Leyla Najma Belly Dance Resume and Bio
Leyla Najma…
…is a Middle Eastern dancer, trained in Egypt, who has been performing for over 25 years. Leyla’s belly dance career has taken her abroad to Switzerland, France and Italy and through out the United States. In the best traditions of Egyptian Cabaret style dancing, Leyla blends contemporary themes, rhythms and music and draws upon her years of experience to entertain audiences. Leyla has been teaching belly dance for over 17 years and has an instructional DVD out called “Hip Phylosophy.”
Leyla is an accomplished choreographer who has had the honor of working with the notable New Mexico Sparx sisters. Leyla performed for her favorite band “The Gypsy Kings” as well as for dignitaries from Jordan, Egypt, Iran and Iraq and for members of the Saudi royal family. Leyla’s two greatest accomplishments were her collaborations with Rozana Al Jinan in producing the life and times of Cleopatra in a dance-play called “Cleopatra’s Court” and “The Pearl Fantasy”. Cleopatra’s Court play was performed with the drama students from Cibola High School at the Joan Kent Theater. The Pearl Fantasy play was performed at The Hispanic Cultural Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Leyla is a published writer for notable Belly Dance magazines such as The Chronicles, Zaghareet and Jareeda.
Leyla has been producing on-line belly dance instructional videos for over five years working with dance teachers, professional students and enthusiastic students. Leyla works with her husband, Daniel Latrimurti to support and help dancers all over the world.
Leyla is producing her first book, “The Divine Unrest” and she is also working on a Choreography book to help dancers connect the dots to movement and combinations.
Leyla’s membership site www.bellydancevillage.com was created as an easy access, community based site for dancers all over the world. Leyla offers a library of instructional videos, dance interviews, history and articles ranging in a variety of topics plus so much more.
Leyla’s blog is one of the most popular blogs on the internet with over thousands of views a month from dancers and fans all over the world. Blunt and to the point, Leyla says it the way it is and isn’t afraid to talk about topics that might ruffle a few feathers. www.leyla-najma.net
Leyla Najma’s: Restaurant and Nightclub Performing
Greek Connection, Beverly Hills, CA 1993
Chattanooga, Glendale, CA 1993
Veranda Greek Café, Irving, TX 1996-1998
Shiraz/Café di Italy, Addison, TX 1996
Café Royal, Addison, Tx 1998
Al Amir, Addiston, TX 1996-1998
Byblos Lebanese Restaurant, Ft. Worth, TX 1996-2000
Cleopatra’s, Houston, TX 1996
The Mirage Night Club, Houston, TX 1998-2000
Pars Cuisine, Albuquerque, NM 2003-2007
Leyla Najma Belly Dance Workshops and Shows
Middle Eastern Nights March 29, 2001
St.Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Featured performer and honored guest
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
An Evening of Love and Romance in Word and Dance
Produced by Leyla Najma
Italian American Club
February 16, 2002
Rio Rancho, New Mexico
Oriental Potpourri Workshops and Shows 2003-2007
South Broadway Cultural Center
Workshop master teacher and performer
Albuquerque, New Mexico
New Day Youth and Family Services
Valentine Charity Ball
February, 2003
Featured performer and special guest
Albuquerque, NM
Ascen Dance Arts, Dance and Yoga Studio
Workshop and Show
Feature performer and teacher
Nov, 2004
Roswell, New Mexico
Journey to the East Workshop and Show
Workshop master teacher and performer
November 13-14 2005
Lubbock, Texas
Cleopatra’s Court
Producer and Director
Joan Kent Performing Arts Center
Cibola High School, Albuquerque, NM
March 11th, 2006
Passport to People
Journey on the Nile, an Egyptian Adventure
Maxwell Museum, UNM campus
Featured Lecture and Performance
March 6th, 2007
The Pearl Fantasy
Producer and Director
Benefiting Carrie Tingley Hospital Foundation
The Hispanic Cultural Center, Albuquerque, NM
September 6th, 2008
Haunted Hips
Magic Lamp Dance Studio
Workshop and Show
Featured performer and teacher
October 24th and 25th 2009
Abilene, TX
Floralia Belly Dance Festival for the Goddess
Featured instructor
April 29th-May 2nd, 2010
Truth or Consequences, New Mexico
Enchanted Hips Workshop and Show
Featured performer and teacher
Shimmy Magazine sponsored
June 25 and 26, 2010
Sedona, Arizona
Articles Published
The Belly Dance Chronicles Magazine
- Jan/Feb/March 2007 “Teaching a Philosophy way of Dance”
- April/May/June 2007 “The Teacher-Student Dance”
- July/Aug/Sep 2007 “Restaurant Dancing”
- Oct/Nov/Dec 2007 “Keeping your Self Identity in Dance”
- Jan/Feb/March 2008 “Weighing in on my Belly Dance Image”
- April/May/June 2008 “The Mystique of the Student Rival”
- July/Aug/Sep 2008 “Belly Dance and the Feminine Image”
- Jan/Feb/March 2009 “A Common Diversity”
- April/May/June 2009 “Online Video Fact and Fiction”
- July/Aug/Sep 2009 “Learning to Howl Like a Wolf”
- Oct/Nov/Dec 2009 “Sensuality VS Sexuality in Photography”
- Jan/Feb/March 2010 “The Image and The Lens”
- April/May/June 2010 “Teaching an Online Curriculum to the Modern Belly Dancer”
- July/Aug/Sep 2010 “Practice Makes Perfect”
- Oct/Nov/Dec 2010 “Reflecting the Flower of Life”
- Jan/Feb/March 2011 “The Divine Unrest”
- April/May/June 2011 “What is Layering?”
- July/Aug/Sep 2011 “The Vision Quest”
- Oct/Nov/Dec 2011 “Women of Moonlight”
Jareeda Belly Dance Magazine
- April/May 2007 “YouTubing Myself under the Covers”
- Spring 2011 “An Enchanting Collaboration”
Zaghareet Belly Dance Magazine
- March/April 2007 “Belly Dance Bloopers”
- May/June 2007 “The Importance of Photography”
- Sep/Oct 2007 “Stage Fright”
Shimmy Belly Dance Magazine
- March/April 2010 “Beg, Borrow or Steal Moves”
Leyla Najma Studio, Rhythm in Motion
Corrales, NM 2003-2006
- Media: Articles and interviews on Leyla Najma
- The Women’s Circle, Sage “In Step with Yourself” August, 2009
- Albuquerque Journal US Body Painting Festival
- New Mexico Woman’s Magazine 2008
- The Hip Circle on-line Belly Dance magazine feature interview
- The Chronicles-DVD Review “Hip Phylososphy” 2005
- The Chronicles -A belly dancers oasis “Cleopatra’s Court” Review
- The Weekly Alibi Arts and Liturature
- Westside Journal Studio article
- Fort Worth Newspaper- Parting Shot
- The International Presidio Paper –Belly Dance is Rainbow’s End 1992
