Mine began at my company’s holiday party.

That evening, at a restaurant named Spiro’s Greek Island, I saw my first dancer and was captivated. When I decided to take classes, that same dancer (her name was Jaleh) happened to live closest to me.

She became my first teacher.

I had no idea that one ordinary evening would set the course for the next twenty-five years of my life.

What began as a fun hobby became a passion for Egyptian dance, music, and culture. 

I studied, performed, and eventually began teaching in 2005.

Teaching challenged me in ways I never expected. It pushed me to deepen my knowledge, find my voice, and learn not just more about dance, but how to help others learn.

Then, in 2007, I made a bigger leap. I left my career in IT, sold my home, and dedicated myself to dance full-time.

Over the years, I’ve study with remarkable teachers, performed professionally, taught countless classes, opened my own studio –  spending twenty-five years immersed in the art of Egyptian dance and the work of helping others discover what they are capable of.

Today, everything I’ve learned along the way lives at the heart of Ahlam Academy.

But that is my story.

Yours doesn’t have to be quite so dramatic.

You may never quit your job, sell your home, or build your life around dance.

Maybe you simply want to try something you’ve always been curious about. Maybe you’re looking for a creative outlet, a little adventure, new friendships, or something that’s just for you.

Perhaps you want to reconnect with your cultural roots or explore a part of your heritage in a new way.

Whatever brings you here, you never really know where one small decision might lead.

It may simply become a hobby you love.

Or, like so many of the best things in life, it may bring unexpected gifts you never knew you were looking for.

You only have to take the first step to find out.