dancer/instructor and company director, Bellyqueen and PURE, New York City