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LuSynda

Middle Eastern Dancer

Henna Artist

Photo Credit: Sa'ida

Photo Credit: Melissa Wilson

Welcome!

I'm a working wife, mom, Middle Eastern Dancer and henna artist.

I have been a student, teacher and performer of Middle Eastern Dance since 1982. I took my first lesson here in Jacksonville, Florida. I have been researching, applying and teaching henna or mehndi since 1990.

I have a great daughter and son, who keep me sane in our sometimes rather 'insane' lives!

My husband is in the service and we have had the wonderful opportunity to live in several cool places in the US, like Florida, Maine, Washington and Hawaii, as well as 4 years spent in Spain. While in Spain I was able to travel to North Africa several times, Gibralter and Portugal.

In 1990 I joined Rocky on one of her Morocco tours, which was a fabulous experience! If you get a chance to do that I highly recommend it! In addition, since there was no dance community where we were, I approached MWR and convinced them to let me teach dance classes. I taught for 3 years; formed The Dancers of the Alcazar; and got to work with some wonderful dancers and musicians, especially Joy Rayman, of FIRE IN THE BELLY.

We left Spain for beautiful Maine in 1994. A brief 2 year tour there went by fast. I was very fortunate to meet and partner with Zeina and we attended Rocky's Summer Weeklong in 1995. It was my first 'big' dance workshop. I had never been to New York; WOW! The Empire State Building...Madison Square Gardens. Rocky took good care of us, as did the Leo House. The weeklong was intense but satisfying and I forged friendships that have lasted through the years.

Soon it was on to Washington.

I attended my first Oasis Dance Camp West in 1997 with friend and dance partner Sa'ida. That is another experience I would highly recommend. The ladies that sponsor it do a wonderful job and you can rest assured that you will learn a lot from Master Teacher Cassandra of Jawaahir and Nicole LeCorgne, in addition to the myriad of Master Teachers that have joined them over the years. Teachers like Elizabeth Artemis Mourat, Angelika Nemeth, Kay Hardy Campbell, Amel Tafsout, Katia of Boston, and Denise Enan. Oasis Dance Camp, in it's 20-somethingth Year, is held in Michigan, Washington, Florida and most recently in New Zealand and Morocco. In 1999 I was proud to be named 'Ethnic Dancer of the Year' by M.E.C.A. of Kitsap Co., WA.

When we moved to Hawaii in 2000 I joined MEDAH, The Middle Eastern Dance Artists

of Hawaii and for 2002 & 2003 performed the duties of the Treasurer and Vice President. In 2002, along with Monica Dang, of Monica Dang Designs, I co-founded ~Henna Sisters~, we slung a lot of henna at Faires and Grad Nites and taught henna workshops.

I am an ICNHA certified henna artist and was featured in the Winter 2005 Issue of 'Spotlight on Clay County'. I run a mobile henna business in the Jacksonville / Orange Park / Middleburg, Florida area. Henna or Mehendi refers to the temporary tattooing that you get when the paste made from the leaves of the henna plant (Lawsonia Inermis) is applied. I am available for consultation, instruction, education and henna application, for individuals and groups. If you would like to schedule an appointment for application, please, contact me at least 24 hrs. in advance, as I only use freshly made paste. I will e-mail, fax, or mail you 'before' care instructions to help insure that your 'henna stains' are the best they can be!!

I currently attend dance classes with Julianne, cover model of the March/April issue of Zaghareet! Magazine and director of SAHARA SILK; I'm honored to be a member of The Silks and perform with the troupe and solo. They are a fantastic group of ladies to work with! We are proud to be involved with the ACS 'Relay for Life' and Cystic Fibrosis 'Taking Strides' campaigns. We were featured on First Coast News; participated in SPIRIT OF THE TRIBES 5 and 6; the St. Augustine Art Assoc.'s First Annual 'MULTITHON'; and the premier opening of 'Mystery of the Nile' at the World Golf Village IMAX Theatre.

I also study and perform American Tribal Style Belly Dance; am a member of troupe Khalila Ahlaam and attended TRIBAL PURA (Orlando) 2006 with Carolena and Megha. These two are AWESOME!! There is nothing like 'going to the source' to really learn about a subject.

PAST EVENTS: Fernandina Shrimp Festival with Brothers of the Coasts; Festival on the Nile;

TEMPLES AND TOMBS at the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens. with Sahara Silk;

Henna at the 'Mother and Me' Tribal Belly Dance Workshop sponsored by Samadhi;

Paulette and Jen of Gypsy Caravan with Khalila Ahlaam;

and Henna at the 'Goddess Party'(s) sponsored by The Body Salon (formerly Caribbean Tan) Jacksonville Beach.

UPCOMING EVENTS: ACS Relay(s) for Life;

General Skills Certification with Carolena Nericcio of Fat Chance Belly Dance

To quote one of my mentors

"I plan to keep dancing until 6 weeks after I'm dead"