Ayperi Nominated for the Phoenix Best of Portland Awards

Ayperi was nominated for the 2008 & 2009 Best of Portland Awards sponsored by the Portland Phoenix.

Biography

Ayperi performs, teaches & produces events in southern Maine. Based in Portland, Maine, she teaches weekly belly dance classes in Portland & Yarmouth.

November 2008 saw the debut of Raqs Borealis, Portland's newest professional belly dance venue, which Ayperi produces quarterly. February's successful second Raqs Borealis was a welcome winter treat!

Attracted to the combination of joy inherent to belly dance, the challenging technique, and a whole world of music, Ayperi fell headlong into belly dance. Her delight at finding her true dance love was enhanced by a long break from her childhood obsession--ballet--due to a teenage injury.

Ayperi's dance education began with of a solid ballet base from childhood at the Maine Dance Center in Ellsworth, ME & later at Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Natick, MA, where she also focused on visual arts.

She began studying belly dance in 2003 with local masters and continues her study in local classes and workshops farther afield. Beginning in 2006 Ayperi danced with professional troupe Naya's Trance of Portland, ME, before pursuing a solo career in 2008.

Workshop highlights include a 2009 teacher training workshop with Tamalyn Dallal, a 2007 weeklong seminar with Morocco in New York City, and workshops in Maine & Boston with Mira Betz, Bozenka, Ramzi El Edlibi, Artemis Mourat, Suhaila Salimpour & Nourhan Sharif.

Production credits include hosting Autumn Ward of NYC in 2009 and Mira Betz of San Francisco in 2008 for a workshop weekend & monumental show also featuring vaudeville & blues performers, and the quarterly Raqs Borealis with live music & performances.

Ayperi holds a BA from Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, NY, where she studied liberal arts with an emphasis on French language. She is also a graphic & web designer.