"Wishing you Life and Peace"

Alima has established a reputation for vivacious solo performances in workshops, ethnic festivals, civic and charity events since 1978. Her experience includes seven years of performance and study as Choreographer and Director of " The Sabree Mideastern Danse Karavan" and "Alima and the Village Dancers". She was a featured performer with the band "Tarab", Columbia, South Carolina, and The International Students' Association Banquets and Festivals, Clemson University.

She is also known affectionately as one-half of the "A Team ". Aegela, formally of Atlanta GA.( now Michigan), and Alima have taught workshops and danced as a duo since 1984.

Alima has studied with many Middle Eastern Instructors ,but attributes her love of the dance to Earline Boggero and Hassan El Behery, both worked with her in the early years. To Mahmoud Reda for the folkloric and classical form, and ultimately to Jamila and Suhaila Salimpour for their discipline and format of the dance.

As an instructor she has taught workshops in the Northeast, Southeast, and Hawaii. Her teaching experience also includes four years with Clemson University; "Ballet Arts Studio", Clemson, S.C.; " The Ballet School " Pendleton, S.C. ; "Dance A Lott", Cornelia, GA.; "Habersham Arts Council", Clarkesville; and Guest Instructor Dekalb Y.M.C.A., Dekalb GA.; "Angela's Studio", Stone Mountain; and Guest Artist?Children Summer Program, "Terpsichorean Dance Expressions", Atlanta , Five Points, Atlanta, GA. The Sautee Nacoochee Community Arts Center, Sautee, GA. , The Red Star Yoga and Dance Studio, Clarkesville,GA.

Weekly classes are ongoing in Clarkesville, Ga. at the North Georgia Performing Arts Academy , 435 Jefferson St. The classes are for Beginning and Intermediate Levels. Private classes are offered for the Professional Dancer. Class material features Egyptian solo and troupe performances. Her Specialties include cane, beledi, basket, and Melaya. Her new performing group Abu El Safwan and The Ooh La La Dancers are working on new upbeat routines, the newest is a hip hop Algerian with Zills.

Alima's goal is to help elevate the image of Middle Eastern Dance through education. In 2002,she presented a paper for the Ballet of the East , Columbia,S.C. entitled "Middle Eastern Dance, Every woman's Dance". Last fall she lectured and performed at Brenau University, Gainesville, Ga. Her topic was "Women's studies and Cultural of the Middle East". She will be featured guest artist for White County Middle Schools, for Art Day in May 2004.