Steve & Robyn with Tahya, May 2007

Historically this dance has been a part of women's heritage for thousands of years and one very significant application of the dance has been to celebrate a wedding!

Here's what one bride had to say:

"After hearing Tahya talk about how belly dancing is a dance of celebration and fits in naturally at a wedding, I knew I had to ask her to be a part of my wedding reception festivities!

The way it worked out was great. I had my formal wedding gown on all day ~ for the ceremony, for the pictures, for the toasts, for the first dance and throughout dinner. When dinner was over and it was time to dance, I changed into a fun party dress. As a surprise to my husband (he was unaware of this aspect during the planning process), she came out and performed a dance with great live drumming accompaniment right after we cut our cake.

Towards the end of her performance, she brought my bridesmaids and me on to the dance floor and had us do some moves. This allowed me to do a little dancing for everyone, which everyone complimented me on later, but I didn't have to entertain the whole room with an entire routine. (Rather I left this in Tahya's capable hands.) Then, Tahya invited my husband to stand up and guided him to do a few moves. With he and I in the middle, my bridesmaids danced around us in a circle, which was cool. THEN, and this was THE BEST PART, she taught everyone the grapevine step and she invited all our guests to come together hand-in-hand and grapevine around the whole tent. That got everyone out of their seats, ready to dance and we all danced in a joyous celebration for the rest of the night.

I encourage other brides who may want to 'belly dance' at their weddings to consider getting a few moves "under your belt" and do a little dance. Let Tahya bring you on to the dance floor, but let her handle facilitating the whole performance and getting the party started.

Tahya is great. Everyone still talks about what fun our wedding reception was."

- Annie Greaves

Book Tahya today for your wedding reception and rest assured your wedding reception will be enjoyed by all!

Historically this dance has been a part of women's heritage for thousands of years and one very significant application of the dance has been to celebrate a wedding! Women come together for the purpose of "showering" the bride with affection and gifts of food, etc. They celebrate with drumming and dance! I invite you to include this age-old tradition when planning a bridal shower.

A full one-hour lesson is provided for bride and bridal shower guests. We review hip articulation, graceful hand and arm movements and an intro to the shimmy!

** For something additionally unique, consider henna "tattoos" (just above the ankle or perhaps on one's shoulder) ~ The history of henna tattoos also dates back thousands of years. Cultures from Africa to the Arab world to South Asia have embraced the art of henna body decoration-for fashion and beauty, for personal expression, for social and religious occasions, for healing purposes and more. In recent years global travel and migration, along with increased communication and cultural sharing has brought henna to many parts of the West, mingling traditional practices with new interpretations and uses. Since the mid-1990s henna body art has enjoyed a vogue throughout the U.S., Europe, and the world.

Henna body art is (way cool!) all natural, temporary, painless, and safe for all skin types - a unique way to decorate your personality, spirit, and body. Henna derives from a plant, whose leaves are dried and crushed to make a powder with natural dying properties. The application of henna creates beautiful designs that temporarily stain the skin a reddish-brown that often develops into a rich brown color and lasts one to three weeks, depending on the care the dyed skin receives.

From the Pharaohs of ancient Egypt to modern-day wedding parties, henna has enjoyed a variety of applications and meanings throughout the centuries.