Paola for the Gilded Serpent

The Gilded Serpent presents
Paola

This fiery Macedonian immigrated to the U.S. as a young child. Passionate about their native Balkan folklore, her family trained Paola and her two sisters extensively in Balkan dance forms, including the kolo circle dances and chochek, the Roma-inspired dance featuring hips, swirly hands, and feisty rhythms with heavy Ottoman influence. As a college sophomore in Chicago, she took her first MED class from Jasmine Jahal, Chicago’s pioneer belly dance performer and teacher. That was the beginning of a lifetime love affair with Raqs Sharqi, or Middle Eastern Dance.

Paola then spent eight years in Sao Paulo, Brazil, where she taught high school Humanities at the American School. During the Brazil years, she not only picked up Samba and Pagode rhythms from the vibrant Brazilian culture, but discovered a remarkably thriving MED scene which was destined to turn her into a professional dancer.

She was then turned loose upon the world as a dancer and instructor, now based in Kuala Lumpur, but traveling consistently to international locations to teach and learn topics in Dance and Theater. As a roving Dance Scholar, her myriad experiences are weaving into a rich tapestry of expressive modes bearing the mark of a true Modern Nomad - sensitive to inspiration in its full prismatic display. Paola considers herself a Humanist With a Destiny in Dance, and believes fully that Dance is a key way to transform the human body, soul, and experience.

While Paola has studied with current MED greats such as Morocco, Keti Sharif, Jasmine Jahal, Dr. Hassan Khalil, Raqia Hassan, Kaeshi, Suhaila Salimpour, and too many others to list, one of the most profound influences on her dance comes from a teacher she's never met in the flesh - Isadora Duncan.

Three summers immersed in Duncan Dance have imparted a Universal quality to Paola's MED dance, infusing it with the intelligence and emotional intent that Duncan so passionately expounded. The world is taking note. Paola has been invited to share her unique approach by dancers like Morocco, Keti Sharif, Kaeshi Chai and Yonisha - at festivals and workshops around the globe.

The path continues to unfold before her - with inspired vision and joy. Paola's sincere wish for the Dance and its exponents is that it may raise our consciousness and deepen our connection to the rhythms that unite us all as fellow travelers in the Human Venture.

www.yalla-bina.net

Articles on Gilded Serpent by or about Paola:
5-16-08 Visiting Cairo: You live a whole lifetime in one week! by Paola
Laughter builds bridges, and in today’s world, bridges – between individuals and between cultures, are becoming more and more of an imperative.

8-23-07 Roots Raqs – An International Belly Dancer Goes Home to Macedonia by Paola
The musical folklore of this region deserves full debut in the World Music scene, and those of us in the MED community worldwide are ripe for the breath of fresh air that Chochek and Gypsy Brass Music can bring us. It is an original, organic and time-honored fusion, brought about by history, geography, and most importantly, tolerance and mutual cultural celebration.