The Gilded Serpent presents...
Laylah
AKA Lilly
Laylah was born and raised in Lebanon. Her first "public" performance was when she was three at her cousin's wedding. Laylah grew up with bellydancing integrated in her social life. At age 15, her mother enrolled her in Najwa Fouad's School of Dancing. A few months later, she moved to the US, and her formal schooling was put on hold. She then taught a bellydancing class in 1988 while in college in Pittsburgh, PA, and later helped choreograph and teach the Lebanese dance troupe for the International Folk Festival. She taught Dabke and was able to perform solo. Currently, she's on hiatus from dancing, devoting her time to research and activism.
Laylah has a Master's degree in Applied Medical Anthropology, and is currently a Faculty at a university where she acts as an assistant in research at a mental health institute working with youth who have severe emotional and behavioral disturbances.
As a side project, she's worked for the last ten years on issues of human rights, women's rights, and has spoken internationally on the topic of female circumcision.
See Laylah's website on female circumcision.
"Laylah also runs the Bellydancing community on LiveJournal, where members discuss anything related to belly dancing including costuming, stage fright, techniques, and how to get better tips at a gig."
Articles on Gilded Serpent by or about Laylah
- 12-12-03 Belly dancing in cyberspace – The LiveJournal Belly dancing Community
It is analogous to keeping a public diary, and asking people to comment on it. - 10-16-03 “Snake Hips: Belly Dancing and How I Found True Love” by Anne Thomas-Soffee
To say I enjoyed the book would be a gross understatement. - 8-25-03 Eradicating Female Genital Mutilation, My Journey in the Process
He made it very clear that he did not want to discuss with me, but that he had the feeling that I should be reading that book. - 4-29-02 Fire at the IAO
This high quality of dance is rarely seen. - 11-11-01 SUMMER CARAVAN 2001 Lumbers Through the Bay Area with Heavy Feet
Born and raised in Lebanon, Lilly puzzles over an American bellydance festival in Oakland, CA
