The Gilded Serpent presents...
Yosifah Rose
of Martinez, California
Yosifah Rose grew up watching Middle Eastern and Mediterranean folk dancers (Bellydancers included) perform at Greek and ethnic festivals; dance was a part of other special occasions, too, including her Grandmother's big birthday celebrations. As a child, her Yosifah’s mother danced with her and taught her how to shimmy in the "old world-style" in their family kitchen. As a young girl, Yosifah spent countless hours mesmerized by the photos of Bellydancers on some of her mother's old vinyl recordings. Thus, she developed an affinity for the art at a very young age, and at the time, she did not question the old world attitude that "good girls" do not become performing Bellydancers who dance in public!
She married her sweetheart, Nathan , worked full-time at various office jobs, and attended college, eventually graduating from California State University with her Master's Degree in English (Teaching English as a Second Language). Between work and school, Yosifah and Nathan have always been musicians. Eventually, with Nathan's encouragement, Yosifah began to pursue and develop her secret artistic longing: Middle Eastern dance, music, singing and language.
Once she got over her fears of her family’s disapproval, Yosifah embraced her artistic passions with a dedicated spirit, and she has committed herself to studying with the best instructors Middle Eastern dance and music instructors. To date, a list of some of her music and dance instructors include:
Mary Ellen Donald , Elias Lammam, Susu Pampanin, Tobias Roberson, Dhyanis, Leea, Ma*Shuqa Mira Murjan, Monica, Nanna Candelaria, Nawar, Sharifa, Suhaila Salimpour , and Yasmine , along with mentoring and coaching by Najia Marlyz .
- Currently, Yosifah Rose applies her English degree writing articles for and about the Middle Eastern dance and music community.
- She teaches Raqs Sharqi and women's fitness classes for the Parks and Recreation Departments for the cities of Dublin, Lafayette, and Martinez, California.
- She is a regularly featured dancer at El Morocco Restaurant in Pleasant Hill where she also organizes and hostesses monthly Dancer's Night Showcases.
- Additionally, she is the organizer and hostess of workshops for guest dancers and music instructors at El Morocco and her home dance studio in Martinez.
- Yosifah also is the hostess and organizer of the “First Thursday Raks Excelsior Shows” of the weekly Thursday night Dancer Showcase series at the Excelsior Supper Club located in San Francisco.
- She is a featured dancer at Bijan Persian Restaurants in Walnut Creek and Fremont.
- Another dance activity Yosifah enjoys is teaching dance and music workshops at Bellydance festivals (such as Winter Moon and Rakkasah West), women's fitness retreats, and other such events.
- Recently, Yosifah had the honor of dancing for her oldest Great Aunt's 100th birthday party that had an audience of one-hundred and fifty of her immediate relatives in attendance! One of Yosifah's proudest achievements to this date is the fact that her family has accepted and embraced her as a genuine "dance artist."
Web site: www.yosifah.com
