"The dance
is a poem of which
every movement is a word"

--- Mata Hari

Celtic Gypsy Bio -
~Kristen~
(Ankara)

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Kristen is one of the original founding members of The Celtic Gypsies™ and is Artistic Director for the New England area chapter. She has been dancing all her life, including ballet, modern, jazz, hip-hop, and lyrical, performing in productions and on her schools’ advanced dance teams, earning her an award in dance during her time there. Yet it wasn’t until she discovered Middle Eastern and Gypsy Rom dance eight years ago that she found her true calling. Perhaps it was in her blood from the very beginning, as it is believed (as of recent findings) she is descended from French gypsies (or the Roma people). Improvisational dance has always been a strong point for her, and she credits it to her natural ability to hear and interpret the music, allowing it to absorb her, and channel through her movements.

She has studied Egyptian, Turkish, and Tribal styles, and still continues to do so through workshops and the occasional class when she can. She believes she will always be a student, forever growing in dance, for there is always more to learn, and she savors that challenge. Her repertoire over the past few years has expanded to include various other world dance forms, most notably Irish Step dance, Scottish Highland dance, Gypsy (Rom) dance (Spanish, Russian, and Turkish Rom), Salsa, historical Medieval and Renaissance dances, as well as others.

In 2006 she received her Level One certification in Dance Education through Dance Masters of America, Inc. (State University of New York), and is currently working towards her goal of Level Four.

Always appreciative of other dancers and artists from all skill levels and walks of life, she accepts everyone who is accepting of others as well, avoiding the certain dance circles that only accept the “norm” and never think beyond the box. It’s her goal to always maintain a positive, supportive, equal atmosphere. She has fought the rules and challenged boundaries (sometimes getting into a bit of trouble for it) but eventually developed her own style of proud, energetic, and unique dancing. She doesn’t put herself into one category. While a strong Middle Eastern dancer in itself, her dancing is more of a fusion from her past- blending into it gypsy dance, modern dance, hip-hop, and her own spirit.

After success at a workshop with many young children, her current projects now include working on workshops for children in world dance forms, studying creative movement for kids, as well as expanding her adult base. Also, she is now the choreographer for Wolf Shadow Theatrical Productions (currently working on a period renaissance theatrical).

Dance is her passion and she hopes to see how far she can run with it, pushing what limits one could think possible. She hopes to one day pass this passion on, and open a dance studio to share with others her love for the arts and music.

Kristen is an avid choreographer and teacher, and also a costume designer of both dance and historical costumes. Pilates, drumming, running, hiking and the outdoors, filmmaking, spending time with loved ones, and working on her novel she’s writing, are also things that keep her sane outside of dance.

Always the artistic one, she is forever creating, drawing inspiration from life, her love of history and world cultures, and those around her.

~Kristen is currently available for solo performances and to teach both Private and Semi-Private lessons in Belly dance and Gypsy Rom (Southern NH area). Contact her by email for rates/info/or to request a resume.

Kristen can be reached via email here. 
The link to her  blog on MySpace can be found here...