Khadija Jabiry
Khadija Khadija was born in Casablanca (Morocco) in a family where the art of singing and dancing is part of their hearts and souls. Family reunions are always spiced up with dancing and singing. As a young child, Khadija was already inspired by the famous dancers of those years such as Naima Akef, Tahia Carioca and Samia Gamal.
Her love of the dance made her the dedicated dancer for all family reunions, weddings, baptisms and more... In school, Khadija was blessed with the opportunity to be part of a sports program which was subsidized by the French Government of Education. As such, she acquired great training in a multitude of sports more specifically in rhythmic and artistic gymnastics. With a growing passion for Egyptian dance, she went on to discover and learn the techniques of this art alongside 2 members of the Reda troupe that stayed in Morocco after one of their tours.
Khadija then decided to refine her dance training in the country which represents the true source of this art. She travelled to Egypt in order to attend workshops being given by the most famous names in oriental dancing such as Mahmoud Reda (founder of the troupe which holds his name), Farida Fahmy, Raqia Hassan, Fifi Abdo, Faten Salama, Aida Nour, Farouk Mustafa (specialist in regional Egyptian dance and choreographer for Reda’s troupe).
Professor and Choreographer : Khadija is the sole created of all the choreographies performed by her 2 troupes: Tywalline (her precious vision) and the Gazelles (the teenagers that are the future of the dance). As well, she puts together choreographies for her students at her dance studio “Sparganier” and those attending her classes at the Community Center in Côte-des-Neiges. She offers Arabic language classes to dancers, workshops taking you back to the origins of oriental dance as well as folkloric workshops based on dances from Northern Africa (Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia). Due to an increasing interest in Moroccan dance in the United States, Khadija has offered North African dance workshops in both Dallas and Las Vegas. A much greater variety of workshops are being offered regularly in Quebec.
Accomplishments : In 1999, Khadija Jabiry founded Baladi et Danses de l’Orient: Tywalline, a professional dance troupe for which she is the teacher, choreographer and artistic director. The Tywalline are well renowned for the diversity in their folkloric repertoire which helps distinct them not only in Quebec but in all of North America. In order to insure the continuity and future of the troupe, in 2004 she decided to found the Gazelles troupe which is formed my passionate and talented adolescents.
