The Arabian Oasis Dancers

The AOD are the performing troupe of The Oasis, Middle Eastern Dance Guild. The Guild formed in 2001 was established to unite dancers in London and surrounding area and to share information about Middle Eastern Dance. 

The Troupe performs in the area at a variety of events. All the troupe dancers are from London.

The Arabian Oasis Dancers can be hired for demonstrations and performances by contacting the troupe director, Tamara, at The Oasis Guild.

            Visit The Oasis website for more information:   www.oasisguild.ca

             Phone  519-681-1646  or  email: theoasis@oasisguild.ca.

With over 25 years of playing experience, Nicolas Hernandez has studied under Spain's Master Flamenco Guitarists and has accompanied national and international top artists such as Jesse Cook, Kiran Ahluwalia, Tasa and Irshad Khan.  Currently, he is a touring member of Jesse's band and the Musical Director for the Esmeralda Enrique Spanish Dance Company based in Toronto.

Nicolas' flamenco experience includes performing with the amazing flamenco guitarist Chuscales, acclaimed dancer Antonio Granjero and local flamenco singers Paco Pedrosa and the late Cesar Alvarez. He has had the opportunity to accompany other famous dancers such as La Tati, Manolete, Andres Marin, Ciro, and Soledad Barrio.

Nicolas is well-known across Canada and throughout the United States where he is often sought out to perform with various flamenco dance companies as well as teach workshops and master classes.  He has been invited as a solo guest artist to the Festival Of Sound, which has been broadcast on CBC.

Highlights of his career include performances at prestigious festivals such as the Montreal Jazz Festival and the Edmonton Folk Festival.  His recordings include participation on Jesse Cook's "Montreal" live album, on Sonia Collymore's  "WYSIWYG", which won a Juno for Best Reggae Recording of 2004, and on "Firedance" with the Toronto Tabla Ensemble which was nominated for a Juno for Best Global Album of 1999.              "Buscando mi voz" is Nicolas' solo debut CD '

Contact Nicholas                               www.nicolashernandez.com

Maritel Centurion

Spanish Classical Dance - Danza Española

Her knowledge of Spanish Classical Dance, Flamenco, Escuela Bolera and Argentinian Tango make Maritel Centurion an exciting dancer/choreographer. Maritel has extensive training with world renowned artists such as Jose Granero, Merche Esmeralda, Luisa Pericet and Manolete. The creator of Puertos, her work in Canada includes; Mariposa, (Canada Dance Festival 2004) Encuentro (September 2003) and The Gypsies' Dance in the Toronto Opera Theatre's production of La Traviata.

S i n a  K h o s r a v i :  Hand Drummer  (Tonbak, Doumbek, Ceramic Doumbek)

Sina was born in Tehran, Iran in 1983. 

He started taking Tonbak lessons at the age of 13 with Daryoush Eshaghy, one of the most established, and influential Tonbak players in Iran, who has written many method books for the Tonbak. 

Sina attends the University of Western Ontario doing a double major in visual arts and music.  He has also been a guest lecturer at U.W.O for the past four years, demonstrating percussion instruments from the Middle East.  In 2004 was the runner up in Ontario in the Western fair talent contest in 2004. 

He has done collaborations with U.W.O Dance Company since 2004 and is a member of The Light of East ensemble.    Sina appears in the billboard -charting guitarist, Johannes Linstead's cd , Café Tropical.

www.sinakhosravi.com

Valizan began his journey into Middle Eastern dance in 1995 when he joined The Society For Creative Anachronism, an educational group that learns about the Middle Ages by recreating it. Teachers Rayah Blackstar and Moria The Black instilled basic technique, while classes with the sublime Roula Said took him to a new plateau. Current influences include Fat Chance Bellydance, Jillina, Rachel Brice, Francisco Carranza and Aziz of Salt Lake City.

As one of few male Bellydancers in North America, he has become a sought after solo performer and teacher across Canada and The U.S. for his powerful style and energy. He also heads up his own troupe, Shades Of Araby. Local appearances include Tribally Inspired, Northern Migration, The Dark Side, Face Zenna at the Royal Ontario Museum and The Bewitching Bellydance Ball.

He began teaching American Tribal Style Bellydance at Arabesque Academy in 2004, and became an apprentice in the Arabesque Dance Company in November 2005 when he began training in Egyptian Folklore with Yasmina Ramzy. Valizan performs with his troupe, The Shades of Araby.

Ravi Naimpally  tabla and percussion

Ravi began his study of tabla under the guidance of his uncle the late Padmabushan Pandit Nikhil Ghosh in Mumbai, India. In 1990 he had his 'gandabandhan' ceremony and officially became an exponent of the Farukkabad style. Since then Ravi has continued to study with Pandit Anindo Chatterjee in Calcutta. He has performed in India, Europe, Canada and in the United States with such artists as Pandit Buddadev Das Gupta, Pandit G.S. Sachdev, Acharya Trichy Sankaran, Kankana Bannerjee, Sridar Krishnamurti, Rajeev Taranath, and Avik Sarkar. After gaining a solid foundation in Hindustani classical music, Ravi has gone on to explore numerous other world music traditions. Ravi has performed in a wide variety of contexts including Iranian music with Saeid Shambazadhe's Bousheri group, Turkish and Macedonian music with Brenna MacCrimmon'a Altin Yildez Orkestar, world-jazz with Hugh Marsh, and New Music with The Esprit Orchestra. Ravi has also performed and recorded with Loreena McKennit. In 1997 he was awarded the title of 'Coolest musician of the year' by Toronto's Eye magazine. Ravi is featured on the Juno Nominated Thomas Handy Trio CD entitled Arc. As a member of the Trio he has been touring and conducting workshops at folk and jazz festival throughout Canada. Ravi is currently the leader/composer of Tasa and is much sought after as a performer, teacher and recording artist.

email: ravi@tasamusic.com      www.tasamusic.com

Tasa is a world music ensemble that performs original repertoire inspired by the traditions of India as well as contemporary versions of traditional songs from the Indian diaspora. Tasa was created in 1999 by tabla player and composer Ravi Naimpally. Ravi is an Indian born Canadian musician who is deeply committed to studying the music of North India. The band was put together to realize a vision that Ravi had to create a new musical form out of the many cultures that co-exist in Canada. Blending instruments and musical motifs from several world traditions Tasa is able to create a rich and seamless tapestry of sound.

Ishra is a nation-wide performer and instructor. Since beginning her Bellydance training in 1994, she has been a member of several innovative dance companies across Canada, including internationlly acclaimed Arabesque Dance Company.  She currently teaches in Guelph where she encourages positive self body image, women empowerment as well as the mind, body soul connection.  Her professional approach and undying thirst for movement and knowledge makes her a sought after workshop leader and dance instructor, as well as a traditional and pioneering performer.

Ishra is a lover of dance and has studied many different styles of Middle Eastern dance and drum with world-renowned masters. She has also studied Jazz, Latin, Flamenco, Kathak, Hip Hop, Modern, Tai Chi and Capoeira. Her artistic background includes theatre acting from York University; she is a painter, a poet, a costume designer, event organizer, a musician and a proud mother of four.

Ishra's multifaceted talents and professional approach, combined with her ever-growing spiritual awareness of the mind, body, soul connection make her a sought after dance instructor and performer

Contact Ishra:     519 - 846 -5156                http://www.invoke-tress.ca