From the age of 7 or 8
That she has been dreaming of performing her group dance in front of the mirror, Anooheh knew that dance had become an inseparable part of her life. Anooheh was around 10 or 12 years old when she fell in love with Belly Dancing, and she practiced so much at home that hard movements became easy for her and it turned out to be normal to perform in family circles and gatherings. She eagerly followed everything about the dance around her; from ballet to synchronized swimming and from dance videos of the 90s to some classes for amateurs.
Admission to university in the field of Graphic Design and living in the capital city, Tehran, opened new doors for Anooheh. Not only she could benefit from more professional masters such as Ms. Hayedeh Kishipour, but she also had the opportunity to become acquainted with contemporary dance and its similarities with theatrical performances. She used to travel all the way from the dormitory to the university with fantasizing choreography with different songs. And eventually, she defended her dissertation entitled "Environmental Graphics of the Iranian Folk Dance Festival" with all the restrictions in Iran.
Migration to Canada in 2011 marked the beginning of a new chapter in Anooheh's life. This time, she experienced teaching Belly Dancing, and also participated and learned in the classes of prominent masters such as Miriam Perez. To choose her dissertation at OCAD University, she turned to dance again by presenting an advertising campaign for TDT, Toronto Dance Theatre.
It was in the same artistic environment that Anooheh met Nika and became close friends. Nika, another talented dancer, was learning and experiencing design, architecture, and photography. Meanwhile, Anooheh joined the Azerbaijani Dance Toronto Group in 2016 and performed with them on various stages such as the Tirgan Festival, Taste of Danforth in Toronto, Shabe Farvardin, and also other festivals in Ottawa and Niagara-on-the-lake.
Finally, in 2020, common passion and supplementary skills drove Nika and Anooheh to start their own dance studio and work on their own projects. They who love the folklore dances of Iran, try to collect, document, and perform these great cultural treasures through research, travel, and learning from prominent, original, and genuine masters. Their goal is to train a new generation of dance enthusiasts who can show the beauty of original Iranian dances through international performances. Ultimately, relying on their creativity and artistic and visual experiences, Anooheh and Nika always seek new combinations and ideas in the field of modern art and fusion performances.
