Staff

Jocinda

Jocinda has been a student of the dance for many years. She is a professional dancer and was a longtime teacher of Habeebas. She dances with grace, beauty, and creativity and conveys her joy of the dance to her audience. She instills in her students her fascination and love of the music and the dance. She wants them to know the same soul satisfying feelings that Middle Eastern dance brings to her. She is a member of the Habeeba Dance Company and is one of our lead Choreographers

Nataj, Studio Owner

NATAJ began her study of Middle Eastern Dance with Habeeba in Columbus, Ohio back in 1974, and owns Belly Dancing by Habeeba’s in Cincinnati. She is passing on Habeeba’s exclusive technique and her own dance interpretations collected through years of performing, private study and travels in the Middle East. Nataj has studied intensively or privately with Dahlena, Ibrahim Farrah, Phaedra, Leyla “Ellie” Amir, Suzanna Del Vecchio and Aisha Ali. Nataj studied in Cairo, Egypt at the Ahlan Wa Sahlan Festival in 2007. Nataj has taught seminars and has performed in clubs nationwide. She is the director of the Mirage Mid East Dance Ensemble, a professional troupe since 1983, and together with Conchi, sponsors the Island of Isis Dance retreat at Grailville in Cincinnati every May. In 2008, she produced and wrote the bellydance theatre project, “Behind the Veil”, a narrated historical retrospective of belly dance. Nataj mesmerizes audiences with her fluid undulations, intricate hip movements, and the love of the dance she exudes.

Praise for Nataj: “You really dance to the music, your expression is perfect, your time keeping is excellent and your artistic and aesthetic wave-length is more than pleasant. It’s downright beautiful.” --- Hossam Ramzy

Crystal Z

Crystal Z is the newest member of our teaching staff, and we are so proud to welcome her to our teaching family! She is not new to Habeeba's, however, as she has studied with us for many years and is a founding member of our Agilla Girls Troupe. Crystal teaches beginner and intermediate classes.

Melissa

Melissa is a member of Habeeba Dance Company, and has trained at Habeeba's for over 12 years. She is known for her fun and inventive choreography. She is director of our aptly named "Desert Spice" troupe. She teaches advanced and intermediate classes at Habeeba's, and can be seen dancing at Andy's Mediterranean Grill.

Jess

Jess has studied dance at Habeeba’s for 15 years, and taught for 12. She is a member of the Habeeba Dance Company, and enjoys dancing at the studio as well as at club dates, events and parties throughout the greater Cincinnati area.

Azha

Azha has danced for longer than she can remember. In her early childhood she studied ballet and tap, then later dabbled in jazz, hip hop and African dance. She most loves Oriental dance. Azha has studied at Habeeba’s dance of the Arts in Cincinnati for 25 years, teaching for the last 23. With encouragement, strong technique and humor, Azha’s students blossom. As a member of Habeeba’s Dance Company and the Hula Honey’s, Azha has performed at many festivals and functions around the tristate. Catch her show at Andy’s Mediterranean Grille a couple times per month.

Crystal

Crystal has been studying at Habeeba's for nearly 7 years, and also studies Tribal Fusion style dance. In her own fun, sweet and caring style, she is on hiatus from teaching at the moment.