Internationally recognized, Sahra is a  3rd generation dancer with over 16 years of experience. She is greatly influenced by her grandmother – a talented dancer who studied with Martha Graham and her aunt who was a belly dancer performing and teaching in Colorado during the early 1980’s.   Sahra began her dance training with classical ballet and attended Point Park University’s pre-professional dance program as a teenager. After exploring many dance forms, it was the art of belly dance where she found her passion.

Teaching is a great joy for Sahra.  She provides students opportunities for self-growth through dance in an encouraging supportive environment. In her classes you will learn the fundamentals for a comprehensive belly dance toolkit.  Sahra was one of the first people who completed the final  phase of Rachel Brice’s 8 Elements (™) Belly Dance Training Program and is an 8 Elements Certified Datura Style Teacher ® .  She founded a student group at the University of Pittsburgh – the Panther Belly Dancers that has maintained a campus presence for the past 7 years. She also leads several other student groups and provides a variety of classes for all levels and interests.  In 2014 she completed a 200 hour yoga teacher training program through Schoolhouse Yoga and incorporates her knowledge of yoga and alignment into her dance classes.

Sahra has performed annually at Elevation Belly Dance Festival in Colorado since 2010. She has also been a featured performer at events throughout the country including Buffalo, NY  (2013);  Morgantown, WV (2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014); Cleveland, OH (2014);  Portland, OR (2014); San Francisco, CA (2015, 2016); and multiple times in Toronto (2013, 2014, 2015).  Her performance credits include  being a selected performer in Kami Liddle’s Expansion (2015, 2016), being invited by Audra Simmons and Heather Labonte and performing in The Lavish Project (2015), appearing as a guest artist with the Mary Miller Dance Company, and performing at the Tribal Massive FISSION show as both a soloist and as part of Amy Sigil’s performance intensive in 2019.  She can be seen at venues throughout Pittsburgh for regular performances (www.sahrashimmies.wordpress.com).

Sahra currently studies regularly with Rachel Brice and has completed over 350 hours of in person study with her. She is an 8 Elements Certified Datura Style Teacher ® completing the final phase of the 8 Elements Program, Phase 4 Transmission in July, 2016  http://www.rachelbrice.com/list-of-datura-style-teachers,  Phase 3 Culmination in 2014  http://www.rachelbrice.com/list-of-culminates/, Phase 2 Cultivation in 2012 http://www.rachelbrice.com/list-of-cultivates/, and Phase 1 Initiation in 2011 http://www.rachelbrice.com/list-of-initiates/.     Sahra regularly attends workshops and trains with a wide array of highly sought-after instructors to expand her knowledge and skills including Audra Simmons, Heather Labonte, Samantha Emanuel, Kami Liddle, Heather Stants, Mardi Love, Donna Mejia, Aegela, Zoe Jakes, Amy Sigil, April Rose,  Jill Parker and Eva Cernik.