Biography
"First Night" Festival, Massachusetts, 1994
Tina Enheduanna is excited to sponsor Nourhan Sharif for workshops in Orange County, CA this October 20, 2019. As part of Nourhan's Farewell to the Road Tour, this is Nourhan's last year of travel teaching. Don't miss the opportunity to study with Nourhan, an internationally acclaimed dancer, master instructor, and festival producer!
An award-winning performer, Tina Enheduanna is a dedicated instructor, producer, sponsor, vendor, and director in Orange County CA. She has designed and produced a CD for belly dance teachers, which is used in classes world-wide. She has performed for television, films, and for numerous colleges, universities, and theaters. She works to elevate the dance form, through producing educational theater shows, showcases and benefit concerts for students and professionals. Tina received her training with live traditional music and has performed in Middle Eastern venues all along the east and west coasts. She has studied and continues to further her education with over one hundred instructors, including the most respected masters in the world industry.
Tina Enheduanna has danced all her life and has had an interest in Middle Eastern dance since childhood. In the early 90's, in Providence RI, she began her formal training with Morwenna Assaf, and was invited to perform with Morwenna’s troupe Le Danse Orientale. The troupe’s focus was on folkloric and oriental choreographies created by Morwenna and Ibrahim “Bobby” Farrah. Morwenna relocated to California, where Tina would have an opportunity to work with her again, ten years later.
Tina studied intensively with Nourhan Sharif, of New York City, who has been a great friend and mentor for over 20 years, since Tina became an early member of the Nourhan Sharif Dance Ensemble. The troupe performed oriental and folkloric dances of Egypt, Lebanon (coached by Shadia Tohme), and Turkey (coached by and performed with Tayyar Akdeniz) and were featured at New England hafflis and other cultural events such as Roger Williams Park International Festival and the Boston International Festival. Tina worked with Nourhan as assistant in the production of the Providence Arts in the Park events, as well as workshops, concerts, and the early events under the Egyptian Academy of Oriental Dance. With Nourhan’s mentoring, she was showcased at area events in Boston, Providence and New York, performed at Brown University, and began a solo dance career with live traditional music in Middle Eastern venues. These included La Camelia in Providence, Layalina in Boston, and local Lebanese, Egyptian, Greek, and Armenian festivals and private celebrations throughout New England.
In 1999, Tina relocated to Orange County, California, to further her education. She had majored in Theater at Hofstra University in New York, and now earned degrees in Anthropology with a Middle Eastern focus, and Spanish from University of California Irvine. After graduation she traveled throughout Spain, southern Europe and Egypt studying local history, music, Flamenco, Egyptian and North African dance. In Cairo, she studied privately with Aida Nour, Farida Fahmy and Raquia Hassan, and spent time with the late master drummer Khamis Henkesh, as well as the late costume designer Madame Abla.
In California, Morwenna Assaf introduced Tina to the dance community, and she was dancing as a soloist and troupe member as soon as her toes touched the Pacific. She performed with Morwenna’s Raks Al Anwar, focusing on theater performances, such as the Escondido Theater, Beverly Hills City Hall, and the Conference on Middle Eastern Dance at Orange Coast College Robert B. Moore Theater. She opened for star singer Amr Diab with Sohaila & Friends of San Diego, performed several roles in Sahra Saeeda’s theater production Ra-Eclipse of the Sun at Curtis Theater, she danced in a TV commercial for Rania, and for numerous celebrity and corporate events with Latifa in the Arabesque/Mystique Dance Company including events for Phillip Morris & Jenny Craig. Tina has performed as a soloist for the Mayor of Los Angeles and for Paramount Pictures.
Other highlights include performing at The Meadowood Napa Valley, Providence College, Palomar College, John Crawford Adams Playhouse and Spiegel Theaters, the Perishable Theater, Casa Del Prado Theater, Coast Hills Church, Old Town Temecula Theater, and Saddleback College McKinney Theater, Shakti Fest, and a teaching segment aired on IGTV International House Hunters.
Tina has been the featured soloist at industry events including those honoring Nourhan Sharif, Yousry Sharif, El Hosseny, and Mahmoud Reda. She was awarded 1st Runner Up in the Belly Dancer of the Universe Competition in 2003. In addition to performing in theater venues, cultural events, and private celebrations, she has been presented as a featured solo dancer at Middle Eastern venues, mostly with traditional live music all along the east and west coasts, including the Aegean, the Luxor, Darband, the Greek Palace, Athena’s, Al Rayan, Haji Baba’s, Pena Pachamama, the Greek Village, Le Diplomat, Hatam, and the Adanus. She is currently regularly featured at Club Hashemi, and at the Olives Branch weekly.
In the year 2000, Tina founded and developed a professional dance company Raksat Al Zaman, which traveled and performed in various industry events, clubs, and festivals across the U.S. including Irvine Global Village Festival, El Hosseny Concert San Francisco, Rakassah Festival, and Raqia Hassan Concert Miami. Tina shares an award with this troupe and George Medlock from the Orange County Turkish American Association. In 2008, Tina founded a second student percussion and dance troupe Rhythms of the Desert, which she currently choreographs for and directs with George Medlock.
In addition to the formative instructors mentioned above, Tina has studied with over one hundred of the most respected instructors in the industry; including Elena Lentini, Yousry Sharif, Sah’ra, Raquia Hassan, Angelika, Amina Goodyear, Ahmed Hussein, Avi Fortan in Persian Dance, Banafsheh Sayyad in Ritual Dance, Dr. Robert Garfias in ethnomusicology, Elias Lammam, Tareq Rantisi, Katerian Burda, and George Medlock in drumming and music.
Instructor
Tina has been offering classes in south Orange County since 1999. She currently offers ongoing classes as a contract instructor for the Cities of Laguna Hills, Dana Point, and San Clemente. In 2020 she has started teaching on-line belly dance and drum classes, as well as Belly Dance in the Park!
Technical, challenging, encouraging, and inspirational! These classes explore authenticity, creativity, and the essence of this dance through cultural research, history, music and movement. Students are challenged at a variety of levels and have the opportunity to a whole experience, from basics, to choreography, improvisation, and drumming, to auditions, rehearsals, and performance.
Tina has also taught multiple workshops from Providence to San Diego. Topics have included Oriental Images, Improvisation, Egyptian Style, Egyptian Choreography, Rhythms, and Drum Solos. Students have included rock singers Geri Verde, Janet Peterson, and entertainer Characula. Recently she collaborated in choreography workshops with The Jewels that Raq, Lilla Varese, Tamami, and Lucia of San Diego. Tina was invited to teach workshops as part of Elias Lammam's Santa Cruz Arabic Music Week Intensive in 2014 & 2015, and she choreographed and directed a high-profile wedding performance presented by the bride, groom and wedding party & Tina in Napa, California. Tina holds several dance certificates including Sahra's Kent Journey Through Egypt, Ahmed Hussein, El Hosseny, Reiki practitioner and Zumba instructor.
Contributions, Dance & Community
In 2007, Tina produced a drumming CD specifically designed for belly dance teachers, Sweet Fruits for Heavenly Hips Vol. 1. The CD received acclaim from belly dance teachers all over the world. In 2012 Tina assisted in the production of the CD Ancient Secret Medieval Mystery Rhythms, an instructional for advanced percussionists. Tina has sponsored several master instructors, including Nourhan Sharif, Elena Lentini, Keisha Clark-Booth, Roxanne Shelaby, Mona Lisa, Deniz of London, Morwenna & Walid Assaf, and she has co-sponsored Egyptian master El Hosseny in the Bay area. As OC's local resource vendor, Tina has represented Sharifwear and Joharah International, carrying costumes and dancewear, since 1998. She has produced annual educational theater shows, showcases, and benefits for cancer research, Unicef, Laura's House women’s shelter, Women for Women International, and Coronavirus Charities in 2020.
Enheduanna
Inspired by the the historical Sumerian poet / priestess Enheduanna (ca. 2,350 BC), Tina took her name, with great respect for the writer’s life-long dedication to her art.
An award-winning performer, Tina Enheduanna is a dedicated instructor, producer, sponsor, vendor, and director in Orange County CA. She has designed and produced a CD for belly dance teachers, which is used in classes world-wide. She has performed for television, films, and for numerous colleges, universities, and theaters. She works to elevate the dance form, through producing educational theater shows, showcases and benefit concerts for students and professionals. Tina received her training with live traditional music and has performed in Middle Eastern venues all along the east and west coasts. She has studied and continues to further her education with over one hundred instructors, including the most respected masters in the world industry.
Tina Enheduanna has danced all her life and has had an interest in Middle Eastern dance since childhood. In the early 90's, in Providence RI, she began her formal training with Morwenna Assaf, and was invited to perform with Morwenna’s troupe Le Danse Orientale. The troupe’s focus was on folkloric and oriental choreographies created by Morwenna and Ibrahim “Bobby” Farrah. Morwenna relocated to California, where Tina would have an opportunity to work with her again, ten years later.
Tina studied intensively with Nourhan Sharif, of New York City, who has been a great friend and mentor for over 20 years, since Tina became an early member of the Nourhan Sharif Dance Ensemble. The troupe performed oriental and folkloric dances of Egypt, Lebanon (coached by Shadia Tohme), and Turkey (coached by and performed with Tayyar Akdeniz) and were featured at New England hafflis and other cultural events such as Roger Williams Park International Festival and the Boston International Festival. Tina worked with Nourhan as assistant in the production of the Providence Arts in the Park events, as well as workshops, concerts, and the early events under the Egyptian Academy of Oriental Dance. With Nourhan’s mentoring, she was showcased at area events in Boston, Providence and New York, performed at Brown University, and began a solo dance career with live traditional music in Middle Eastern venues. These included La Camelia in Providence, Layalina in Boston, and local Lebanese, Egyptian, Greek, and Armenian festivals and private celebrations throughout New England.
In 1999, Tina relocated to Orange County, California, to further her education. She had majored in Theater at Hofstra University in New York, and now earned degrees in Anthropology with a Middle Eastern focus, and Spanish from University of California Irvine. After graduation she traveled throughout Spain, southern Europe and Egypt studying local history, music, Flamenco, Egyptian and North African dance. In Cairo, she studied privately with Aida Nour, Farida Fahmy and Raquia Hassan, and spent time with the late master drummer Khamis Henkesh, as well as the late costume designer Madame Abla.
In California, Morwenna Assaf introduced Tina to the dance community, and she was dancing as a soloist and troupe member as soon as her toes touched the Pacific. She performed with Morwenna’s Raks Al Anwar, focusing on theater performances, such as the Escondido Theater, Beverly Hills City Hall, and the Conference on Middle Eastern Dance at Orange Coast College Robert B. Moore Theater. She opened for star singer Amr Diab with Sohaila & Friends of San Diego, performed several roles in Sahra Saeeda’s theater production Ra-Eclipse of the Sun at Curtis Theater, she danced in a TV commercial for Rania, and for numerous celebrity and corporate events with Latifa in the Arabesque/Mystique Dance Company including events for Phillip Morris & Jenny Craig. Tina has performed as a soloist for the Mayor of Los Angeles and for Paramount Pictures.
Other highlights include performing at The Meadowood Napa Valley, Providence College, Palomar College, John Crawford Adams Playhouse and Spiegel Theaters, the Perishable Theater, Casa Del Prado Theater, Coast Hills Church, Old Town Temecula Theater, and Saddleback College McKinney Theater, Shakti Fest, and a teaching segment aired on IGTV International House Hunters.
Tina has been the featured soloist at industry events including those honoring Nourhan Sharif, Yousry Sharif, El Hosseny, and Mahmoud Reda. She was awarded 1st Runner Up in the Belly Dancer of the Universe Competition in 2003. In addition to performing in theater venues, cultural events, and private celebrations, she has been presented as a featured solo dancer at Middle Eastern venues, mostly with traditional live music all along the east and west coasts, including the Aegean, the Luxor, Darband, the Greek Palace, Athena’s, Al Rayan, Haji Baba’s, Pena Pachamama, the Greek Village, Le Diplomat, Hatam, and the Adanus. She is currently regularly featured at Club Hashemi, and at the Olives Branch weekly.
In the year 2000, Tina founded and developed a professional dance company Raksat Al Zaman, which traveled and performed in various industry events, clubs, and festivals across the U.S. including Irvine Global Village Festival, El Hosseny Concert San Francisco, Rakassah Festival, and Raqia Hassan Concert Miami. Tina shares an award with this troupe and George Medlock from the Orange County Turkish American Association. In 2008, Tina founded a second student percussion and dance troupe Rhythms of the Desert, which she currently choreographs for and directs with George Medlock.
In addition to the formative instructors mentioned above, Tina has studied with over one hundred of the most respected instructors in the industry; including Elena Lentini, Yousry Sharif, Sah’ra, Raquia Hassan, Angelika, Amina Goodyear, Ahmed Hussein, Avi Fortan in Persian Dance, Banafsheh Sayyad in Ritual Dance, Dr. Robert Garfias in ethnomusicology, Elias Lammam, Tareq Rantisi, Katerian Burda, and George Medlock in drumming and music.
Instructor
Tina has been offering classes in south Orange County since 1999. She currently offers ongoing classes as a contract instructor for the Cities of Laguna Hills, Dana Point, and San Clemente. In 2020 she has started teaching on-line belly dance and drum classes, as well as Belly Dance in the Park!
Technical, challenging, encouraging, and inspirational! These classes explore authenticity, creativity, and the essence of this dance through cultural research, history, music and movement. Students are challenged at a variety of levels and have the opportunity to a whole experience, from basics, to choreography, improvisation, and drumming, to auditions, rehearsals, and performance.
Tina has also taught multiple workshops from Providence to San Diego. Topics have included Oriental Images, Improvisation, Egyptian Style, Egyptian Choreography, Rhythms, and Drum Solos. Students have included rock singers Geri Verde, Janet Peterson, and entertainer Characula. Recently she collaborated in choreography workshops with The Jewels that Raq, Lilla Varese, Tamami, and Lucia of San Diego. Tina was invited to teach workshops as part of Elias Lammam's Santa Cruz Arabic Music Week Intensive in 2014 & 2015, and she choreographed and directed a high-profile wedding performance presented by the bride, groom and wedding party & Tina in Napa, California. Tina holds several dance certificates including Sahra's Kent Journey Through Egypt, Ahmed Hussein, El Hosseny, Reiki practitioner and Zumba instructor.
Contributions, Dance & Community
In 2007, Tina produced a drumming CD specifically designed for belly dance teachers, Sweet Fruits for Heavenly Hips Vol. 1. The CD received acclaim from belly dance teachers all over the world. In 2012 Tina assisted in the production of the CD Ancient Secret Medieval Mystery Rhythms, an instructional for advanced percussionists. Tina has sponsored several master instructors, including Nourhan Sharif, Elena Lentini, Keisha Clark-Booth, Roxanne Shelaby, Mona Lisa, Deniz of London, Morwenna & Walid Assaf, and she has co-sponsored Egyptian master El Hosseny in the Bay area. As OC's local resource vendor, Tina has represented Sharifwear and Joharah International, carrying costumes and dancewear, since 1998. She has produced annual educational theater shows, showcases, and benefits for cancer research, Unicef, Laura's House women’s shelter, Women for Women International, and Coronavirus Charities in 2020.
Enheduanna
Inspired by the the historical Sumerian poet / priestess Enheduanna (ca. 2,350 BC), Tina took her name, with great respect for the writer’s life-long dedication to her art.
