Dance Biography

I really loved your dance! Whatever style you inhabit becomes your style -Leslie Stubbs, Bowen Island

Lynette dancing in the Menagerie show at the Garage in Duncan.

Lynette Harper has developed a unique and effective teaching style in 3 decades of teaching and performing Middle Eastern dance in the Pacific Northwest. She is a versatile and passionate dancer, regularly invited to perform in theatres, bellydance shows, and special events. Her teaching goes beyond technique to share a deep understanding of music, movement, and culture with students and dancers at all levels of dance experience.

Lynette’s dance is shaped by her Lebanese ancestry, her studies and her travels in the Middle East. Her dance training began in Vancouver BC with contemporary western dance forms, and has continued with master teachers and performers from Egypt, Lebanon, Turkey, Europe, and North America. Lynette is committed to encouraging dialogue among cultural communities, dancers and non-dancers, North America and the Middle East. She is also an active author, anthropologist, and educator.

Lynette was the first Middle Eastern dancer in B.C. to teach a weeklong dance retreat (2000 - see Hollyhocks!); to produce Middle Eastern dance in a Fringe Festival (2003 - see Earthfire's Miraj a Fringe Hit ); and to produce a public education event addressing Arab women's dance and identity (2004 - see Dance is in their blood).

Academic Curriculum Vitae

"I'll never forget the first time I saw Lynette dance - I was enraptured by her charm, grace and earthy sensuality." (Devorah, Sahda 2001)

Solo Middle Eastern dance performance/choreography

2009
Penceresi Yola Karsi. Presented in Dance the Night Away, Ottawa; Night at the Casbah, Victoria; Belly for the Beast V, Malaspina Theatre, Nanaimo; and Something About Reptiles, Denman Island Hall.
2008
Veil 1. UNMATA, Faris Dance Studio, Vancouver.
How to bellydance. Extravaganza, Duncan Garage Showroom, Duncan; Errington Hall, Errington.
Raqs Beledi. Offering - An evening of sacred dance. Denman Island Community Hall, Denman Island.
2007
The Dance. Belly for the Beast IV, Malaspina University-College Theatre, Nanaimo BC.
The inevitable result of long distance air travel. Full Moon and Mysterious Nights, Victoria BC.
Smokin'. Mainstage, International Congress of Dance Research, Athens, Greece.
Flashback to the 60’s: Turkbas. Danse du Ventre 4, The Garage, Duncan. " For Ozel. Celebration of International Dance Day, Metro Studio, Victoria. Smokin. Open Stage/International Bellydance Conference of Canada, Toronto.

2006

Aisha’s Red Apple. Dance Du Ventre Menagerie, The Garage, Duncan.
Cutting Loose. Turkish Delight, Errington BC and “Belly Dancing Extravaganza”, Quadra Island, BC.
For Reyhan. Gypsy Trail, The Abbey, Cumberland BC and Urban Tribal Experience, Crush Champagne Lounge, Vancouver BC. Raqs
Al-Assaya. "Hafla", Smithers BC

2005

My Lebanon. Eiyn el Hawah – Eye of the Wind. The Dance Centre, Vancouver, BC.
Dabke. Arab Women, Arab Dance/Noon Dance Series, The Dance Centre, Vancouver BC.
Solo at Cairo Café, The Abbey, Cumberland BC
For my mother. Mother/Madonna, The Abbey, Cumberland BC.

2004

Fire spirit. Belly for the Beast, Cedar Community Hall, Cedar BC.
The Red Apple. Raqs Araby: Arab Women, Arab Dance/Noon Dance Series, The Dance Centre, Vancouver BC.

2000

Smokin’ 12 Minutes Max, Firehall Theatre, Vancouver.
Spirit of the dance. Inanna, Old Church Theatre, Courtenay BC.
Solo. Middle Eastern Madness, Victoria Opera Association Studio.
Smokin’. Café Arabesque, Denman Island Community Hall

1999

Solo. Evening of Dance. Victoria.

1998

Smokin’. Visions of Araby, James Cowan Theatre, Burnaby
Solo. Gypsy Dreams, Tofino Community Theatre, August Winds Festival, Tofino, BC
The Seventh Veil. Magical Motion, Gabriola Island Community Hall.

1997

Solo. Sahara Moon. Tofino Community Theatre, August Winds Festival, Tofino B.C.

1979-1996

Frequent performances in B.C. and NWT (1985-1990) in restaurants and nightclubs. Occasional theatrical, museum, and fundraising event performances.

“Lynette Harper stood out as the consummate and delightful performer she is” Jeannie Khouri, “Urban Tribal Dance Show”, Sahda 2006

Performance/choreography with others

2009

Bekaa Valley Girls (full length work created and performed with Rahma Haddad). Discover Dance Series, The Dance Centre, Vancouver, B.C.

2008

Raks Khaliji (choreographed and performed with Taissia Sinclair). Twilight at the Oasis, Firefighters' Hall, Burnaby BC.

Brief Encounter (multidisciplinary work with artist Peter Kohut). Brief Encounters Infringing Dance Festival, Nanaimo BC.

Zaman (duet choreographed with Dorothy Smith). Mainstage, International Bellydance Conference of Canada, Toronto.

2007

Seraglio (choreographed and performed with Dorothy Smith and Taissia Sinclair). Badia Star, Presentation House, North Vancouver, BC.

Zaman (duet choreographed with Dorothy Smith). Danse du Ventre 3, The Garage, Duncan.
Tamr (duet choreographed with Deborah Pinchbeck). Aziza , Victoria; and Belly for the Beast IV, Malaspina University-College Theatre, Nanaimo BC.

2006

Friends (trio with Taissia & Faith Hunt). Music of the World, Malaspina University-College, Nanaimo.
Zaman (duet choreographed with Leah/Dorothy Smith). Twilight at the Oasis, James Cowan Theatre, Burnaby.
Ghawazee (choreographed with Earthfire) Turkish Delight, Errington BC.

2005

Zar (choreography by Rahma). Eiyn el Hawah – Eye of the Wind. The Dance Centre, Vancouver, BC.

2003

Miraj (dance theatre production choreographed with Earthfire collective). Victoria Fringe Festival, Victoria B.C. and Malaspina University-College Theatre, Nanaimo B.C.

2002

Zaghareet (Duet with Rahma Haddad). The Dance Centre, Vancouver

2000

Invaders of the Heart andTurkish Roman medley (choreographed with Earthfire). Drum and Dance Hafla, WISE Hall, Vancouver, BC.
Invaders of the Heart (choreographed with Earthfire). Desert Wind, James Cowan Theatre, Burnaby and Middle Eastern Madness, Victoria Opera Association Studio.

1999

Like flames devour the metal and the flower (Choreographed for Earthfire). Gypsy Fire, James Cowan Theatre, Burnaby.

1998

Sunrise (choreography for Earthfire). Visions of Araby, James Cowan Theatre, Burnaby.
Gypsy Dreams (full length production choreographed with Earthfire). Tofino Community Theatre, Tofino, BC
On the banks of the Nile (choreographed with Earthfire dance collective). Magical Motion, Gabriola Island Community Hall.

1997

Sahara Moon (full length production choreographed by Lynette and performed with Earthfire). Tofino Community Theatre, Tofino B.C.

1997-2007

Special events and festivals performances including Amnesty International fundraiser, Vancouver; Art in the Garden, Qualicum Beach; Artigras Arts Council Fundraiser, Nanaimo; Bamfield Arts Festival, Bamfield; Canada Day, Nanaimo; Farmer's Markets in Cedar and Nanaimo; Filberg Festival, Courtenay ; Haven Society Fundraiser, Nanaimo; Hollyhock Celebration, Vancouver; InFringing Festival, Nanaimo ; Lebanese Cultural Day, Vancouver Museum; MEDA Bazaars, Vancouver; Mediterranean Fantasy Festival, Seattle; Starhawk Benefit for Maria Gimbutas, Vancouver; Turkish Earthquake Victim Benefit, Victoria; UBC Arab Week, Vancouver; Vancouver Folk Music Festival, Vancouver; Women's Day events, Vancouver

1989

Dene Cultural Festival, Hay River

1978-1996

Theatrical, museum, and fundraising event performances of Middle Eastern dance.

Frequent performances at special events and festivals in Greater Vancouver Region.

1970-1973

Occasional modern dance performance in Vancouver at venues including Vancouver Art Gallery and Queen Elizabeth Theatre (choreographies by Grace MacDonald, Helen Goodwin, and others)

Dance Education

2008-9
Studied bellydance with Tito, Aida Noor, Bozenka, Tamalyn Dallal.
Studied contemporary dance with Margie Gillis, Martin Inthamoussou.
Studied tribal bellydance with Kaeshi, Amy Sigil.
Studied Turkish Roman dance with Ferda Bayazit.
2006-7: Studied applied anatomy for bellydance with Hadia.
Studied bellydance with Aziza, Amir Thaleb, and Tamalyn Dallal.
Studied classical Egyptian dance with Sahra Saeeda and Randa Kamel.
Studied contemporary dance with Karen Jamieson.
Studied Moroccan and Roma dance forms with Morocco.
Studied Pilates with Margaret Merrett.; Studied Turkish Roman dance with Reyhan, Ferda Bayazit.
2006: Ph.D. Educational Studies, University of British Columbia.
1994-2004: Studied Arabic drum with Adel Awad.
Studied bellydance with John Compton, Farideh, Saqra, Suhaila Salimpour, and Amir Thaleb.
Studied contemporary (Western) dance with Holly Bright, Noam Gagnon, Margie Gillis, Judith Marcuse, and Kathryn Ricketts.
Studied Egyptian dance forms with Aida Noor, Beata and Horacio Cifuentes, Hadia, Raqia Hassan, Jalilah, Yousri Sharif and Badia Star.
Studied historical Andalusian and Persian dance forms with Scheherezade.
Studied North African dance with Salma Ferchichi.
Studied Turkish and Roman dance with Ferda Bayazit, Eva Cernik, and Reyhan.
1994: M.A. Adult Education, U.B.C.
1979-1990: Studied bellydance with Masha Archer, Elizabeth Carefoot, John Compton, Farideh, Ibrahim Farrah, Hadia, Kamellia Kim, and others.
Studied contemporary Western dance with Gisa Cole, Joe McLaughlin, and others.
Studied Egyptian dance forms with Aisha Ali, Ibrahim Farrah, Hadia, and others.
Studied Lebanese dance forms with Ibrahim Farrah and Rahma.
Studied North African dance forms with Hadia and Mardi Rollow.
Studied Arabic and Turkish music with Sirocco.
1975: B.A. First Class Anthropology, University of Victoria
1967 – 1973: Studied Western dance forms (jazz and modern) with Gisa Cole, Helen Goodwin, Grace MacDonald, Paula Ross, Anna Wyman, Jamie Zagoudakis and others.
1958- 1966: Mara McBirney School of Ballet, Vancouver, BC

Dance Teaching

1994- 2007: Workshops and master classes throughout B.C. See Workshop topics
2006 & 2007: Northern Dance Camp, Smithers, BC (co-taught with Omana/Shawna Audet)
2002 to 2007: Island Dance Retreat, Denman Island, BC (co-taught with Bronwyn Simons)
2000 & 2001: Bellydancing: The Art of Middle Eastern Dance, Hollyhock Retreat Centre, Cortes Island, BC
1985-1989: Weekly bellydance classes, Yellowknife NWT
1980 – 1984: Weekly bellydance classes, New Westminster and Vancouver, B.C.

Sample Dance Writings

(click on titles to read articles)

2007.: (with Rahma and Venus) Conference Stories from the First International Bellydance Conference of Canada. Sahda, June.
2007.: Tarab. Opa!, Spring.
2006.: Is learning improvisation a contradiction in terms? Sahda, February.
2003.: To Fringe or not to Fringe, Sahda, October.
2001.: Deeper into Zar. Mid-Bits 2:2, Winter.
2000.: Wild Nights: Fireworks on stage in Nanaimo. Sahda, January.
1980-1981.: Editor, Sahda (Middle Eastern Dance Association Newsletter) vol. 5.

Dance Productions

1995-2005: Hafla (informal dance parties twice a year), Nanaimo B.C.
Raqs Araby: Arab Women, Arab Dance. Noon Dance Series, The Dance Centre, Vancouver BC.
2003: Miraj, Victoria Fringe Festival, Victoria B.C. Miraj, Malaspina University-College Theatre, Nanaimo B.C.
2002: Zaghareet ( with Rahma Haddad) for Let's Dance!, The Dance Centre, Vancouver
1985-1989: All public programmes for Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre, Yellowknife, NWT: including performing arts events, exhibit openings, lectures and workshops.
1979-1984: All public programmes for Vancouver Museums and Planetarium Association, Vancouver BC; including chamber concert series, cultural festivals, lectures and workshop activities.