Nomad Dancers-About Us

Nomad Dancers (via Nomad Dancers-About Us.) is a collective inspired by traditions of India, Persia, Central Asia, Middle East, and Turkey, traveling across borders and bridging cultures in search of the ultimate dance experience. The Nomad Dancers proudly present Persian, Afghan, Tajik, Azeri, Uzbek, Uighur, and Ottoman Turkish traditional folkloric dances, as well as Bollywood and Fusion choreographies, at cultural events, celebrations and festivals in the Washington DC metropolitan area and beyond. The individual Nomad Dancers’ fascination and interests in the graceful, playful, colorful, and rich dance traditions from across this vast region, coupled with the dancers’ myriad experiences and talents, have inspired a varied repertoire of dances and glorious costumes prepared by the Nomad Dancers themselves.

While the Nomad collective itself is a relatively new phenomenon, created in December 2008, each of the individual dancers brings years of professional experience in various dance styles to the group, and have performed in venues ranging from universities and embassies to Washington DC’s Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, to the majestic Registan Square in Samarkand, Uzbekistan; from across the United States to Italy, Greece, Cyprus, India and Afghanistan. The Nomad collective is dedicated to bringing master teachers from around the world to help us refine our skills and craft our choreographies, better enabling us to bring diverse audiences together, and to spread cultural awareness of the region.

Caroline Besley

Annetta Burger

Keely Fahoum

Parastoo Ghodsi

Annie Lum

Sema Muslu

Mindy Russell

Saghi Saghafi

Christel Stevens

Adriane Whalen

U.N. Day – October 2010

Nomad Dancers performed traditional dances in colorful costumes enhanced by the charming natural setting of the National Georgraphic Society courtyard as part of the celebration of the 65th Birthday of the United Nations.

Photos by Ellie Van Houtte Photography www.ellievanhoutte.com and Maria Dittrich.

 

    Selection of photos from our 2010 summer and fall performances

Performances include International Children’s Festival at Wolf Trap, International Children’s Festival Preview at Fairfax Corner, Reston Multicultural Festival, 8th Annual Washington DC Turkish Festival, and Children of Persia’s 7th Annual Walk 4 Children. Nomad Dancers premiered two new Uzbek dances and a passionate Russian Gypsy dance!


Meridian’s 4th Annual International Children’s Festival – May 2010

Nomad Dancers performed at this educational fun-fair that brought together the DC community and the diplomatic corps of Washington, D.C., as embassies hosted booths representing their country and culture. Nomad Dancers’ performance featured Persian, Afghani, and Uighur-style dance from the Kashgar region.

Norouz Around the World Concert – March 2010

Nomad Dancers presented a festival of dance traditions to celebrate the Persian New Year in Alexandria, VA. 
Guest performers: Kardelen Turkish Dance Ensemble, Raqs Jameel, Skyline Showstoppers, and special guest artists Olimdjon Beknazarov and Simone Verduin.

5th Annual Norouz Celebration at Philadelphia Museum of Art – March 2010

Nomad Dancers performed three shows with Rangeen Kaman youth dance company at this whole-day event to celebrate the Persian New Year.

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Chinese president’s envoy meets Tajik president on relations

DUSHANBE, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Hu Jintao’s special envoy, Chen Zhili, held talks with Tajik President Emomali Rakhmon here on Thursday to discuss relations between their two countries. 

Chen, who is vice chairwoman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC) of China, conveyed Hu’s warm greetings to Rakhmon.

Chen said that, thanks to the joint efforts of the two sides, remarkable achievements in the development of bilateral ties between China and Tajikistan had been made in the past two decades.

The two countries had carried out a series of major cooperation projects in such fields as the economy and trade, transportation and electricity, based on the principle of mutual benefit, she said.

Chen said the two sides had also maintained close coordination within the framework of the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and made their contribution to regional stability and world peace.

China is ready to seize the opportunity of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic between China and Tajikistan to enhance China-Tajikistan political mutual trust, tap their cooperation potential and take bilateral ties into ever new stages, Chen said.

Rakhmon said Tajikistan had been committed to developing a new type of friendly relations with China since the two countries established diplomatic ties 20 years ago.