Hazel

Hazel's Arabic dance style has been greatly influenced by Wendy Buonaventura who she trained with for several years. Hazel joined Wendy's Dance Company and toured nationally with 'Mimi La Sardine'. She has performed internationally with traditional Arabic musicians - and danced with Balkan, Irish and rock bands! -  at concerts, festivals, weddings, cabarets and middle-eastern parties.

Hazel is a professionally-trained actress, and has toured Shakespeare, other classics and modern plays. She has featured in films and been interviewed on TV and radio.

Hazel originally trained in contemporary dance. After having four children she ventured into African, Flamenco and tap-dance, finally finding her true vocation - Egyptian dance. She now performs all types of middle-eastern dance including Persian, Tunisian and Algerian, drawing on folk, classical and traditional styles.

Hazel has taken dancers and families to stay with the Mozeina Bedouin tribe in the Sinai desert. They have accompanied her to experience life with the Bedouin: to dance in the desert, ride on camels, and to sleep under the stars.

Linda

Linda has been dancing since the age of three and went on to study at the Italia Conti Stage School. She has traveled all over the world working in theatre, circus, and TV, beside names such as Ronnie Corbett, Jimmy Tarbuck and Lorraine Chase.

 

 

 

Lorna

Lorna's love of Egyptian dance began during a year spent teaching in the Yemen in 1999. She began dancing with Hazel Kayes in 2003, later joining Haziz in 2006. She has performed with the troupe throughout Gloucestershire, and taken part in dance theatre in the Textiles in Performance show in 2007 at Woodchester Mansion and Quenington Gardens. Lorna lives with her husband in Cheltenham and works for an environmental organisation. When she's not dancing she practices yoga and meditation.

Lorraine

Lorraine's passion for Arabic music and dance began in 1990 on hearing the Anne Dudley/Jaz Coleman album Songs from the Victorious City. She joined arabic dance classes with Rose Mockler in Plymouth and still keeps in touch with her 'old girls'. Her philosophy is that you never stop learning, and she has travelled the length and breadth of the UK and also to Egypt to learn from many different teachers including Wendy Buonaventura, Karine Butchart, Beata and Horacio Cifuentes, Aida Nour, Raqia Hassan and Randa Kamal to name just a few. When not shimmying Lorraine can be found 'Shammying' - her other passion is classic cars!

Louise

Louise is the newest member of the troupe. After being introduced to Egyptian belly dancing by a friend, she's got the bug! She loves the sensual, graceful and cheeky moves, which are shown in the variety of dances the troupe performs.  Louise's other main interest is playing Samba, she's hoping that understanding one style of percussive music will her interpret those tricky Egyptian beats!

Rowan

Rowan began Egyptian belly dancing when she went on a trip to the Sinai desert with Hazel Kayes. A few years later, the inspiration she gained from the people and culture she encountered on the trip moved her to take classes with Hazel in Stroud. Rowan is Mum to two daughters, and enjoys dancing in her free time. She has been a member of the troupe for 4 years.

 

 

 Theresa

Theresa began her training as a belly dancer 10 years ago at Arabesque Academy, Toronto, Canada with Jasmina Ramzy.  Prior to this, she studied classical ballet for eight years.  Her fascination with the art came from her grandmother who took up the dance in her 60's and performed at family gatherings.  Theresa's passion for belly dancing has become fully realized since she joined the wonderful dance troupe, Haziz, in 2008.  She also teaches classes at Kingshill House, Dursley. Theresa is a qualified homeopath and practices from a clinic in Stroud.

 Wendy

Having found that aerobics was not for her, Wendy joined her first dance class to improve her fitness. It was at one of these classes that she first met Hazel, and later became one of her first pupils. Wendy's family were quite relieved when she took up dancing, as her childhood dream had been to become a lion tamer or knife thrower's assistant!