Roula

Roula Said is a multi-faceted artist who has dedicated her talents to Middle Eastern music and dance. One of Canada's leading lights in the world of bellydance, she is best known for bringing her unique style to the arena of world music and fusion. She co-founded the Canadian global music ensemble Maza Meze with whom she often guests as the featured dancer. She continues to sing, play and dance with her Arabic music group Doula, and in numerous projects with her husband David Buchbinder. Some of these projects include Feast of the East and Medina (where Arabic and Eastern European Jewish music meet) and Shurum Burum Jazz Circus (where she appeared as a dancer/whirling dervish and actor/clown). Roula is the founder of the innovative bellydance troupe, The Roulettes and in partnership with Hannan Sultan has formed Toronto Bellydance, producing regular events for students and professional dancers to show their work. Roula has also recently appeared as a principal actor, dance coach and choreographer for the critically acclaimed feature film “Sabah” directed by Ruba Nadda and starring the exquisite Arsinee Khanjian. Released in the spring of 2005, Sabah is still garnering rave reviews at festivals all over the globe and is now available on DVD. (Rent it at your favourite local movie rental spot or go to the nearest Blockbuster – if you really love it, you can buy it from Roula).

Roula is an inspiring teacher who has been sharing the wisdom and pleasure of bellydance for over 18 years. She has studied with some of the leading educators in the field including Yousry Sharif, Suhaila Salimour, Elena Lentini, Yasmina Ramzy, Aziza, Jillina, Mahmoud Reda, and the late Ibrahim Farrah. She has taught workshops from coast to coast in Canada, as well as in New York and Michigan. Along with her warm and creative teaching style, Roula also brings to students her fluency in the Arabic language and a vast knowledge of the music. As an Arabic musician, she sings and plays qanun and percussion, having studied with George Sawa, Simon Shaheen and master musicians in Syria. As a teacher, she currently enjoys a full plate of weekly classes with a growing schedule of week-end workshops. As a performer, Roula is currently developing more unique pieces that weave together her words, movements and music – a direction that feels whole, new and exciting. She also dances at many a private function, cool downtown theatre show, groovy feminist cabaret and even the occasional little girl’s birthday party. Speaking of little girls – Roula’s daughter, Laila Rifka, is her very favourite creative endeavour ever.

Meaghan Shields

Meaghan Shields is a fresh initiate to the world of professional dance and performance. As an emerging artist, Meaghan has focused her dance training in the last year and a half on learning the movements and traditions associated with bellydance.

Building on thirteen years of training in classical Vagonava-style ballet, Meaghan has studied bellydance primarily under the tutelage of her mentor Roula Said. She is currently both a student and teacher of Roula’s new Om Laila bellydance format.

Meaghan has also studied various other dance and movement forms such as Ashtanga Yoga, Nia, Hip Hop, Jazz, Afro-Caribbean dance and ecstatic (free) dance. She also has community theatre experience, notably having attending the Theatre Aquarius summer program, and having been featured as a principle dancer in over fifteen ballets.

Meaghan has an avid appreciation for all types of music and is currently taking dumbek lessons with Suleiman Warwar.  

Zahira (Thania)

ZAHIRA is a dancer popular for her charisma and powerful stage presence.  Her contact with dance started at an early age, learning the fundaments of Classical Ballet, Contemporary Dance and Mexican Folklore. She began her Oriental Dance training in 2002 and has been practicing it obsessively and diligently ever since.

She studies intensively with Hannan Sultan, Roula Said and Nada Krysko in Toronto and has developed an impressive c.v. of dance training including notable influences from Shazadi of Mexico, Saida and Amir Thaleb of Argentina, Aziza, Yousry Sharif, Rachel Brice and many more luminaries. She periodically takes classes and workshops with various teachers in a wide range of styles and has completed Hadia's Level 1 Teacher's Training Program.

Zahira’s wide knowledge of art and culture, her background in music and drama and her great love for Oriental Dance enrich her dance interpretation and fill her performances with excitement and delight.

As a soloist, she performs regularly at weddings, private functions, festivals and corporate events. She is also a member of The Sultannettes faculty troupe at Hannan's Bellydance studio, and of Rhythm of the Nile Dance Company led by Nada Krysko formerly from the Reda Troupe of Egypt; she also occasionally performs with The Roulettes led by Roula Said.