Biography of Aliyah Layla (Angela Anzilotti)

Why do I dance ~ because I LOVE IT !!

I live and love the dance, I love feeling the music, interpreting the music, dancing the music, I love the audience, I love expression my love for this dance, through the music to the audience.

I took my first belly dance class in 2000 “Addicted” to this Art form, I could not stop. My teacher told me that I was a ‘natural’ dancer, inspired, I learnt everything I possibly could and then started dancing professionally.

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My stage name is – Aliyah Layla (Aliyah meaning: Exaulted; Layla meaning: night)

Due to my passion for the Dance of the Middle East ~ Belly Dance Goddess was opened in 2004 to enlighten people, empower woman to express and find themselves, feel feminine and womanly and what better way to do that than through dancing.

I love the way my confidence has soared, the way I feel when I am dancing, the way I can express myself through the dancing. My passion for this dance has just grown.

Knowledge on the Middle Eastern Art form in crucial, therefore I have attended various workshops with local teachers (Catherine Ma, Soma, Ajsa Samia, Candida) and international teachers (Liza Laziza, Mahmoud Reda, Medhat Fahmy, Aida Nour, Gaby Sheba, Rania, Tamalyn Dallal and then Add Sharon Kihara.) and I did my teachers level 1 and 2 training with HADIA. It has been a luxury and privilege to be able to learn from great teachers, and now I myself share this knowledge to those who would like to learn this art form. A good teacher never stops learning.

Belly Dance Goddess

I head up the Belly Dance Goddess dance troupe. Our dance style in feminine and graceful, awe inspiring to watch. My fantastic dance troupe and I are proficient in Egyptian Style Bellydance (modern and traditional), Tribal style bellydance exhilarating drumming sequences, exuberant Shamadaan, Fire dancing and tray balancing with candles, sword performances, sagat and cane dances, veil sequences, tambourine and fan dances and of course mesmerising Wings of Isis.

I have also performed for a Saudi Sheik, which was one of the highlights of my career. We have have performed all around South Africa for various functions, Botswana, Zambia and the Seychelles.

The Belly Dance Goddess dance troup have been interviewed numerous times, featured in hundreds of articles, and performed on a variety of productions on TV, and Angela was a dancer in a music video.

We have danced professionally for many people, restaurants, embassies, business events, corporate shows, fund raisers, kitchen teas ect and will carry on filling events with the fun and excitement they deserve – loving each second of it.

Besides owning Belly Dance Goddess, I import dance costumes, props in from Egypt for the South Africa dancer, I also bring an international belly dancer yearly to educate the South African dancer by hosting workshops, and I am the founder and organizer of the Miss Belly Dance South Africa competition.

My passion for the Middle Eastern Dance culture is what inspires me to keep moving forward, learning and being the best at what i can be motivates me as “a dancer without passion is like the earth without a sun or moon”.

I teach and perform mainly Egyptian style dance oriental and Tribal Style (American Tribal Style and Tribal Fusion).

Training I have acquired:

I have had the privilege to attend workshops with the following dancers:

Local Dancers:

Candida di Giandomenico – January 2006

• Innovation and Performance Enhancement workshop
• One on One

Catherine Ma: February 2006

• Veil workshop
• Rhythm workshop (sagats)

Ajsa Samia – June 2007

• Arabic Flamenco

SOMA – August 2009

• Tribal Style Basics
• Tribal Fusion Choreography

International dancers:

Liza Laziza – 2004

Egypt November 2006

Workshops with renowned:

• Mahmoud Reda
• Medhat Fahmy (folkloric)
• Liza Laziza
• Aida Nour
• Gaby Sheba (Lebanese)

May 2007 – South Africa

Workshops with Rania Bossonis (belly dance superstar) hosted by Angela Anzilotti (Aliyah Layla)

• Modern Egyptian workshop
• Combinations workshop
• Saidi cane workshop
• Drum solo workshop
• Khaleegy, zar, sword, sagats and floor work workshop
• Turkish Cabaret workshop

www.raniabellydance.com

January 2008 – South Africa

Angela completed world renown HADIA’s Teachers Training:

• Teachers Training 1
• Teachers Training 2

www.hadia.com

June 2008 – South Africa

Workshops with Tamalyn Dallal hosted by Angela Anzilotti (Aliyah Layla)

• Tamalyn Dallal Technique 1
• Tamalyn Dallal Technique 2
• Drum Solo
• Dance of the 7 veils
• Arab Andalous
• Art of Improvisation
• Star Maker

www.tamalyndallal.com

September 2009 – South Africa

Workshops with Rania Bossonis (belly dance superstar) hosted by Angela Anzilotti (Aliyah Layla)

• Modern Egyptian workshop
• Combinations workshop
• Traditional Saidi cane workshop
• Drum solo workshop
• Turkish 9/8 workshop
• Shaabi workshop

October 2009 – South Africa
Workshops with Sharon Kihara (Tribal belly dance superstar)

• Tribal Fusion – Identifying and configuring the building blocks of movements, tribal style
• Tribal Fusion Technique, Drills and Combinations
• Tribal Fusion – put some Sass into your stance with this Fancy Pants Dance
• Tribal Fusion Master Class – Layering, Technique and Shimmies
• www.sharonkihara.com

HIGHLIGHTS of Angela’s (Aliyah Layla) Career:

• In November 2006 Angela went to Egypt to receive training from experts in Egypt.
• In October 2007 Angela was chosen to perform for a Saudi Sheik and his celebrity audience
  abroad.
• In 2008 Angela opened up the Belly Dance Goddess Boutique: she imports stock for the
  SouthAfrican belly dancer
• In 2009 – once again a pioneer in Belly Dance, Belly Dance Goddess hosted the first of its
  kind in South Africa – Miss Belly Dance South Africa®™ www.missbellydancesa.com