About Samara "On stage, Samara appears as if she just descended from some cool, moonlit, outer region of the ether. She delights her audiences with a demeanor of restrained classicism that seems to belong to another age and place;... Though she is American born, Samara's spirit evokes the pure Orient." «» Ibrahim Farrah Samara’s hallmark style, a blend of serene elegance, spiritual grace, and technical prowess, is the result of a lifelong commitment to Oriental dance. Drawn to the dance via her Mediterranean heritage (Greek and Turkish), Samara’s background enhanced her keen sense of rhythm and her mastery of hip dynamics that characterize the dances of the Middle East. Samara began dancing professionally in her teens, having already studied other dance forms extensively. Her exotic beauty and natural talent soon made her one of the most sought after dancers in the New York Area. While some dancers might have been content to rest on their laurels, Samara chose instead to constantly challenge herself and pursue the art of Middle Eastern dance on it’s highest level. In this quest, she was aided by her outstanding dance mentor, the late master dancer/teacher/choreographer Ibrahim Farrah. Samara studied with Mr. Farrah for over a decade. As a member of his renowned Near East Dance Group, Samara’s talents were showcased in some of America’s most prestigious concert halls, including Carnegie Hall, Avery Fischer Hall at Lincoln Center, Town Hall, The Triplex Theater, Theatre of the Riverside Church and Merkin Concert Hall in New York, the Warner Theater in Washington D.C. and the Spoleto Festival in Charleston S.C. In addition to her work with the Near East Dance Group, Samara has shared the stage with some of the most famous singing stars of the Middle East including, (to name a few), Walid Tofic, Ragheb Alame, Sabah, and George Wassouf. She was also part of Warda’s dazzling show at Madison Square Garden. Working more in the main stream, Samara performed with the Brooklyn Funk Essential at Irving Plaza, and at the Beacon Theater with famed pop-fusion star Alabina. She co-produced and appeared as an original member of the World Beat Extravaganza Ballet Exotiqa, and most recently danced with Christine Aguillera at Radio City Music Hall for the MTV Music Awards. Samara was a 1998 inductee into the American Academy of Middle Eastern Dance Hall of Fame. As a choreographer Samara has choreographed and performed in the off-off Broadway production of Banat el Emir or the Dancing Princesses, and Caravan to Cairo, which tours to schools and other performing arts venues in the NY area. Caravan to Cairo was critically acclaimed in its presentation at the NY International Fringe Festival in 2003. Samara's newest choreographic work Mosaic, premiered in November 2003 at 12 Miles West Theater Company and will be touring the US. . As a soloist, Samara has been engaged in Middle Eastern nightclub and theaters throughout the United States and abroad. Her dance journeys have taken her to Mexico, the Caribbean, France, England, China, Jordan, Egypt, and West Africa. After an initial six month engagement in Athens, Greece, Samara was invited back three consecutive years. While working on a cruise ship she completed a three month tour of Turkey, Greece, Russia, Bulgaria, Egypt and Israel. Samara’s latest international performance was at the Kyurian Theater in Tokyo as a Guest Artist with the Kamatsu Kaoru Arabia Dance Company. After the untimely death of Ibrahim Farrah, Samara joined two of his other principle dancers, Phadrea and Jajouka, on a tour of various cities in the U.S. from October, 1999 to July, 2000. Together they taught the Ibrahim Farrah method and performed his choreographies in theaters including the Hart House Theater in Toronto, the Robert B. Moore Theatre in Costa Mesa California, On The Boards Theater in Seattle, Washington and The Da Capo Opera House in New York City At home in New York City, Samara has also honed her teaching skills. She has taught in a number of well-known dance schools, among them The New Dance Group, Dance Concepts, The Ibrahim Farrah Near East Dance School, Hunter College Dance Department, Dance Spaces, and the YWCA of New York City. At the present time Samara teaches at the United Nation and Fazils Dance Studio. As a Seminar Instructor Samara has taught workshops throughout the United States and abroad. Her classes are noted for their emphasis on developing strong technical skills, expressiveness, spatial patterns and musical interpretation. “Progress not perfection” is a constant motto of Samara’s classroom. She believes that each person must honor the process of their individual growth. She is deeply protective of the portrayal of Middle Eastern Dance, and holds her students up to high standards of technical ability and theatrical expressiveness. Samara is also however, a very caring and patient instructor who encourages all her students to reach for the highest levels of their ability. Her criticisms are constructive, and her praise is greatly valued. Samara’s talents are not limited to dance. She has studied acting at the Actors Conservatory in New York City and has appeared in Off- Broadway productions. Samara also studied writing and film making at the New School for Social Research. As a professional model, Samara has worked in the U.S. and Europe in runway, print, and fashion. Her skills as a professional make-up artist are a great asset to her students before a performance. A significant amount of Samara’s time and energy is also dedicated to humanitarian causes. She is particularly active in animal rights and environmental organizations. Samara's Animal Connection has information about cats that need a new home. 
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