Sultana Taj Belly Dancer from Belleville, NJ

SULTANA TAJ has loved to express herself through movement to music since before she could walk. She is a popular and exciting international Middle Eastern dance artist, having worked in restaurants, nightclubs, and 5 star hotels in Lebanon, Tunisia, Bahrain, Egypt, and Iraqi Kurdistan as well as various venues and private parties throughout the New York City area and the USA. Her style is full of energy and inviting as she gives her heart to her audience. In addition to performing weekly for several NYC and now San Diego area restaurants, nightclubs, and hookah lounges, Sultana has also performed for many special events, weddings, and parties including performances for Saudi Arabian Royalty, dignitaries from the Gulf area, the grand opening at Le Souk restaurant and nightclub in New York City, NYC's Mercedes Benz Fashion week, movie opening parties for various celebrity audiences, the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Egyptian room, world famous nightclub Webster Hall, the popular TV show America's Got Talent, Ru Paul’s Drag Race winner Bebe Zahara Benet’s show Creature, several music videos and films, and by invitation for the International Bellydance Conference of Canada Gala at Ryerson theater. Sultana has made appearances with Bellydance America on Fox's Good Day New York, and has had the privilege of doing the introduction to Mohamed Shahin's DVD Dance Like an Egyptian Vol. 2. She also has a featured performance in Jehan Kamal's DVD "Bellydance with Fan Veils". Some of Sultana's theater production appearances include Encore's Zorba! dancing alongside John Turturro at the New York City Center, "Cirque Arabesque - A Caravan of Dreams" at the Manhattan Movement and Arts Center, “Antony & Cleopatra” at the American Theater of Actors, “The Pearl" at the Schermerhorn Theater, and "The Choreographer's Canvas" also at the Manhattan Movement and Arts Center. Sultana began her dance training at the age of 5 in jazz, tap, lyrical, character, and ballet. She accredits Michele, Molly, and the late Shirley Larkin of Larkin Dance Studio in Maplewood, MN for the majority of her early training in jazz and tap. She discovered her love of Middle Eastern dance in 2002 and has become dedicated to the art form ever since. She is available for weddings, birthday parties, bar/bat mitzvahs, theatre and stage productions, family events, corporate parties, and any special event. Her charisma, friendly personality, technical strength, energetic style, and devoted dedication to her art has gained her notoriety among the belly dance community and those who love the performing arts. Sultana accredits the world renowned Jehan Kamal as her mentor and as the woman who helped her to start her career as a belly dancer. Sultana has been greatly influenced by Jehan's style of dance and inspired by her continuous generosity towards her students. Sultana has also studied extensively in the United States, Egypt, and Lebanon with other well known and respected teachers such as Cassandra Shore, Yousry Sharif, Azza Amon, Nourhan Sharif, Ranya Renee, Gamila El Masri, and Egypt's most famous folkloric choreographer and performer, Mahmoud Reda. She has taken workshops and intensive master classes with Randa Kamel, Bassima of Lebanon, Mohamed Shahin, Karim Nagi, Tito, Mohamed El Hossaney, Jillina, and many others. She has also studied folkloric Middle Eastern dance styles such as dabke, Saidi, Khaleegi, and Iraqi dance with Caracaulla dance company’s Ramzi El-Edlibi, Samer Alfares, and Eyad Fakhereddine. She dances dabke and plays tabul for weddings and other large scale, prestigious events. Sultana currently teaches classes in San Diego and has taught the art of belly dance in schools throughout the New York area such as Bellydance America, Steps on Broadway, the Manhattan Movement and Arts Center, Queens Community College, and Taliah Performing Arts Center. She is available to teach large or small groups at parties, or privately in person or online. She has experience teaching all ages from kids to 80 year olds, any gender, and all fitness levels. In addition to dance, Sultana is also a talented film and theater actress. She is an alumni of the Lee Strasberg Film and Theatre Institute. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and Psychology from the University of Minnesota. Sultana has devoted much of her life into learning and studying the tarot. She is on a committed journey with tarot and enjoys working as a reader in various lounges, clubs, and private parties. As a professional dancer and performer of Middle Eastern dance styles, she incorporates her experience with body movement together with intuition and understands that we are mirrors, reflections of everything and everyone around us. Her experience is enlightening for her as well as the people she reads for. In addition to dancing, she is available to do readings for any kind of party, spiritual gathering, or event.