The 2007 Belly Dance Competition’s

Winner’s Circle

As reported by Zaina Hart

As many of you may remember, a few years ago we reported the winners of Belly Dance Competitions for that year (2005) from across the US.  It is our plan to publish this listing each year in January.  We will include the URL’s of the specific competitions so that you may visit their sites to see what they are up to in the coming year.

These dancers work so very hard and we wanted to both applaud and encourage them as well as future dancers with a little bit of praise and kudos.

We begin with the first competition of the year and give results in date order, based on information available via websites and what has been returned to us by the event sponsors.  If you see a specific competition’s results missing, it is not because we wanted to leave them out, but rather because either there is no winners listing information available on their websites, and/or because they have not responded.  If you have the information for us, we can easily include in the article at any time and would be HAPPY to do so. 

To those competing in 2008 - - THE BEST OF LUCK and remember you are ALL WINNERS already.

1. Belly Dancer of the Universe, February , 2007
2. Emerald Rain, February 2007
3. Desert Fire
4. Belly Dancer of the Year
5. Belly Dancer USA, June , 2007
6. Lilies of the Valley, August , 2007
7. Double Crown Belly Dance Competition, September 28^th and 29^th, 2007
8. North Valley Belly Dance Competition, November 10, 2007

Tonya and Atlantis presented

The 17th Annual Belly Dancer of the Universe Competitions™ and
International Dance

Festival with "Generations and Legends" of the Dance

February 17-18th, 2007

(Normally held each year on President’s Day Weekend)

Long Beach, California

Dahlia – Champion Universal (pictured with Atlantis)

Universal Champions
Champion, Dahlia, WA
1st Runner Up, Andalee, CA
2nd Runner Up and People's Choice, Joulya, CA
3rd Runner Up, Nadira, WA

Divine Solo
Divine Champion, and People’s Choice and Congeniality, Ana, CA
1st Runner Up: Deborah, CA
2nd Runner Up: Dejah, TX (now in CA)

Drum Solo / Solo Dancer

Drum Solo Champion and People's Choice, Ahava, CA

1st Runner Up, Angela Prato, OH
2nd Runner Up, Amanda Rose, AZ
3rd Runner Up, Aleya, CA
Congeniality: Viviane, TX

Tribal Fusion Solo Champions

Tribal Fusion Solo Champion and People's Choice, Heather Shoopman, CA
1st Runner Up, Jane Archer, OR
2nd Runner Up and Congeniality, Sooz, CA
3rd Runner Up, Saahira, Sorceress of the Emerald Winds, CA

Junior Solo Champions

Junior Solo Champion, Minjae Lim, So. Korea

Junior Solo, 1st Runner Up, Mayette, CA

2nd Runner Up, Ivy Elaine Ashmoore, AZ
3rd Runner Up, Louise Sarigumba, CA

Junior Group Champions

Junior Group Champions, Jewels of Meihana, CA

Junior Group, 1st Runner Up, Rahabi, CA

Little Solo Champions
Champion, Monique Sanchez Guadalupe, Puerto Rico.

1st Runner Up, Minsun-Lee, So. Korea

2nd Runner Up, Yesenia Garcia, CA
3rd Runner Up, Princess Mikayla, CA

Solo Veil Champions
Veil Champion, Congeniality and People's Choice, Joulya, CA
1st Runner Up, Naiya, CA

2nd Runner Up, Regine, CA
3rd Runner Up, Nitara, CA

Tribal Group Champions

Tribal Group Champion and People's Choice, Unmata, CA

1st Runner Up and Congeniality, Black Sheep Bellydance, CA
2nd Runner Up, She'enedra, CA

Fusion Solo Champions

Fusion Solo Champion, Viviane, TX

1st Runner Up, Dahlia, WA

2nd Runner Up and People's Choice, Roxana, CA

3rd Runner Up, Shabnam, CA

Egyptian Solo Champions
Champion, Ahava, CA

1st Runner Up Aleya, CA

2nd Runner Up, Joulya, CA
3rd Runner Up, Viviane, TX
Egyptian People's Choice, Hyunjin Kim So. Korea

Egyptian Congeniality Winner, Innah, IA

Adult Group Champions

Adult Group Champion, Flower Buds of the Desert, CA
1st Runner Up, The Shimmy Sisters, CA
2nd Runner Up, Belly Dance Odyssey Raks, CA
3rd Runner Up, Malaika, CA
People's Choice, The Shimmy Sisters, CA
Congeniality, Girls of Alexandria, CA

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNER
John Bilezikjian (pictured with Tonya)

February 16 - 17, 2008! President's Day Weekend

http://www.bellydanceroftheuniverse.com/

Emerald Rain Belly Dance Competition

February 2007

Everett, WA

(Photo of Sedona by Kevin Thrappe)

Aphrodite (Pro)

Winner, Sedona

2^nd, Alimah

3^rd, Faith

Gypsy/Tribal Soloist

1^st, Ruby

2^nd, Indigo

3^rd, Aviva

Duet/Troupe Alternative

1^st, Sisters of the Sacred Oasis

2^nd, Gilana & Habiba

Sirens (Duets)

1^st, Mirror Image

2^nd, Sisters of Aleedra

Hestia (beginner)

1^st, Soriah

2^nd, Taylor

3^rd, Junah

Athena (Pro-Student)

1^st, Naeemah

2^nd, Andrea

3^rd, Nufiah

Majors

1^st, Amira

2^nd, Gilana

3^rd, Talia

Persephone (Alternative)

1^st, Mayette

2^nd, Nafiah

3^rd, Gilana

March 8^th & 9^th, 2008

Arlington, WA

http://www.emeraldrain.org

Desert Fire Belly Dance Competition 2007

March 3, 2007

El Paso, Texas

Desert Flame  (Professional Category)

1st Place: Nancy Huerta (Pictured)

2nd Place: Leah Diore

3rd Place: Zahira Sujong

Fiery Fusion (Fusion style belly dance)

1st Place: Leah Diore

2nd Place: Shazadi

3rd Place: Anala

Burning Flame  (over 45)

1st Place: Anala

2nd Place: Lorraine

3rd Place: Betty Arnold

Rising Flame  (Student Category)

1st Place: Tammy

2nd Place: Monique Malooly

3rd: Place Aleera

Troupe On Fire

1st Place: Desert View Top Hats

2nd Place: Banat Al Jana

3rd Place: Divine Desert Dancers

Little Sparks (Children)

Carys

Laura

Danae

Valeska

Alyssa

Isabella

January 2008

http://www.freewebs.com/desertfire/index.htm

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2007 Belly Dancer of the Year Pageant

Memorial Day Weekend Each Year – May

Danville, California (East Bay Area)

(Oreet’s Photo by Michael Baxter)

Belly Dancer of the Year 2007 - Oreet (pictured)
First Runner Up - Yasmine
Second Runner Up - Rachel
Third Runner Up - Namira
Fourth Runner Up - Sandra
Congeniality – Devilla

Troupe 2007 - Lunatique
First Runner Up - Bellydance Odyssey Raks
Second Runner Up - Nijmeh Dream Dancers
Congeniality – Lunatique

Trio 2007 - Jaouahir Tahoe
First Runner Up - Surreyya and Ballour
Congeniality - Jaouahir Tahoe

Grand Dancer 2007 - Etana Hayal
1st Runner Up - Jasmina
Congeniality - Jamila From Jerusalem

May 24, 25, & 26, 2008

http://www.bellydc.com/TOC.htm

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Jareeda and Mezdulene present

Belly Dancer USA

Canyonville, OR

June 2007

(Nadira’s Photo by Fred Herinckx)

Belly Dancer USA

1st Nadira

2nd Nalini

3rd Yasmine

Belly Dancer USA People's Choice

1st Nalini

2nd Ruby

3rd Yasmine

Apprentice Category

1st Holly

2nd Junah

3rd Sarah

Apprentice People's Choice

1st Junah

2nd Holly

3rd Nissa

Hobbyist Category

1st Desadera

2nd Devi Safir

3rd Kallina

Hobbyist People's Choice

1st Desadera

2nd Kallina

3rd Devi & Alondra

Alternative Music Professional Category

1st Elena Villa

2nd Mayette

3rd Sahira Zedare

People's Choice for this Category

1st Sahira Zedare

2nd Morgan

3rd Elena Villa

7 Veils Category

1st Karla

2nd Nafiah

3rd Jasel

People's Choice for this Category

1st Nafiah

2nd Karla

3rd Jasel

Alternative Music Non-Pro Category

1st Jaleeah

2nd Azara

3rd Serene

People's Choice for this Category

1st Jaleeah

2nd Serene & Kalisha

3rd Molichka

Goddess Category

1st Shasha

2nd Zanjabil

3rd Zelina

Goddess People's Choice

1st Zelina & Zanjabil

2nd Shasha

3rd Galadriel

Troupe Category

1st Raks Awalim

2nd Desert Divas

3rd Sisters of the Desert Moon

Troupe People's Choice

1st Raks Awalim

2nd Viking Harem & Desert Divas

3rd Shula Azar

June 14^th & 15th 2008, Coos Bay, OR

http://www.jareeda.com/Belly_USA.htm

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Twelfth Annual Wiggles of the West

July 13-15, 2007

Reno, Nevada

(Rachel’s Photo by Fred Herinckx)

Entertainer of the Year

Winner - Rachel
2nd - Namira
3rd - Leila Jamal

Headliner

Winner - Etana Hayal
2nd - Cassiopea
3rd - Malika

Rising Star

Winner - Vanessa
2nd - Nedika
3rd - Seevah

Ensemble

Winner - Sister Sirens
2nd - Yalla Habibi
3rd - Nijmeh Dream Dancers

Mini-Ensemble

Winners - Bahia Basma
2nd - Naiya & Nama'r
3rd - Annwvyn & Tamar'a

Alternative Wiggles

Winner - Roxelana
2nd - Naiya
3rd - Devi Safir

Alternate Ensemble

Winner - Dunyana
2nd - Amarasha
3rd - Dalloua Dance

July 11 - 13, 2008

http://www.wigglesofthewest.com

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2007 Lilies of the Valley Bellydance Competition Winners
August 2007
(Photo by Sarah Shaffer)