The Gilded Serpent presents...
Luna
Amy Luna Manderino is an award-winning dancer, choreographer and costume designer and member of the dance faculty at the historic world music venue Ashkenaz in Berkeley, CA. Her television appearances include KRON4's "Bay Area Backroads" and the PBS arts program "Spark!" and her resume features performances for the San Francisco Opera, Oakland Ballet and Oakland East Bay Symphony. Luna has also been invited to perform her famous flaming sword dance on wine glasses for Robert Mondavi at his world renowned Sonoma winery.
An internationally recognized performer and instructor, she has taught and performed dance in the U.S., Europe, Africa, South America and Asia, most recently at the Beijing International Cultural Festival in China in 2005 and the Jaisalmer Desert Festival in Rajasthan, India in 2006.
he also produces Cafe Bellie, a bellydance benefit for Bay Area homeless women and children, nominated for a national award for best produced bellydance event. In addition, Luna was named People's Choice Professional Bellydancer for 2005. In 2006, Luna was chosen to host the short film "Bay Area Bellydance" a travel guide produced by TurnHere.com.
Luna is also a recognized expert in authentic Romani dances and director of Shuvani. She was the artistic and musical director, costume designer and producer of "Opre!- Music and Dances of the Romani Trail" a full length concert which received standing ovations during its Bay Area performance run. The full length evening concert featured live music accompanying fifteen different dances from five countries of the Romani Trail—India, Turkey, Russia, Egypt, and Spain. In 2005, Luna made history leading the first Romani Trail dance ensemble to appear in 27 years of the prestigious San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival. The careful research of authentic Romani dances in Luna's productions have been recognized by inclusion in the Romani Archives at the University of Texas at Austin.
An accomplished musician and composer, Luna offers piano instruction in jazz, blues, improvisation and composition and has taught at the nationally renowned Jazzschool of the Bay Area.
Web sites:www.lunabelly.com
Articles on Gilded Serpent by or about Luna
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5-13-03
Fusion Category added to Belly
Dancer of the Universe Competition
"You know, we're really making history here..." -
4-25-04
Shuvani:
Music and Dance inspired by the Roma "Gypsy" Trail
Saturday, February 21, 2004 Cafe de la Paz, Berkeley, California -
3-9-05
Tatseena's
Fantasy Festival October 16-17, 2004
The Festival lived up to it's name, with two days of creative and innovative dance that broke the mold and showed the versatility of American Bellydance.
