Elizabeth Mahina

805-796-5902, ElizArtist@verizon.net

Elizabeth was raised as a dancer from the time she was 4 years old and began performing as a Polynesian dancer professionally by the age of six. She studied ballet and jazz throughout her childhood and during her college years in Santa Cruz, California, she began to study belly dance under several teachers, who were all students of MaShuqa.

In 1992, Elizabeth and her sister Yasmine Mankowski formed a dance troupe called Raks Ohana that used both Polynesian and Belly dance influence. They performed at many events including Cairo Carnivale and Bedouin Bazaar.

In 2003 Elizabeth discovered American Tribal Style Bellydance and under the guidance of her teacher, Ayse Cerami, she has been able to fine tune her varied dance and artistic background into one fusion style.

In January 2007 she completed Basic Skills Certification in ATS by Carolena Nericcio. To further expand her knowledge of belly dance Elizabeth continues to take workshops from as wide a variety of teachers as possible.

As well as her classes in the Valley and Calabasas, Elizabeth teaches workshops nationally and internationally. Some of the events at which she has taught are Tribal Ford, U.K.; Tribal Caravan, Los Angeles; the IBDC in Las Vegas; and Bedouin Bazaar, San Diego.

She has performed with and assisted in directing the Conejo Valley chapter of the Sisterhood Dance Collective and is currently director for the newly formed Los Angeles dance troupe Nataraja. She teaches and performs solo, with Ayse Cerami as a duet and with She'enedra Tribal Belly Dance. In December 2007 she was chosen to be featured teacher on L.A.Raqs.com.

BELLYDANCE CLASSES:

Elizabeth Mahina, 805-796-5902, ElizArtist@verizon.net teaches Tribal Fusion belly dance in the San Fernando Valley, at the Agoura Hills Calabasas Community Center, and from her home studio in Newbury Park, California.