Hi, I’m Jasmina Rae!
Welcome to my belly dance world!
Meet Jasmina Rae
I’m in my 70s and a native of Washington, DC. I retired after 37 years at a corporate law firm in 2018 and feel blessed to devote time to my passions.
One of my passions is the art of belly dancing. I stumbled upon belly dance while pursuing samba classes at Mamasita Dance Studios before traveling to Bahia, Brazil, in 2007. My intention was to samba when I arrived in Brazil, but belly dance won my heart. I’ve been dancing consistently for over 16 years.
This ancient dance originated in Egypt, Africa, by women who danced in the temples to honor the goddesses. My love of belly dance was kept a secret for fear of being labeled a loose woman performing for the entertainment of men. I cast away that myth long ago when I became aware that the dance opened a portal to my soul and shined a light on my inner goddess and the need to cherish her more. That is the true essence of the dance.
I feel vibrant, confident, and joyful when I dance, and I can attest to the health benefits of belly dance on the aging body. There’s nothing more healing for the soul than feeling mentally and physically good.
What I love to do when
I am not dancing.
My other passions are spending time with my husband of 35 years, staying connected to two sons ages 46 and 50, and other family members and friends. I love getting my hands dirty in the garden and watching the magic of nature. Jasmine is one of my favorite flowers for its mesmerizing scent and I was inspired to select my dance name, Jasmina, to represent the flower. Rae is my middle name.
When I’m not dancing, I dabble in yoga, fitness workouts, weight training, and jewelry design. I like watching documentaries, comedies for a good laugh, and dramas but not gory and certainly no horror films. There’s enough of that in the real world.
TEACHING
Jasmina Rae is well trained to teach and feels an obligation to share the beauty and magic of the dance as generations of women have done before her. Dancing with others is a healing experience.
She is a co-founder of Sacred Hips in Motion and started teaching classes at Joe’s Movement Emporium in September 2015. Sacred Hips in Motion is a group of women whose focus is on fusion belly dance and are often inspired by urban styles and various types of world dance. The group is a fun-loving group with diverse dance backgrounds who aim to never stop exploring! Their mission is to inspire others to dance with their whole hearts and never stop learning.
She is also a co-founder of Troupe Malkia, a performance subgroup under Sacred Hips in Motion. The troupe performs at select venues in the area.
She branched out as a solo teacher when Brooke Kidd, Founder and Executive Director of World Arts Focus, Inc. and its performing arts center, Joe’s Movement Emporium, invited her to teach a gentle belly dance class at the center in August 2019. Her classes attract mainly Seniors, but all ages are welcome.
TRAINING
Jasmina Rae has trained with many experienced teachers throughout her dancing years. Sunyatta Amen and Mama Cheryl were her first teachers at Mamasita Dance Studios where she met a host of dancers, many of whom she stays in contact with today. She attended Bellydance of Color Association conferences sponsored by Mamasita’s and was taught by Lotus Niraja, Naimah, Daliana, Nefertiti, Khadijah, Rachid Alexander, and many other talented dancers.
She trains in traditional, urban and fusion styles of belly dance and studies extensively under the tutelage of Ebony Qualls; and attends workshops and virtual classes at Sahara Dance Studio. She is a member of Datura Online, an online and school belly dance studio founded by Rachel Brice. She trains in sword techniques under Belladonna, director and instructor of Bohemian Belly Dance. She currently has a certification in the Bohemian Blade Level 1 and 2 and plans to move beyond the basics and continue training, as stated by Belladonna, to take my “sword-wielding to the next level.”
She attends Art of the Belly conferences, an all-inclusive belly dance event hosted by Naimah and Patti Stone of Amandari Dance Company, where she meets other dancers and instructors and has trained under a host of widely known experienced teachers, namely Mardi Love, Zoe Jakes, Khadijah, Jo Boring, Michele Sorenson, Jillina, and Rin. Given the opportunity, she performs with Troupe Malkia at this event.
Jasmina Rae trained at Sahara Dance Studio under a host of experienced teachers, namely international dancer and choreographer, Ebony Qualls and performed with her troupe, Raquettes ShimmyPop. She has taken classes with Omoladun, Randa, Leila Moon, and with visiting instructors Irina Akulenko, Shahrzad, and Rachel Brice. She attended a week-long retreat in Costa Rica and attended workshops taught by Rachel Brice and Mohamed Shahin. She also trained under Chudney at Chudney Raqs Online and participated in The Black Bellydance Bundle spearheaded by Ebony Qualls and Tiffany, creator of The Bellydance Bundle.
