Hello,
An artist at heart, I attained my honours degree from the University of Cape Town, specialising in Sculpture, Philosophy and Religion. After university I took my artistry into the realm of movement.
I have always engaged in some form of movement, beginning with ballet as a child, I then moved on to modern dancing and free style when I got a bit older. I trained in gymnastics for about a year and then began horse riding when I was nine.
When I moved to Cape Town (South Africa) from Zimbabwe in 2000 I discovered belly dancing and so my journey into this extraordinary dance form began.
I started classes with Natasha Wells who has had training in Turkey. I then went on to join Tenille Lindique when she opened her own studio.
I travelled to Egypt in 2005 and lived and trained there for one year in Cairo with Raqia Hassan, Mahmoud Reda, Farida Fhamy, Mervat Mongi, Dua Salaam, Momo Kadous and Dr. Mo Gedawi.
On returning to Cape Town I began teaching and started performing professionally. My first public performance was on top of a double decker sight seeing bus - (the ones that have had their roofs cut off). So with poor sound quality and a little over half a meter's width dance space on either side, a long strip of roof top and curves and stops and lurches... I completed my first gig, wind blown and ecstatic.
My exploration into the abilities and expressions of the physical form also took me into the velvet drapes of Madame Zingara's, Theatre of Dreams where I performed as an aerial acrobat and to Vaudeville, Cape Town where I performed as a Burlesque artist and aerial burlesque performer.
Inspired by one of my teachers and inspirations Valentina Love, I travelled to and stayed in India for 5 months, training in Orissa in the Classical Indian Dance form Odissi.
I have also had training with Sharon Kihara, when she toured to Cape Town and another major influence on me and teacher I have followed and studied online is the magnificent Rachel Brice.
Today my predominant focus is teaching belly dance, sculpting and tending to the demands of our neighbours cat who has firmly adopted me, when he feels like it.
Justine
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