and multi-dimensional artist nederland/boulder/denver co
Award winning dancer, Jawahir Bahiya performs, and offers workshops and classes on a variety of belly dance topics in Colorado and nationally.
Jawahir (aka Jewl) is a member of the Bohemian Artists' Guild in Denver participating in local events/collaborations with other artists. She acts as director of Bahiya Dance Co, Experimental Dance, exploring movement art within the context of experimental/electronic sound art.
Jewl is a musician, dj, massage therapist, reiki master, vegan, enjoys yoga, community, healing arts, painting, and is the proud mother of Terra, amazing little girl born in 2005 who is "more a teacher to me than I am to her".
Photo by Ben Brackin & artwork by Jawahir, 3/2004
Bahiya Experimental Dance: Jewl has been performing to electronic/experimental music for some time. Bahiya Dance is an extension of this, including other dancers when possible in an exploration of experimental dance and performance art to live and recorded sound art. Performances may include choreography and/or improvisational dance with an underlying concept. Jawahir is coordinator and choreographer. click to see video of experimental dance inspired by Butoh, with live music & video by bios+a+ic at transistor 2007
"You are the most amazing woman! I loved your performance piece at the CDAF! It touched me somehow and I am not really sure how, but I felt something..............beautiful.
You are a beautiful and powerful performer and a consummate professional! Not to mention you have some serious skilz at spinning tunes! It was so great to see you and bask in your loveliness! You are an inspiration to all that is Goddess-like~I could just kiss you all over!"
~ Tina Striegel, aka Saira, beautiful Denver Dancer (and local Goddess)
regarding Butoh inspired experimental dance & dj/emcee at Colorado Dark Arts 08
dj bahiya: Jewl does transglobal and eastern-inspired dance beat dj sets for parties, and events. You can also find her on myspace at myspace.com/djbahiya.
To book Jawahir Bahiya Bellydance, or dj bahiya for your next party or event, please send an email.
"...I especially liked how you shimmied to the drum roll, yet hit each accent beat with the rest of your body..." -- Janice "Roxelana" Wing of Seattle, Creator of the comic strip "Belly Laughs" and director of award-winning troupe, Sticky Veils
"I am so impressed with Jawahir's finger cymbals and dance combos!" -- Yasmin of Seattle, WA, about Jawahir's dancing with finger cymbal workshop
Jawahir dances "beautifully...mischievously...gracefully" -- Madeline Dixon, Irish Dancer, Everett, WA
Dancer tip: Spot choreograph. Your routine doesn't always have to be entirely choreographed. Pick a few phrases from the music and choreograph them. Then fill in the blanks with improv. If you spot choreograph sometimes, you'll be much more comfortable improvising if you forget parts of your full choreographies. If you are doing improv only, as in dancing with live music, come up with a couple combinations or tricks and work them in where the music seems to fit. That way you don't feel like you're doing the same move over and over again.
More tips
Wesley Davis (aka bios+a+ic) is founder, and Jewl is co-founder, and co-coordinator for the event.
Bahiya Experimental Dance will be performing with bios+a+ic live to open the night on Saturday. If you saw the performance at Dark Arts, it will be similar in nature but with live music & projection.
Bahiya is honored to be dancing with Fragile Creep Theater at the festival. Here is a description:
A visually stunning dance, exploring the haunting abstract imagery of home, deep nature and animal spirit. Birth, death and bad manners, this project draws it's choreography and text from "The Outermost House" by Henry Beston as well as personal stories of home by the company members. This project began as a dance in the dunes of Cape Cod and is constantly evolving as the sea moves the sand. "At A Distance I Can Say" is a about the loss of our relationship to nature, told in an oddly funny, disturbing and weird fashion. Just as we like it!
Jennifer Hicks of Boulder is the director & choreographer.
