at The Star Restaurant/Nightclub
378 Bergen Blvd., Fairview, New Jersey

We had chosen The Star Restaurant/Nightclub as the location because of the outstanding home-cooked Armenian-Turkish cuisine, beautiful dance floor, intimate atmosphere, great sound system and excellent service.

Package included:

  1. Full-service sit-down dinner:

Appetizer (Lebni and Hummus), Choban salad (Shamira's favorite!),
Choice of entree (lamb or chicken shish kebob),
Choice of dessert (kadayif or baklava), Choice of coffee or tea. Tip included.

2. Showcase:

Select Students of Shamira showcased their talents to delight and dazzle them all.

Performers

* Malena  &  Zarena *

 Wearing gold costumes and using beautiful gold wings, they truly looked like descendants of Cleopatra in their duet performance to "Cleopatra Meets Isis," choreographed by both Malena and Zarena, then following it with a "Drum Solo 2003," performance as choreographed by their instructor Shamira, theirs was the perfect opening to a perfect evening of dancing.  The audience were up on their feet for the rest of the night, clapping, cheering, hooting and hollering! 

* Olga * 

Dancing to "Felahi Drum Solo" from our very own Yallah Ya Helwa CD, in this her first time to perform and using her own choreography, Olga was looking pretty great on the stage.  Wearing new YallahDance.com skirt, with matching new red top and red and orange accessories, accenting her blond hair, she looked very striking. Not to forget, she was amazing with her performance too.  Confidence, shimmy and style.  She had it all, and more!

* Khaldia *

Performing wonderfully to a "Drum Solo" and "Toutah" from the Pangia CD, it was Khaldia's 1st time to perform in front of an audience.  To top it off, she did all the  choreography on her own.  Wearing a cool turquoise and gold costume, wearing gold heeled shoes to boot, she was hot, hot, hot, that night!  Just ask any of the audience members hooting and hollering for her.

* FEMI *

Wearing a red and silver costume, with the red veil draped over her head before she whips it off, performing to a fusion of Arabic/Spanish/Hip-hop number "Talakik.", using her own choreography FEMI brought the house down in this her first performance.  One would never have known it.  Go, FEMI, go FEMI, go!  She was able put into good use and application all the lessons, technique and secrets she'd learned from the numerous classes and workshops with Shamira and Yallah Dance, Inc.
 

of S

* Dahli * 

Choreographing her show in one day, and dancing to "Ya Wash." in a striking outfit, and for the very first time ever in front of a jam packed ecstatic audience, Dahli was just on the ball.  Exuding dance talents and style.  She was no newbie performer that night!  Did we say one day?  Yes, she did it all in ONE day!

 * Bastet * 

Performing to "Eshta" (drum solo) wearing a brand new purple and gold Turkish costume, dancing to her own choreography, Bastet was a pure joy to watch.  She was energetic with her performance, she was confident with her moves.  She had a great time dancing the night away, and the audience was on the same high as she was.

* Delilah *

Coming out in a shinny gold and black harem pants outfit, which she made herself, while dusting the audience with magic gold dust, Delilah performed to "I Put A Spell On You" sung by Natasha Atlas.  The music, the costume, and most specially Delilah and her dancing captivated the entire audience.  Gold magic dust or not, she really did put a spell on everyone with her high energy, grace and performance.  Mesmerized we all were.  Then when the spell was about to ware off, everyone was hooting and hollering for more!

3. * Shamira's Show *

A *surprise* opening number leading to a wonderful evening of fabulous dancing.  The audience went wild, that they all ended up on stage until it was time to go home.  And no one wanted to go home!  They were all dazzled, tantalized then inspired, by the Star!

Coming out covered by pink boa feathers, only to reveal her face covered in a beautiful yet mysterious head mask, Shamira kept the suspense up, all the way through her "Maktub" a "dream creature" opening number.  The audience were transfixed on her!. Gorgeous, she was indeed!

Then dancing to "Meno Ektos" sung by Arvanitaki (originally "Picture" a song written for Shamira and recorded by Night Ark for RCA, featuring Shamira on keyboards) Shamira dazzled and mystified the audience with her three veils number.  Color after color, after stunning color of gorgeous, silky flowing veils were filling the entire stage!  Her moves were flawless.  Her performance superb.
What amazing talents, this woman has!  With every spin, the audience went wild!

Leading into "Yaho" sung by Hakim, Shamira showed us the musician in her with her wonderful zills playing, while doing a traditional bellydance number.  Shimmying away and hitting every single note with an accent, the audience went wilder!

Then for a perfect closure to her perfect part of the show, Shamira performed to "Dinata" sung by Arvanitaki (another song originally called "Homecoming" written for Shamira and recorded by Night Ark)

The audience at this point were on the brink of exploding with energy!  The place ROCKED!!

 This was a symbolic number by Shamira, as "Dinata" means:

"with strength, power, self-confidence"

which is exactly what each one of the student performers performed with
- as their Instructor Shamira so eloquently said.

4. Audience Participation:

Everyone got up to dance, dance & dance the whole entire night away to Shamira's favorite dance music! 

This was not a boring "student recital" wherein the audience just sat and watched one student performer after another.  This evening was a perfect blend of good food, good music, good friends watching great performances then joining in on the festivities - the whole entire night !!

We had a diverse group of ladies, performing incredibly on stage.  They've come a long away in such a short time.  Which only proves that good instruction and dedication is the key to success!  Take a bow ladies, you all deserve it! 

A special Thank you to Saher, for DJ-ing during Shamira's part of the performance that evening, and for taking the lovely photos posted on this page.  Because of him, we are able to share with you all our evening back in June 22 which was filled with *Stars*, in pictures.

A heartfelt Thank You to * Shamira * the Artistic Director, Instructor, Performer, among other things, Partner and Friend.  For without which whom, none of these would have been possible!  Working with Shamira, she made it all seem so easy, and fun too!

A special thank you, to * Ira *, for his wonderful drumming (ShamJam) that evening.  Using an assortment of tambourines and drums.  The big bass drum for Shamira's mysterious opening number, then later on switching on to the popular "tabla" from Egypt.

* Vibe Master Ira * had 8 doumbeks/tablas passed around from one audience member to another, so not only were the audience dancing on stage, some of them got a chance to play the drums too.

It was a ShamJam fest on that stage!

This is indeed, the Dance Showcase they will be talking about this Summer!

A select Shamiradance & YallahDance.com products were available for sale.  You asked, we provided!

Those that were there to celebrate and party with us, we thank you for coming, to those we couldn't accommodate due to our packed attendance, we'll get you in next time!  Promise!  So please keep September 21st open!

Regards Angeline:  YallahDance@aol.com

The sky was dark and dreary that night, but the *STARS* were shining brightly inside "The Star" restaurant/nightclub.  On June 22, 2003, our *Follow That Star* Showcase and Dinner Dance in Fairview, New Jersey, was a complete and absolute success. 

Thanks in part to everyone who performed, played music, the 100+ attendees that came from all over, the restaurant crew and it's owner Vasken, everyone who helped advertise and to all who supported this Shamiradance and Yallah Dance Inc venture!!  We sincerely thank you all.

Until we all meet again!!

~ Angeline and Shamira ~

   www.YallahDance.com       www.Shamiradance.com