Soraya
Soraya continues to enjoy numerous, very notable
pinnacles in her luminous career. She began belly dancing at family gatherings,
restaurants, and weddings around Atlantic City,
Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., New York City
in children's cultural events and television shows as early as 3
years old. As a small child, she grew up with Middle eastern
dance, music and culture constantly surrounding her. Thanks to her Syrian
heritage and a very talented family, belly dancing flows thru her
veins. It was inevitable. Since then, this art takes her all over the world. Soraya feels like she is on a lifelong "
magic carpet ride" she gushes with a smile. She enjoys being
selective with what shows she takes and carefully picks and chooses
her events. Soraya says: "this is a dance
for everyone and is a celebration of the human experience as an
aggregate". Soraya has garnered global
acclaim for an ancient craft that she loves dearly and is as
"natural as breathing". Soraya has
performed all over the United States, Mediterranean, Mid-East,
Here is a
sampling of some of Soraya's many achievements as an
International cultural entertainer:
Soraya accepted a generous invitation to
perform in Casablanca, Morocco where she had the unique opportunity
to belly dance in a rare gala at
the Palace for his Majesty King Hassan of Morocco, and the
Royal Family. Just when she thought things could not
get any better she was
asked to work with the biggest singing,
crossover mega-star
in the world who hails from Port Said, Egypt, AMR DIAB.. Soraya said: "I almost fell off my chair when I got
the call". Amr Diab
personally selected Soraya to open his
milestone, once-in-a-lifetime
Soraya belly dances at all of the
Soraya caught the eye of
Some of
the Ivy league Universities and colleges that
hire Soraya to instruct, lecture and
perform include: Princeton,
University, The Richard Stockton College of NJ, Rutgers University, NYU, The
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, The University of Pennsylvania, Drexel
University, Raritan Valley College, Middlesex County College.
When KING TUTANKHAMAN AND THE GOLDEN
AGE OF THE PHAROAHS EXHIBIT came to The
She enjoys
sharing her good fortune by giving a lot of work to other
belly dancers, not only in the tri-state area of: NJ, PA, DE, but
also in other states like NYC, IL, CA, DC, FL and beyond .
Many performers and protege's coined
the nickname:
"THE GIG GENIE" because she never takes commissions
and wants the artists to keep ALL of what they earn. She said: "I love to
give back".
Soraya enjoys having developed a worldwide
following and is frequently tapped to perform for California's elite A-list celebrities
in their private homes up in the Hollywood
Hills, as well as other venues in Beverly
Hills, Bel Air, Holmbly
Hills, and San Diego areas. The celebrities who personally hire Soraya and her agency enjoy her "Arabian Nights"
theme parties which brings Soraya
out to CA a few times a year.
Soraya's Mid-East Dance and Music Productions is a full-scale,
professional entertainment agency providing sophisticated and family-oriented
Middle Eastern entertainment for carefully selected,
high-caliber, cultural events. This company specializes in all styles
and genres of Mediterranean, Egyptian, Lebanese, Arabian style Belly
Dancing, International DJ's, excellent Middle Eastern and Sephardic Bands,
Orchestras, beloved singers and specialty/variety acts for upscale events,
fancy weddings, large casino concerts, hotel banquets, black tie soirees,
Arabian Nights theme parties, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, etc.
Soraya profits from her worldwide
professional belly dancing DVD and video sales however, she
donates her earnings to charity. This one-stop entertainment
agency produces, and directs numerous upscale event productions all
over the
Newspaper Articles and Magazines
Soraya and her talent agency has been the
subject in numerous magazines, and newspaper articles throughout the
Soraya is married to a wonderfully supportive man
who is a prominent physician with prior history of experience as an Emergency
Room Physician and Intensive Care Unit Director in a busy inner city
Philadelphia hospital and now is semi-retired as a pharmaceutical executive for
a world class Biotechnology Company. He encourages her to continue her art
for as long as she enjoys performing. They now reside in a large
oceanfront property along the beautiful shores of
KING TUTANKHAMEN AND THE GOLDEN AGE OF THE PHAROAHS EXHIBIT
(The
The official, black tie Gala opening:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0c-QJoGU_4s&feature=related
Description: The Franklin Institute
Museum in
Direct Video link 2:
The milestone AMR DIAB and SORAYA CONCERT, Trump Taj Mahal Arena
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDbc3TCve3A&feature=related
Description: "THE KING OF ARABIC
POP" Amr Diab, the
biggest Middle Eastern singing star in the universe, International belly dancer
Soraya, and the wonderful Lebanese singing group The
Four Cats performed in front of 6,000 people at the Trump Taj
Mahal Casino in Atlantic City, NJ.
Direct Video Link 3:
Belly Dance concert Showboat Casino. Soraya
"el Mashaal" music by Mokhtar
al Said/Hany Mehanna
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=an1xT5a2pNU
رقص
مصري
The Showboat Casino in
Atlantic City, NJ proudly presents: Belly Dancer Soraya performing a modern
choreography to a timeless piece with a live Egyptian orchestra. This musical
composition is the beloved "El Mashaal" by Maestro/Composers MOKHTAR
AL SAID, and HANI MEHANNA. This "Arabian Nights" Middle Eastern
concert took place in the main theater for The Showboat casino venue. This
video features traditional Egyptian belly dancing with a contemporary edge and
beautiful live Arabic musical accompaniment.
Direct Video Link 4
DVD Night at the Casbah with
Soraya
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rm_-X8k40M8
This award recognizes and celebrates unique world dance
artists and their accomplishments in helping to close the gap between eastern
and western cultures. Amara al-Amir (Tapestry of Dance) in
http://www.amaraalamir.com/amara/MEDLS/Featured%20MEDLS%20Members/Soraya.htm
http://www.amaraalamir.com/amara/MEDLS/Newsletter%2012-20-09.htm
Soraya's story from October, 2009: "BELLY DANCING IS THE
EMBODIMENT OF HER HERITAGE"
(Cultural Anthropologist practices the art of her Syrian Ancestors).
http://www.shorenewstoday.com/news.php?id=4543