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Raks Star - Rak Star * Angel Thacker


by: Zaina Hart (Feb 19 2009)
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Zaina’s Forward:  Angel walked into our vending booth at Rakkasah a few years ago, smiling ear to ear, offering a hug right off, and shared a loving spirit that so filled our space it was like breathing in a spring breeze filled with sunshine and flowers.  She is what I call “on high” just spilling over with “life”, “energy”, and oodles of "passion".  Over these last few years, we have gotten to know each other a bit better but I will never forget her energy spilling into the space - - she is electric.  And I will keep close to heart her kinds words about my performance that day and her praise of the magazine. 

This last September she introduced me to Dunia’s Desert Dance Festival, which until then I had not been able to attend – mostly due to schedule conflicts with the Double Crown.  Libby and I had way way too much fun and Angel and Dunia were the consummate hostesses.  Angel’s incredible sense of humor, high spirits, and energetic performances are “a gift” that I am grateful for.

Angel has submitted her first in what we at iShimmy.com hope to be the first of many fabulous articles, this one a feature on “Hadia” - which will be posted by March 1st.

Now, for a glimpse of that Spring Breeze, Angel Thacker. . . .


Angel Thacker has been a performer since her teenage years, with musical theater and singing being at the heart of her passion. She is the youngest of seven children, born to a career military man in Southern California. Her travels as a youth, along with her own military tour with the United States Marine Corps, have taken her through much of the US and Central American nations over the years. She has a close relationship with her family and holds them dear, with an especially tight bond with her mother Lorraine – a native of New Orleans.

Exposure to our nation’s military has given Angel a warm appreciation of the greatly diversified world we live in today and a deep respect and love for the freedoms we experience in this country.

Angel fell in love with the theater experience through studying at local Bay Area colleges and participating in theater productions and performances throughout the community. Her artistic education has also included private study with musical legends; Irene Manning, Judy Davis and Susan Steele and modeling training with Norma Peyton Henning – who’s agency she modeled for throughout the Bay Area in the mid to late 1990’s. In theater, she has studied classical, improvisation and musical comedy; all methods she pulls together to help her feel both comfortable and free with herself as a performer. She has enjoyed an impressive background as a Bay Area singer, actress, model, dancer and M.C., producing and supporting events – including launching "The Music Networking Conference", a premiere annual event held from 1988 through 1993, which gave local artists and song writers a venue to network, meet industry leaders and perform. It was in organizing and producing this event that gave Angel a passion for working with and supporting entertainers with their efforts to build their careers in a challenging industry.

As a performer, her passion for life and love of learning is realized through her dancing. Captivating audiences with her energetic interpretation of belly dance with what she calls an “African flavor”. For Angel, the only rule of dance is to make every effort to know and understand your dance passion. Angel encourages her students and peers to always seek out learning opportunities. “Learn from the masters of the art! For it is our responsibility to take the baton then pass it on.” It was this passion that inspired her to create the Dance Masters of Belly Dance in 2007, a production company focused on presenting master level belly dance instructors in; workshops, shows and video productions. Giving her the opportunity to meet and be mentored by many of the dance instructors she has come to admire over the years.

Angel has worked in Silicon Valley in areas of marketing and finance for more than 15 years. In addition to an extensive corporate background in finance and marketing, she has also worked in the private sector as a marketing entrepreneur supporting small businesses, alternative health care professionals and entertainers in the Bay Area since 1992. Primarily focusing on web-site marketing, maintenance and basic design, Angel worked with her partner to produce site content and market practitioners in healing and life changing arts as well as musicians and writers throughout the greater Bay Area and beyond.

As an intuitive life coach, Angel has spent more than 15 years working with individuals and groups focus on attaining positive change, obtaining goals and achieving success. Angel is committed to helping her clients identify, focus on and achieve their life’s goals. In all areas of their lives!

Angel holds her MBA, with a focus on marketing and finance and is an ISSA fitness trainer candidate. She has attended programs and trained with some of today's most popular and effective personal coaches and programs. Some of which include; Anthony Robbins, Sarano Kelley and Franklin Covey.

Angel discovered belly dancing as a form of healing when recovering from a major health scare and has never looked back! She uses the dance to complete the expression of feminine strength, passion and beauty. As a performer, she engages her full person in her work, applying the sciences of art, physiology and the mind to create with passion. Her desire is to help others accomplish this same passion in their work, regardless of what they do. The only limitations are those we place on ourselves!!

With the evolution of her own dance passion, Angel’s focus has become more focused on communicating her own interpretation of the dance through her dance form, Afro-Belly Boogie ™ dance. A dance form which continues to evolve as she connects with more dancers in the belly dance community - old and new.

Class at 24 Hour Fitness
Angel is looking forward to the many opportunities and projects approaching her in the horizons. One of the most important is the evolution of the Dance Masters of Belly Dance from an individual production company, to the Cultural Arts and Dance Association, a non-profit organization. Keep an eye out for news, updates and events!
 



DateArticle NameAuthor
Feb 2010 Raks Star * Isis San Miguel   Zaina Hart
Nov 2009 Raks Star * Princess Farhana   Zaina Hart
Aug 2009 Raks Star * Nathalie   Zaina Hart
Feb 2009 Rak Star * Angel Thacker   Zaina Hart
Nov 2008 Raks Star * Zizi Zabaneh   Zaina Hart
Jun 2008 Raks Star * Tara el Nur   Zaina Hart
Jan 2008 Raks Star * Elviza   Zaina Hart
Nov 2007 Raks Star * Dahlia Moon   Zaina Hart
Jul 2007 Raks Star * Portia   Zaina Hart
Feb 2007 Raks Star * Neena Nour   Zaina Hart
Dec 2006 Raks Star * Lotus Niraja   Oberon
Sep 2006 Raks Star * Aradia   Masala
May 2006 Raks Star * Naheda   iShimmy Contributor
Sep 2005 Raks Star * Nadira   Oberon
May 2005 Raks Star * Amy Luna Manderino   Zaina Hart
May 2005 Raks Star * Judeen   Zaina Hart
Mar 2005 Raks Star * Alimah   Zaina Hart
Jan 2005 Raks Star * Rachel   Oberon
Jan 2005 Raks Star * Ishmael and Amel Tafsout   Oberon
May 2004 Raks Star * Kamaal   Zaina Hart
Mar 2004 Raks Star * Shukriya   Zaina Hart
Feb 2004 Raks Star * Aziza   Zaina Hart
©2007 Zaina Hart
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