Curriculum Vitae

Dance Instructor:
Listed below are places that I have held progression-based classes; I have also taught workshops, and cultural education-based programs.
• 2017-Present: Egyptian Dance instructor for the Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre Academy in Carmel, Indiana.
• 2017:  ShimmyCon Bellydance Festival, Bloomington, Indiana; Powerpoint Presentation lecture.
• 2015-16:  Star Knowledge Conferences, sponsored by Chief Golden Light Eagle, 2015-Estes Park, Colorado, and 2016-Des Moines, Iowa; taught dance workshops and did Powerpoint Presentations on the Sacred Geometry of Dance
• 2013-Present: Course instructor for Continuing Education at IUPUI in Indianapolis, Indiana.
• 2013-University of Illinois at Champaign/Urbana:  taught workshops and gave a Powerpoint Presentation to the Bellydance Club of UIUC.
• 2012-2007: Produced and directed five dance concerts with Egyptian artists, Mohamed Shahin and Karim Nagi, and the Bellydance Superstars for my Master’s thesis project in Ethnomusicology at Indiana University.
• 2011:  Taught workshops at Ansuya’s Dance Studio in Naples, Florida, Fire in the Belly, sponsored by Inara.
• 2011: Taught workshops at the Indiana Dance Festival with the Ft. Wayne Dance Collective in Ft. Wayne, Indiana.
• 2009:  Taught workshops at the Great Lakes Bellydance Convention, Ann Arbor, Michigan
• 2007: Produced and Directed the Children’s Middle Eastern Spectacular for the Indiana University Middle Eastern Festival, sponsored by the Near Eastern Languages and Cultures Dept. of IU. This show was held at the Monroe County Public Library, and Mohamed Shahin of Cairo, Egypt was the guest artist, as well as Katya Faris.
• 2000-2006: Student Recreation Sports Center (SRSC), Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.
1)  Director and creator of the entire Middle Eastern Dance Program in the Mind/Body program at the SRSC
2)  Increased the volume of students in classes by 100% from 2003-4 to 2004-5
3)  Trained several students to assist the class, and two students to teach for the 2005-6 school year
• Director of the Middle Eastern Dance Club of IU
1)  Organized and sponsored several workshops/seminars/master classes in Middle Eastern dance for guest instructors under the auspices of the Middle Eastern Dance Club of IU
2)  Prepared and mentored students for performance outside of IU, and have helped several dance students further their education in the area of Middle Eastern dance and studies
3)  Prepared a full dance concert showcasing my students from the IU MED Club in the Spring of ’06, “Mosaic: A Tapestry of Middle Eastern and Spanish Dances”.
• 1997-2000: Laurie Tichy-Smith Movement Center, Bloomington, IN.
1)  Held classes in Middle Eastern Dance for all levels of students
2)  Prepared students for performance
• 1995-1997: Susurrus Dance Studio, Indianapolis, Indiana.
1)  Created first ever Middle Eastern Dance class for this Modern Dance studio
2)  Prepared student recitals
3)  Sponsored workshops for guest instructors
• 1992-93: English conversation teacher in Pusan, South Korea, Korea Services Group, Inc. Also taught dance classes in Pusan and Seoul.

Professional Dancer:

•2019-NYE, Al Arrab Nightclub, Detroit Michigan

•2018:  Principle bellydancer, Platinum Family Arabic Club, Detroit, Michigan
• 2016:  International Festival, Trine University, with Roger Kashou, and Victor Ghanem
• 2015-2017:  Principle bellydancer, Prestige Family Arabic Club, Detroit, Michigan
• 2013-2015:  Principle bellydancer, Lava Lounge, Indianapolis, Indiana
• 2012-Present: Professional Raqs Sharqi Dancer in Detroit, Michigan for clubs and private family parties, such as Arabic weddings, and birthday parties
• 2012-13:  Bellydancer with Istanbul Breeze Turkish Music Ensemble in Bloomington, Indiana
• 2011-Performed at Daniela’s Restaurant, Naples, Florida; workshop show
• 2010-2012:  Principle bellydancer, The Hookah House, downtown Indianapolis, Indiana
• 2009-2012:  Principle bellydancer, Saffron Cafe, Downtown Indianapolis, Indiana
• 2008:  Bellydancer at Cairo Cafe, Indianapolis, Indiana
• 2006-2009:  Principle bellydancer, The Egyptian Cafe, Indianapolis, Indiana
• 2006 & 2007: Performed in the Mohamed Shahin Seminar Shows sponsored by Alexandria of Chicago
• 2005-2010:  Principle bellydancer, El Morocco Restaurant, Indianapolis, Indiana
• 2005-2007:  Principle bellydancer, Hookah Cafe, West Lafayette, Indiana
• May 27th, 2005: Performed in the Dina Seminar sponsored by Little Egypt in Miami, Florida
• 2000-02:  Bellydancer for Clear Channel Entertainment (now iHeartMedia); danced for the Camel Cigarette Lounge at the (then) Verizon Wireless Music Center (now Klipsch) in Noblesville, Indiana, and in Cincinnati, Ohio at various clubs for the Camel promotion parties.
• 2000-Present: Began Katya Faris Productions; Professional performer and instructor
• 1997-1999: Principle Dancer for Salaam Music and Dance Ensemble, Bloomington, IN
• 1995-1997: Co-Director of the Indianapolis Middle Eastern Dance Ensemble, Indianapolis, IN
• 1996, 2007, & 2011:  Vincennes University International Night; 1996-Solo; 2007 & 2011 with Salaam
• 1995- Saints Neo-vaudeville Show produced by Brian Irwin, The Athenaeum, downtown Indianapolis
• 1993-2015:  Principle bellydancer at The Parthenon Greek Restaurant in Indianapolis, Indiana (old Broad Ripple location)
• 1993-Present: Middle Eastern Dance Soloist based in Indianapolis and Bloomington, IN

Some Musicians and Singers that I’ve worked with are:

• Bassem Salah
• Francis Batayeh
• Emad Batayeh
• Nader Harb
• Anmar Almokhtar
• Roger Kashou
• Salah Kurdi
• Mohamed Abu Sumayah
• Alaa Alamir
• Michael Ibrahim
• Ali Barada
• Karim Jaber
• Rabih Yousef
• Adel Aldaoud
• Nawras Nader
• Mahmoud Beydoun
• Majed Zaman
• Ons Boukraa
• Zak Baalbaki
• Shadi Ranjos
• Amir El Saffar
• Dena El Saffar
• Karim Nagi
• Latif Bolat
• Ozan Cemali

• Some of the Venues Katya has performed at:

Turning Stone Resort, Verona, New York
The Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center, Bloomington, Indiana
Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
The Indianapolis Museum of Art
The Cincinnati Museum Center
The Indianapolis Children’s Museum
The River East Art Center, Chicago, Illinois
Ohio State University
The University of Illinois at Champaign/Urbana
The Louisville Children’s Museum
Café Brauer at the Lincoln Park Zoo, , Chicago, Illinois
Trine University, Angola, Indiana
Alhambra Palace Restaurant, Chicago, Illinois
The Egyptian Room at The Old National Centre, Indianapolis, Indiana
The Conrad Hotel, downtown Indianapolis, Indiana
The Westin Hotel, downtown Indianapolis, Indiana
The Alexander Hotel, downtown Indianapolis, Indiana
The Skyline Club, downtown Indianapolis, Indiana
The Athenaeum in Indianapolis, Indiana
The Klipsch Music Center in Noblesville, Indiana
The Indiana State Fair
The Buskirk-Chumley Theatre, Bloomington, Indiana
Topo’s 403 Greek Restaurant, Bloomington, Indiana
Ivy Tech John Waldron Arts Center
The Minnetrista Cultural Center in Muncie, IN
Cafe Django, Bloomington, Indiana
Borders Books and Music stores in Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois
St. Mary’s Cultural Center, Livonia, Michigan
-Greek and Arabic restaurants and nightclubs in Indianapolis, Chicago, Detroit, LA, NYC, London, Naples, Florida, and Gothenberg, Sweden
-Various ethnic festivals, benefits, and dance shows

Professional Publications

These articles can be seen under the Media tab:
• Master’s Thesis in Ethnomusicology, 2012:  “The Mosaic Dance Concert Series:  A Tapestry of Middle Eastern Dances”.
• “Peptides and the Mind/Body Orchestra: Shamanic Healing in the Zar and Sema Rituals”, Katya Faris in Habibi, a Journal for Lovers of Middle Eastern Dance, Volume 19, No. 2, September 2002 (BAIS19-2).
• “Kismet: One man’s Journey”, by Katya Faris in Habibi, Issue 19.3, June 2003.
• “Amani Around the World” DVD Report in The Gilded Serpent online magazine.

Music Production

All music can be found under the Music tab:
• CD, “Raqsat Katya”, co-produced with Moda.fm, 2016

Films

•”Women of Today”, Patty Greer Films, 2015
“Forgotten Realm”, a Star Trek Fan Film, 2015

Academic Travels

• 1992-93:  Taught English Conversation in Pusan, Korea for the Korea Services Group, Inc.
• 1990: Classical Mythology Study Tour of Greece, Archeology Department, Butler University
• 1988: People to People Tour, Junior Ambassadorship; Australia/New Zealand

Education

Academic Education:
• 2007-2012:  M.A. Ethnomusicology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
• 2000-2002:  2 Yrs. Graduate work of Independent Studies in the Anthropology of Dance, Folklore and Middle Eastern Studies at Indiana University, Bloomington
• 1988-1992:  B.A. in International Studies with a Concentration in Cultural Anthropology from Butler University, Indianapolis, IN
• 1986-1988:  Culver Girls Academy, Culver, IN

Dance Education
• 2013:  Received Certification for Completion of Keti Sharif’s Original A-Z Personal Techniques Course
• 1989-Present: Private and Group classes with several different Middle Eastern Dance artists, including:
-Judy Eudaly
-Faten Munger
-Ibrahim Farrah
-Dalia Carella
-Yousry Sharif
-Mona N’wal
-Laila Gamal
-Ruby Jazayre
-Delilah Flynn
-Laurel Victoria Gray
-Elena Lentini
-Marianno Parra
-Robyn Friend
-Jamal of Avaz International Dance Theatre, Los Angeles
-Amani of Lebanon
-Eva Cernik
-Dina of Cairo
-Mahmoud Seif
-Mohamed Shahin
-Ehab Gadalla
-Keti Sharif
-Paola Blanton
-Dahlena of Chicago

• 2000-2002:  Yoga classes for two years with Alana Radecki at Indiana University, Bloomington.
• 1988-2002:  Non-major dance classes in Ballet, Modern and Jazz at Butler University, and Indiana University. Martha Graham technique with Larry White, principle dancer with the Graham Company; Bud Kirwin, Jazz Dance.

Languages

 English, native; fluent.
• Spanish, 4 yrs at Butler University; conversational skills.
• French, 2 yrs at Culver Academies; some conversational skills.
• Arabic, 2 yrs at Indiana University; reading, writing, and some conversational skills.

Awards

• Based on GigMasters customer’s reviews Katya has received awards for excellence as the *Best of 2016*, *Best of 2015* *Best of 2014* *Best of 2013*
• June, 1997: Received Scholarship from MEDCI (Middle Eastern Dance Club of Indiana) for registration in the Mendocino Middle Eastern Music and Dance Camp in Mendocino, California in August, 1997

REFERENCES

• Personal references available upon request.