Sahira was practically born on stage, having studied music, drama, and dance since the age of two. The musicality instilled within her as a classically trained flautist and singer infuse her dance with a sophisticated quality that is admired by dancers around the globe. Her extensive training in Middle Eastern as well as Tribal, Modern, and West African dance gives her performances an intense and earth energy that has captivated audiences’ hearts and minds.

In 2005, Sahira released her first instructional DVD, "Arabian Spices" and has since then been invited to teach and perform across the USA as well as Mexico, Indonesia, Australia, Germany, Canada, and Taiwan. In 2006 Urban Gypsy had the honor of being the first tribal instructors ever invited to teach at the largest belly dance festival in the world: Ahlan We Sahlan, in Cairo, Egypt. In 2007 Sahira released two more instructional DVDs: "Ali" and "Bella Donna Ya Helwa." When in Houston, Sahira performs five nights a week with Bella Donna, voted Houston ’s Best Belly Dancers by the Houston Press. She is founder and director of Urban Gypsy as well as a founding member of Empyrean Fire Tribe. In addition to dance, she performs regularly on flute and vocals with the award-winning world fusion music group Moodafaruka, as well as early music ensemble Istanpitta.

For more information about Sahira, visit www.SahiraDances.com.

Amiya began dancing at the age of four with her first ballet class and has not stopped dancing since. She has studied various styles of dancing but has found the most satisfying outlet for self expression through bellydance. Her joy of the dance lies in its energy, its timelessness, and its embrace of all. She began studying cabaret style bellydance with Jenna Ali in 2003 and performed locally with the Desert Orchids dance troupe until 2006. Amiya has studied American Tribal Style since 2005 and most enjoys dancing with her tribal sisters.

Silvia is a life-long dancer from Mallorca (Spain). She graduated at the age of nineteen as a major in ballet and has performed professionally as a modern dancer in major Europe festivals with the company of modern dance from the University of Barcelona.
She started her career as a bellydancer 6 years ago, when realizing the enormous benefits that this art-form brings to women in both body and spirit (something that she felt truly missing in other dance practices). From her first teachers, Tasnim Melendres and the acclaimed Nur Banu, two natural born-egyptians, she realized how with the practice of bellydance the woman can get closer to their self identity and discover oneself in a new level, increasing self-esteem, releasing tension. She has studied with Rachel Brice, Sharon Kihara and Urban Gypsy, and has been a two-time finalist for the Bellydance Supestars Auditions as a Tribal Dancer. With her personal tribal-fusion bellydance project (Shunyata Bellydance) Silvia has been performing at the Texas Renaissance festival. She has also been invited to teach workshops around Texas. Silvia feels honored and blessed to be now part of the premiere Houston Tribal performance troupe Urban Gypsy, and expects that this new adventure will make her grow in talent alltogether with her new sisters in dance!!

Kat is an indigenous Houstonian that has always been interested in a variety of different art forms. From free-hand drawing to photography, she has received merits for her approach and sense of style. It was only fitting that she take this versatile mental conception and develop it into a physical manifestation. Thus, she extended her talents into dancing .... belly dancing to be specific. Under the tutelage of Jena Ali, she began learning Egyptian Cabaret and other dance forms at the Sirrom School of Dance in 2003. For the next two years she performed locally with Jena her and her troupe, Desert Orchids. In 2005, Kat attended a workshop coordinated by the dancer Ansuya. Here she witnessed her first show of tribal style dance, performed by none other than Urban Gypsy. Captivated by its slow, seductive nature, she knew she had found her calling. Kat was spellbound by the music, the costumes, and the style of dance itself. She immediately commenced with taking classes from Sahira and Zymirrah, and she began to study tribal and fusion belly dance. For Kat, the belly dance experience has grown from an avocation into a way of life. She has performed at numerous events across the state, both festivals and private venues alike. She is an ambitious, skillful dancer who enjoys her art form, because it is what she and her fellow dance sisters have grown to love.

Shandril has been on or near a stage most of her life and dancing even longer. After exploring ballet, jazz, clogging and even a little bit of ballroom dance, her first foray into bellydancing was in 1996. She came back to it in 2002 under the direction of Sarin and began studying ATS with Urban Gypsy in 2006. Shandril is personally thrilled to have finally found a place in life where people really do burst into spontaneous synchronized dance. She has long been awed by the talent, grace, and energy of Urban Gypsy and is overjoyed to call them her sisters.

Jye began her dance lesson with Urban Gypsy ladies in 2006 after quitting the full combative kick boxing. She soon fell in love with this graceful dance form. Originally from Taiwan, Jye was classically trained in piano and violin, performed with high school symphony and as pianist on occasions. Since the dance journey began, Jye studied with various instructors and went to many workshops that just enriched her from inside. Being the only child in the family, Jye is happy to have new dance sisters in the Urban Gypsy troupe.