As Printed in the Quarter 2/2005 issue of The Belly Dancer Magazine
Dancer to Dancer, with Suzanna Del Vecchio as interviewed by Oberon
She captivates all who see her - from the passion of her performance to the grace and beauty she portrays. Suzanna is for me “awe” inspiring. I remember the first time I saw this amazing woman - simply, I was mesmerized and could not have looked away if told my Goddess herself that I must. She has touched so many of us, and I wonder if she even realizes it. My thanks to her for loving this dance so much and for sharing that experience with us.
A Brief Bio
Suzanna Del Vecchio is an Oriental Dance Artist whose work is celebrated internationally. She is a true professional seriously dedicated to the art of the dance, in whi;ch she has been totally involved since 1975. She teaches and performs internationally as well as nation wide, and has five videos on the International market.
Suzanna is considered an innovator in her field of Oriental Dance and is gaining recognition within the mainstream dance community as well. Her choreographies have been selected by members of the Colorado Dance Alliance to be included in their Colorado Choreographers' Showcase for three consecutive years. In February of 1998 she was invited and participated in the University of Wyoming's dance department's national Dance Festival as a Master Teacher. In December of 1997 she was awarded "Best Choreography" for her dance entitled "Passion" from the G.A.M.A.L. Academy Awards of Middle Eastern Dance, and in August of 1998 she was awarded choreographer of the Year" from the Inter-national Academy of Middle Eastern Dance.
Suzanna also enjoyed geat success during her Fall, 1997 performance tour of Germany, with her powerful presentation of "Fire Dance", a dance she created fusing Arabic and Spanish movements, to the music from the "RiverDance" C.D. Her performances are soulful and always artistically presented.
As a teacher, Suzanna's familiarity with body alignment and movement awareness techniques, combined with her knowledge of hatha yoga, allows her to convey means to achieve enhanced flexibility, body alignment and use, and self-awareness. Emphasizing technique, combinations, and emotional interpretation, she incorporates diverse dance movements in her performances and teaching. She likes the sharp hip movements, grace and feminine style of the Egyptian Oriental dance, but also enjoys working with lots of spins and turns, and remains one of the few top dancers to promote strong veil and floor dancing. Suzanna is one of those rare teachers from whose classes and workshops, dancers of all levels come away with new knowledge, perspectives, and skills.
Suzanna offers ongoing classes in central Denver. Call or write for a schedule.
Suzanna was awarded "Dancer of the Year" by the International Academy of Middle Eastern Dance in Los Angeles in August 2001
Dancer to Dancer Interview
I love the Glitz and Glamour of Middle Eastern Dance, and am also very aware, that it can compensate for a lack of skill and even sometimes, obscure a diamond. It takes a dancer of strength and balance, to captivate and enchant with grace and simplicity, her movement stunningly powerful and evocative with enviable carriage and uncompromising performance. Such are the studied gifts of Suzanna Del Vecchio, whose sizzling turns, riveting floor work and intricate approach to the dance, have sent fellow dancers flocking to her workshops and performances. I admit to being among the spellbound. So what elements converge to create this unique and dazzling artist? In a noisy hallway, interrupted often by her many admirers, I tried to gain some insight!
O - Suzanna, I find your approach to Middle Eastern Dance to have a different sensibility. What influences your style?
SDV - I've not thought about it much, but would have to credit my years of Hatha Yoga in the Iyengar method. It is close to 30 years since I started studying this dance, and I was practicing Yoga before that. I keep my strength, flexibility & balance thru yoga practice but the study of yoga gives me a particular perspective on life that helps me in my presentation of dance. My teaching style especially reflects my study in the Iyengar Yoga method.
O - Where were you born and did you plan a life in teaching and the arts?
SDV - I was born in Cincinnati, Ohio the 5th of 10 children. I have seven sisters and 2 brothers. We learned to become creative, resourceful and independent very early. I was involved in the theatre arts in high school and college, but planned on becoming an elementary school teacher, but was indecisive and confused as to what I really wanted to do. I quit college after three and a half years and a few years later was introduced to this dance. I knew immediately that I would become a professional & began to search for a good teacher. I moved to WA State in the mid 70's and found the "Beledi Centre for Traditional Belly Dance". I studied with Karija (Mary Dossett) for about 3 years, then went professional. Karija had a partner, Justin Chesley. I believe that they studied with Jamila Salimpour. I had to travel via two ferries and a bus to get to the school from Port Orchard, WA where I lived. I was determined and eventually moved to Seattle. So...yes I had planned to teach but not to teach dance.
O - How long did you study before you performed? 
SDV - Well, I performed with a couple of friends after about 2 years at parties and such, but I had studied for about 3 years before performing professionally. I began performing at a Greek restaurant called "Georges Tops 24." I performed two or three shows a night, six nights a week. There was a live band and the pay was decent. I went on to travel nationally to perform and ended up in Colorado.
O - And continued studying?
SDV - After turning professional I continued to take workshops with National teachers. I also got a teaching certificate through the Beledi Centre and began teaching myself between performance gigs.
O - Your technique is different to that of your teachers it seems to me.
SDV - I received a great foundation from them and continued developing my own style. I received inspiration from performing artists of all kinds, even skaters and gymnasts. For example, I watched skaters doing spins with their
gaze up to the ceiling and developed that particular spin which is so popular now. One of my students was a skater, and I was able to direct my questions about that spin to her coach. I also watched performance videos, being careful not to absorb particular nuances which would be easy for me to do, because I wanted to retain my own style.
O - Your teaching, I've noticed, is integrally based in proper stance.
SDV - I am very alignment oriented because of the Iyengar Yoga influence in my life. I encourage myself and my students to know how they live and move in their bodies. How you "hold" or carry your pelvis is of utmost importance.
Developing the awareness of the length of the spine, the lift of the chest & length of the lower back is paramount. For example, it is very rare to find a beginner (or frequently advanced dancers) who can move their pelvis back and forward in space without tipping it forward. It is a skill that has to be developed. Directionally, there is forward and back, side to side, horizontal and vertical movement. I teach with these kinds of
awarenesses because of my study of the Iyengar method of Hatha Yoga. I did not learn it via this dance. We learn this kind of alignment in Iyengar Yoga. I try to cultivate a particular awareness of how I live and move in my body, and if I could achieve it in two life times, I would be happy. 
O - How are your classes formatted?
SDV - I offer 8 week introduction courses every few months. This class graduates into level 2 then, into level 3 and then I mix classes. During this time, I try to instill an awareness in the students of how they move and help them increase their level of strength and flexibility. I teach four dance classes per week.
O - How would you describe your teaching style?
SDV - I feel I am a patient teacher and I try to encourage respect and compassion in them for themselves and for their teachers.
O - Are there things you don't care to see presented in the dance?
SDV - I feel you should be clearly presenting Oriental Dance. I love fusion, but it has to be good dance first, and make sense. I like to see the flavor of Oriental remain. I occasionally see some pretty bizarre presentations that don't make sense.
O - Have you studied any other dance form?
SDV - No. This dance only. Some fusion with other Oriental teachers.
O - What are you feeling when you are on stage performing?
SDV - The most important thing to me is to be present as I am easily distracted. Dance for me, is the opportunity to be drawn inward - even more so when I am on stage, because there is this connection with the audience that is a humbling experience for me. It's a challenge, but when I'm there it is wonderful.
O - I have to ask you about choreography because of the amazing piece you affected with sword at Rakkasah one year! 
SDV - I create a lot of choreography for myself and in order to teach. I put on the music, improvise and write it down. I had read about a dancer who had dropped a sword from her head to her stomach back in the late 70's, so I took a seated Yoga posture and practiced dropping the sword from my head onto my stomach until I perfected it. I still use it and have taught it throughout the world in workshops. I perform that Sword Dance on my DVD, "Dances from the Heart I & II.
O - What do you look for in music?
SDV - Music that moves me, makes me feel. That could be passionate or joyful or whatever I want to convey to my audience.
O - Any ongoing favorites?
SDV - One of my favorite pieces that I created a choreography to was Peter Gabriels's "Passion". I have always loved Alan Bachman's "Chiftetelli" on Desert Wind's first album "Return to the Goddess". I now am attracted to orchestrated Egyptian classics. It changes according to my moods.
O - What do you enjoy in other performers?
SDV - Grace, good technique, innovation, but especially a dancer who is an artist; a dancer who can make me feel. I appreciate style and being entertained, but I am not often touched on a deeper level.
O - Have any favorites?
SDV - Yes, I like many of our top dancers here in the states and abroad. Delilah Flynn, who was never afraid to be innovative. Aida Al Adawi was an inspiration to me when I was a beginning dancer. I love to watch Horacio and Beata Cifuentes, Fatheim, Amaya, Margo Abdo to name a few, because they are naturals. We have many beautiful dancers. I like to watch Suhaila with her troupe and Jillina and her Sahlala dancers as well.
O - Do you have a favorite memory in your dance career?
SDV - Mmm. Well in 1984 The Colorado Dance Festival opened up to ethnic dance. It was a juried audition and I was chosen to be part of the exhibition, to perform in the company of ballerinas and modern dancers. I danced in Germany, in Dusseldorf, for a crowd of about 5,000 during a performance tour in the late 90's. I love to dance and have always felt appreciated at the Rakkasah festivals.
O - Anything you would change within the dance?
SDV - The dance has become a lot more main stream now with the advent of the Belly Dance Super Stars tours, and I think this is a great thing. I would like to see us look more to the artistic side. I 'd like to see the sensuality/sexuality of the dance elevated to a higher level. Emphasize the elegance, mystery and mystical elements of it. It is true sex sells, but it gets old and boring.
O - What does the future bring from Suzanna Del Vecchio?
SDV - I have thought about expanding my dance retreat to include courses on how to teach, but I don't know if I will go there or not. I have been contemplating a video "Yoga Stretches for Dancers" for over 5 years now I think. I started the script quite a while ago and hope to get it out one day as well as a few other videos. I get good feedback on my videos and I would like to continue to be helpful in this area.
O - What legacy would you like to leave to the dance community?
SDV - I hope through my classes and videos that I encourage an awareness of the body/mind connection through this dance; that it can be used in this way. Perhaps we can create an awareness of our habitual patterns that could lead us to become more compassionate human beings. 
www.suzanna.vecchio.com
Email: dancersuz@h2net.net
303-399-2622
P.O. Box 61383, Denver, CO 80206-8383