Raja started learning Middle Eastern dance at the age of thirteen. She began in Philadelphia, PA with Lebanese instructor Marcella Nassur. Marcella Nassur's husband, Nageeb Nassur, was the head musician at the lavish Middle East Restaurant that sadly is no longer around, as are many of the hot Middle Eastern night hot spots of that era.. Raja got her first performance experience with Marcella's troupe " The Arabian Nights". The Arabian Nights performed various dances from different regions of the Middle East at cultural events and shows. They even performed at the prestigious University of Pennsylvania Museum.
Raja went on to become a professional belly dance soloist at age 18, with a solid background of ballet and jazz dance training as well as Middle Eastern dance training. She keeps up with her art form by taking workshops with a variety of famous bellydancers, such as Yousery and Nourhan Sharif, Aylin Hansen of London & Istanbul, Leila Haddad, Aziza, Suhaila Salimpour, Fatheim, and Amar Gamal of Bellydance Superstar fame.
Raja is proficient in the sword and cane dances, along with the use of "The Wings of Isis". She worked in several Arabic restaurants in New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey while she attended college. She also performed in countless Arabic weddings, corporate events and stage shows in her expansive 30 year career. She has danced and trained in Egypt, Jamaica, Turkey and Japan.
Raja has featured in one of the first bellydancer calendars designed by bellydancer/photographer Sarah Skinner, and she can also be found on Maxim photographer Mike Brochu's myspace page (see links page for Mike Brochu). Raja also graces the cover as well as inside the book "Belly Dancing Basics " , also shot by Sarah Skinner, and written by Laura Cooper. Raja appears with four other talented dancers of the New York are in "Bellydance Drum Solos" by ShakeEm Up Productions.
Raja is my favorite model. Out of all the dancers that I have
photographed over the years Raja was my first pick to work with on this
project. Raja
transforms into pure womanly beauty in front of the lens. The art director
of the project loved her shoot so much that she put a total of 6 photos of
Raja on the cover (front and back) of the American version of the book
and 14 photos of her on the international cover. I plan to continue to
use Raja as my muse for some time to come.
-Sarah Skinner-
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 Area
belly dancers are shaking it up.
Ancient dance making a comeback in Rutherford.
Click here to read the full article.
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She's shakin' all over: but it is an art form.
Jami Allison Chohen, Courirer Times
Page 2
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Raja featured on the cover and throughout a bellydance
book!
Belly Dancing Basics
Written by Laura Cooper, Photographed by Sarah Skinner
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See Raja perform with 3 Top Ranked NYC Bellydancers and 4 Master
Drummers!
Bellydance Drum Solos
Get the DVD and companion CD.
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