Principal
Josephine Wise - Professional Training Tutor/National Assessor
Josephine is one of the world’s top exponents of Egyptian Dance. She is in demand internationally for her teaching style and her commitment to the development of each dancer’s talent and ability.
In 1990 she set up the Josephine Wise Academy of Arabic Dance (JWAAD) to promote the highest standards in Arabic dance, the JWAAD Summer School and the JWAAD Teacher Training Diploma Course. After her partner in the creation of the course, Maggie Caffrey, retired, Josephine invited five of her senior teachers to deliver the course with her, and Kay Taylor to head the Professional Training department of the Academy. The Academy now runs two Diploma Courses, a Teaching Diploma and a Performance Diploma, and JWAAD professional courses are now being accredited by the Open College Network (OCN).
Calling on her extensive career as a performer, Josephine has developed a very distinct and accessible method of teaching both the physical technique and the cultural intricacies of Belly Dance. Josephine is a teacher of the Alexander Technique and she uses Alexander principles in her dance teaching, particularly alignment of the spine and release in the muscles. She is also trained as a Pilates teacher and uses Pilates style exercises when needed for core strengthening for dancers.
Alongside her other teaching work of classes and workshops around the globe, Josephine is Artistic Director of Johara Dance Company and runs the Fantasia Festival in London.
For more about Josephine click here
Area: London, Countrywide
Telephone: 0207 502 0934
Email: jo.wise@jwaad.com
Website: jwaad.com
Head of Professional Training
Kay Taylor - Professional Training Tutor/National Assessor
Kay Taylor is Head of the JWAAD Professional Training Program and is responsible for having achieved accreditation for the units of the Diploma Courses. One of the seniour JWAAD Tutors, Kay is in demand throughout the UK to teach workshops and perform. She is recognised internationally both as a teacher and promoter of specialist belly dance events such as the Farha Festival in Luxor, which is based on working with live music. Kay is passionate about people's development as dancers. She is responsible for both Farida Adventures, her holiday business, and Farida Dance, purveyor of all things to do with belly dance.
For more about Kay click here
Area: Newcastle, Countrywide
Telephone: 0191 519 0305
Email: faridadance@mac.com
Website: faridadance.com & faridaadventures.com
Professional Training Tutors/National Assessors
Yvette Cowles
Yvette Cowles was a founder member of Josephine Wise’s Masriat Dance Company and is now a soloist with Johara Dance. She has taught and performed bellydance for over 15 years and her background is in Egyptian style dance, although she now specialises in theatrical bellydance. She is a senior JWAAD Tutor and trains bellydance teachers on the Foundation and Diploma Courses.
Yvette has taught extensively across the UK. Events include London Fantasia, the International Bellydance Congress, several Farida Dance weekends at Ford Castle and the Jewels of the Nile show. She also teaches at the annual JWAAD Summer School. While living in South-West France, she taught regularly in Bordeaux and Marmande and performed as a soloist in La Nuit de la Danse Orientale at the Casino Municipal in Biarritz.
Yvette's work also focuses on the healing power of dance particularly with women who, like herself, have suffered from or are living with cancer.
Area: London, Countrywide
Telephone: 07836 503373
Email: yvette_cowles@yahoo.co.uk
Website: danceyourselfhappy.com
Raphaelle Masson
After studying music for 20 years and Modern Jazz Dance for 3 years, Raphaelle started Oriental Dance in London in 1995. She obtained her JWAAD Teaching Diploma in 1999 and has been teaching in Paris and Europe since. She regularly teaches at JWAAD events (Fantasia and Summer School) and was also part of the teaching crew at the International Bellydance Congress in 2007 and 2009). She has been a Tutor on the JWAAD Diploma Course since 2005.
Raphaelle has studied with many Western and Egyptian teachers but her main influences are Josephine Wise, Yousry Sharif, Randa Kamal, Suhaila Salimpur, and more recently Jill Parker and Sera Solstice. She has also studied darbuka and req for 2 years with Habib Yammine in Paris.
Interested in 'The Difference' in terms of music, performances and costumes, Raphaelle has performed with artists like Trans-Global Underground, Natacha Atlas, Recycler and Oojami in France, the UK and Hungary, as well as in the opera Oberon. She has also appeared in videos and TV programmes in France and the UK, and has recently collaborated with Beach Bellydance Bablyon as a singer and recorded Oriental cover version of 'Trust in Me' and 'Fever'.
As well as adding her 'French Touch' to her performances, she is known for her work with props and floorwork. She specialises in zills and has developed her own method, which she teaches extensively in Europe.
Raphaelle is also co-organiser of BellyFusions fusion festival in Paris and is a founder member of the Oriental Dance Circle (ODC) - an association created to promote and develop Oriental dance France.
Area: Paris, France
Email: bellydeluxe@gmail.com
Website: bellydeluxe.over-blog.com & cercle-des-danses-orientales.com & bellyfusions.com
Gwen Booth
Gwen Booth is the JTA's Training Coordinator, and a tutor on the JWAAD Foundation and Diploma Courses. She specialises in the use of props (sword, stick, veils, fans, shamadan) and in the fusion of Egyptian dance with ballet and theatrical Western styles. Gwen is known for her elegant and dramatic style. She has performed and taught at national and international events including the International Bellydance Congress and Bellyfusions Festival Paris, and is a member and soloist with Johara dance company. Gwen is based in Oxford, and is available for workshops, performance and private tuition throughout the UK and abroad.
Area: Oxford, South-East, London
Email: geb21@hotmail.com
Website: elegantbellydance.co.uk
Margaret Krause
A highly experienced teacher, much loved for her sensual, feminine style, Margaret teaches regular classes in Surrey and workshops around the country. She is a soloist with Johara Dance Company, a senior teacher on the JWAAD Teacher Training Diploma Course and the co-founder and co-artistic director of the Habena Dance group.
Area: Surrey, Hampshire
Telephone: 01276 507251
Jan Piggott
Jan is a tutor on the JWAAD Diploma and Foundation courses and teaches regular classes in Dorset, Hampshire and Wiltshire as well as workshops at many major festivals throughout the UK. Jan is known for her lively style and sense of fun. She has performed on TV, in theatres, clubs and for private and corporate events, and with her student group has helped raise money for many local charities.
Area: Dorset
Telephone: 07977 909564
Email: janbelly@hotmail.com
Claire Novis
Claire first fell in love with Egyptian bellydancing in 1999, and has since studied extensively to develop her own style. She is known for her musicality and expressive quality of her dancing. An experienced performer, her personal career highlights include performances at the Edinburgh Fringe, Glastonbury Festival and in Algiers. She is a senior member of the Tarab Dance Company. Claire started teaching in 2003 and has a friendly and approachable teaching style; constantly developing ways of breaking down material to help her students learn. Claire is a Tutor on the JWAAD Foundation Course and is currently Chair of the JTA.
Area: Newcastle, Jesmond, West Moor
Telephone: 07801 276015
Email: bellydance@clairedances.co.uk
Website: clairedances.co.uk
Krystina
Krystina (Chris Gould) obtained her JWAAD Teaching Diploma in 2002 and has been teaching in the East Sheen/Barnes areaof London for over 10 years. She is the Artistic Director of the multi-award winning Egyptianize Dance Company and also the proprietor of Bellydance Boutique.
Area: London, South-East
Telephone: 07528 097153
Email: chris@bellydance.me.uk & mail@bellydanceboutique.co.uk
Website: bellydance.me.uk & bellydanceboutique.co.uk
Beatrice Curtis
She's been called the "Queen of Raqs Sassy" and "Slinky, with class"! Béatrice is a teacher, performer and eternal student of Arabic dance. Her style is resolutely Egyptian incorporating both the traditional folkloric and the contemporary Cairene styles. She regularly attends workshops with the top Egyptian teachers & dancers. She is known for the emotionality of her dancing and her understanding of the music. She teaches regular classes in Surrey, and workshops throughout the UK, and overseas. She is also a tutor for the JWAAD Foundation and Diploma courses.
Area: Surrey, Hampshire
Telephone: 07787 990291
Email: beatricecurtis@gmail.com
Website: beatricecurtis.co.uk
National Assessors
Catherine Bartholomew
Catherine has been studying Arabic dance for over 10 years and is a JWAAD qualified teacher based in Kent. Having always enjoyed the femininity of the dance, Catherine was thrilled to be able to dance throughout her pregnancy last year and even during the birth! Catherine teaches regular classes in Aylesford, Strood and Sittingbourne.
Area: Kent
Telephone: 07840 963036
Email: info@sevenveils.co.uk
Website: sevenveils.co.uk
Anna Bisco
Anna Bisco (AKA Loveday) is based in Leeds and performs and teaches across the UK. She is a member of the Tarab Dance Company and runs the Book a Belly dance agency which hires dancers out for events across the UK. She is also the Coordinator for the Northern Arabic Dance Association and has trained on the JWAAD Foundation and Diploma courses. Her passion and focus if for Egyptian style Belly Dance and regular trips to Egypt fuel her development and love of the dance which she seeks to share with her students.
Area: North-East
Telephone: 07707 218199
Email: loveday.bellydance@googlemail.com
Website: lovedaybellydance.co.uk
Anna Chandler
Anna is well known and loved on the Bristol scene as a warm and generous teacher and performer. she is renowned for her Baladi feeling, passion and expressive interpretation of the music. Anna is an established professional performer and has been the resident dancer at Byzantium since 2006. Her love affair with this dance had led her to study extensively in the UK, Cairo and beyond. In 2008 she completed the JWAAD Foundation and Diploma Courses and recently became a JWAAD technique assessor. Anna established her company, Egyptian Nights, in Spring 2002, and has weekly classes at Emersons Green and Thornbury.
Area: Bristol, South-West
Telephone: 01454 411611
Email: anna@egyptiannights.co.uk
Website: egyptiannights.co.uk
Emma Chapman
Emma is one of the few full-time professional bellydancers in the UK, specialising in modern Egyptian bellydance. Based in Cambridge, she teaches classes and workshops at major festivals and is renowned for her precise technique and warm, friendly teaching style. She is an accomplished entertainer and her love and feeling for Egyptian music is obvious to all who have seen her. Emma began learning in 1998 and continues to train with top dancers from around the world, constantly seeking inspiration to keep her dancing fresh and exciting.
Area: East Anglia
Telephone: 07985 117592
Email: emma@emmabellydancer.co.uk
Website: emmabellydancer.co.uk
Samantha Neal
Samantha has been belly dancing since 2000 and teaching since 2003. She trained as a teacher with JWAAD and has trained as a dancer with the top teachers and dancers from the UK, USA and Cairo. She is well known for her fusion sassy style. Samantha teaches bellydance and Zumba in North London, Essex and Hertfordshire.
Area: London, Essex and Hertfordshire
Telephone: 07770 596 634
Email: samantha@samnara.co.uk
Website: samnara.co.uk
Local Assessors
Sandra Thompson
Sandra is a qualified JWAAD dance teaching, holding regular weekly classes in the Hull and Humber region together with regularly travelling to teach dance workshops in the UK. An experienced belly dance teacher and performer, Sandra has over 25 years experience in other forms of dance including jazz, ballet, contemporary modern, tap and Latin American. Her classes and workshops are varied and fun, and styles taught range from Egyptian Oriental, Baladi, Saidi and Khaleegy to Folk, Pop and Fusion.
Telephone: 07730 309429
Email: sandra@saharadance.co.uk
Website: saharadance.co.uk
Music Department
Adam Warne
Adam Warne is a UK based multi-percussionist specialising in the drums and rhythms of Egypt.
Adam performs internationally as a member of Guy Schalom's Baladi Blues Ensemble and Glenn Sharp's Jadid Ensemble as well as adding a touch of Egyptian rhythm to the Indian and jazz influences of Olivia Moore's Unfurl. Adam also works extensively in dance, teaching and performing with members of the Banat Eshorouk troupe in Leeds, as well as with many other teachers nationally and internationally.
Not just a tabla player, Adam is one of the few UK percussionists to specialise in the Riq, as well as performing, teaching and recording with the Duf, Doholla, frame drums and an array of different drums from musical traditions around the world.
As a drum tutor, Adam is known for combining a fun approach with a clear, in-depth presentation of technique and rhythms.
Area: Countrywide
Telephone: 07854 179092
Email: adam@rhythmicginger.com
Website: rhythmicginger.com
