The Roads Traveled
"I am lost, and I rejoice in the openness. I cannot decide where to go, so for now, I will dance where I am and be. There is no goal, no destination, just wilderness and life and being. I sing and dance and live in the wilderness, and I am home."
-Tziporah
About Bastet
Bastet first began taking bellydance lessons in February of 2005. Prior to that, her only dance experience involved polkas and line dancing. She began taking Egyptian cabaret lessons through Pangaea Dance studio in Champaign, IL, under the instruction of Ishara Gamal. After three months of weekly classes, she began performing with the Reflections Dance Troupe. In 2006, Bastet branched out into some ATS bellydance and performed locally with Patchwork Silks. This inspired her to further explore the many types of bellydance and she began experimenting with tribal and gothic fusion not long after that. When not bellydancing, she spends her time working with animals and spending time with her partner and 3 cats.
About Nadima
As a child, Nadima studied many Western forms of dance including ballet, tap, jazz, and modern. While in college, she explored ballroom, folk, and creative dance. She first began learning ATS bellydance from videos in 1998 and performed at medieval reenactments. Her path led her to Pangaea Dance Studio in 2005, where she studied Egyptian cabaret under the instruction of Ishara Gamal. She helped form Patchwork Silks, an ATS inspired troupe at Pangaea Dance Studio. She also began performing with the Reflections Troupe at local events. When not performing, Nadima enjoys creating bellydance garb, fabulous pants, and medieval attire.
The Formation of Maelstrom
While performing together in the Reflections and Patchwork Silk troupes, Nadima and Bastet discovered common creative interests. They began working on a tribal fusion-esque dance piece and realized that they enjoyed choreographing together. They decided to form Maelstrom Dance in July of 2006 and haven't looked back since. They embody their name by constantly working on new choreographies, introducing unique music and costuming, and bending the rules of traditional bellydance. Their goal is to always be creating new pieces, no matter how chaotic their lives become.