Shamsi

Shamsi believes her life can be simplified to the following mission; Transforming life through dance, movement, music, meditation, and awareness.

Dance

The love for sound and movement that began for Shamsi as a child seems never to have diminished or ceased to evolve.  From Mardi Gras parades to her grandparents’ voices singing hymns in church, music was everywhere and to say Shamsi is kinetic, is only a slight understatement.

At the age of 15 Shamsi first heard the sound of the tabla while on a camping trip.  With the introduction of Middle Eastern Drumming, the bellydancing that followed as a curiosity did not take long to develop into a fascination.  Shamsi’s enchantment with drums and dancing has never stopped.  Her love of Middle Eastern music and dance began 20 years ago, launching Shamsi on an unexpected life journey and she has never stopped learning or loving the many, varied aspects of the art forms.

In 2000 Shamsi began a four-year study of the classical Indian dance form Bharatanatayam with Amruthananda Dance School in Baton Rouge; later studying briefly with Sunanda Nair.  This dance form gave her brain the stimulus and her body the challenge they had been lacking since the days of competitive athletics.  The extraordinary amount of strength, coordination, and rhythm required to perform the complex, multi-layered choreographies of Bharatanataym pushed Shamsi to her physical and mental limits and beyond.

In 2002 Shamsi attended her first Dancemeditation retreat in the Catskills of New York, her life again taking a new direction.  After her second retreat in 2003, Shamsi committed to the 80-day Dancemeditation Teacher Training course offered through Dunya and the Dervish Society of America.  What began as a certification turned into a lifestyle that broadened Shamsi’s perceptions of life and expanded her mind-body awareness, exponentially.  In December 2007 Shamsi became a certified teacher in Dancemeditation.  She has often accredited Dancemeditation with the depth and quality of her dance.

As an entertainer and performer, Shamsi feels it important to connect with everyone who is watching the performance.  Her goal is to draw her audiences into her world, behind the veil, inviting them to feel as though they are part of the movement and story.  In this way Shamsi ensures that each of her performances is an opportunity to bring joy and wonder to the world around her.

Spirituality

In 2000 Shamsi began what she calls “waking up.”  After a series of seeming coincidences, Shamsi embarked on a vision quest, spending six months of intense preparation culminating in three-days of fasting spent alone in the woods near Brevard, N.C.  Through this experience, her life path was revealed and she has never looked back.

During the course of preparation for the vision quest, Shamsi worked daily practicing numerous meditations and meditative techniques that included astral projection, journeying and working with Power Animals, as well as re-discovering and developing her intuitive and psychic abilities.  She also acquired her Usui Reki Levels I, II & III while researching different energy healing methods for vision quest “homework.”  Somewhere during this path, Shamsi began working with Angelic energies.  Initially the Angelic realm was something she thought to be more mythological in nature until Shamsi realized, that these beings had always been with her; as much a part as breathing or blood running through her veins.

Less than two years later, Shamsi’s introduction to Dancemeditation seemed a natural continuation of the spiritual and meditative practices begun with the vision quest.  The ability to heal through Dancemeditation without examination of an issue has given Shamsi the freedom and strength to plumb the depths of her own psyche and soul, in turn allowing her the ability to help others do the same.  Shamsi now shares techniques learned through spirit animal meditations, astral projections, past-life regressions, energy work, drumming, dancing, finger cymbals, Dancemeditation, whirling, and general awareness.

In 2007 Shamsi tip-toed back into the world of Angels; reconnecting and studying on her own.  In July 2008 she was fortunately enough to have an on-the-air Angel Therapy session with Dr. Doreen Virtue.  From that radio session Shamsi was inspired to seek out new information regarding the Angel Therapy process and found Doreen’s son, Charles Virtue.  In what was destined to be another life-altering choice and experience, Shamsi registered for and attended Charles Virtue’s “ACP” Certified Angel Practitioner course in February of 2009.

And this is only the beginning.

Experience

Workshops attended: Charles Virtue’s ACP (Angel Certification Program) Sedona, AZ February 2009, Dalia Carella, Elena Lentini, Mesmera, Gypsy Caravan, Anahid Sofian, Cassandra, Margo Abdo O’Dell, Karen Barbee, Suzana DelVecchio, Eva Cernik, Shareen El Safy, Aisha Ali, Sahra Saeeda, Artemis, Amaya, Fat Chance Bellydance, Laurel Victoria Gray, Hadia Teacher Training,13 week-long Dancemeditation retreats, Omar Faruk Tekbilek, Karim Nagi, Amel Tafsout, Salah Dawson Miller, Uncle Mafufo, Mistress Isolde, Mistress Edwina, Dutchess Alitha, Dutchess Alyssa, Sonia, Olivia Kissel, Moria Chappell, Rachel George, Billy Woods, Daveed Korup, John Compton, Lauren Checchio, Mychele the Henna Goddess 

Performances: Principal Dancer: Arzi’s Restaurant, Jamila’s Cafe, Byblos Restaurant, Hookah Cafe, Baton Rouge FestForAll 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, Festival International 2002, 2003, 2004, Louisiana Renaissance Festival 2002, 2003, Southeastern Louisiana University Fanfare series 2003, 2004, 2001 Steel Pony Express, Cite des Artes 2003, Louisiana State University International Festival, Baton Rouge Heritage Festival,  600 Main International Night, SoGo Live, Spanish Town Ball 2004, Biloxi Bellydance Festival 2005, 2007, Lafayette Relay for Life 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007. 2008, Drama Rama 2007, Houmas House: Awesome Arts in Autumn Gardens 2007, 2008, St. Francisville’s Taste of Culture 2008, Babel Con 2007, Shadows & Jewels 2004, 2008 BRAC Impact, Guest performers at Urban Gypsy’s ”Avant Garden” monthly show Houston, TX 11/11/08, Vagabond Cirque Houston, TX 11/8/08, 3rdCoast Tribal Ft. Worth, TX 1/10/09, Nawruz Celebration May 20, 2009 for Louisiana Iranian Society, Gulf Coast Bellydance Festival Ocean Springs, MS, April 4, 2009

Workshops taught: “Dancer Musician,” Houston 2003; “Dancemeditaiton,” Mobie, AL 2005; “Dancemeditation,” Biloxi, Bellydance Festival 2007, MS; “Zils!” Lafayette, LA 2005; “Dancer Musician,” Lake Charles, LA 2007; “The Veil is my Friend,” New Orleans, LA 2005; “Zil Choreography” and “Turkish Improvisation,” 2007, 2008 Baton Rouge Bellydance Festival, LA; “Hand Gestures and Eye Focus,” 3rd Coast Tribal 2009, Ft. Worth, TX, “Zils for Everyone” 2009 Gulf Coast Bellydance Festival Ocean Springs, MS

Self-Produced DVD - Shamsi’s Rhythms of the Soul, Zils for Everyone (Instructional Video)

Certifications: Angel Certified Practitioner, Usui Reiki I, II & III, Dancemeditation Teacher Training, Yoga Level I, Hadia Teacher Training Level I

Awards and Acknowledgements: First Runner up – 2004 Bellydance Superstar Southwest Soloist Competition