Alexandra King is one of the foremost Middle Eastern Dance artists, instructors, choreographers and producers of Middle Eastern Dance productions and videos in Santa Barbara, the California central coast and the United States.

Her services include belly dance classes on campus at UCSB from the beginning to intermediate levels; a professional level performance dance company; instructional and performance videos and dance supplies for the beginning level dancer and dance events and productions. She is the producer of the prestigious Middle Eastern Dance festival, Moon Over Morocco, which brings some of the best belly dancers and Middle Eastern dancers to the Central coast for a weekend of performances and workshops and which is held every two years in the beautiful coastal city of Santa Barbara, CA. She is the founder and director of Santa Barbara most prestigious and only professional Middle Eastern Dance company, Seher, which is the also the UCSB Mid-East Dance Ensemble. And, she is the producer of one of the most popular beginning level instructional video series’ on the market.

Accomplishments: In 1985 she produced the popular performance video "A Very Special Evening at the Plaka," featuring herself and both of her teachers, Diana Ferrari and Jenaeni Rathor. In 1986 she produced the four-part instructional / performance video series "The Ancient Art of Oriental Belly" Dancing," which gives instruction in the basics of the dance; hundreds of thousands of these tapes have been sold throughout the United States and Canada. In 1986 she was the featured cover story in Habibi Magazine (Vol. 9, No. 6), the premiere periodical of Middle Eastern Dance and Culture (www.habibimagazine.com). In 1988 she placed first in the Walnut Creek Belly Dancer of the Year Pageant. During 1989 and 1990 Alexandra wrote, choreographed and produced the first full-length Middle Eastern folk ballet titled "Seraglio." She then toured with the show in California and Utah. Later in 1990 she joined Dr. Scott Marcus in forming the first and largest university-based Middle Eastern Ensemble at the University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB), in which she is currently the dance director and principal choreographer. In 1998 Alexandra was nominated Best Instructor by the International Academy of Middle Eastern Dance (IAMED), and in 1999 she won IAMED's award for Best Cabaret Dancer.

Training: Alexandra is the grandaughter of silent screen star Molly King. She began her dance training and performing at the age of ten, inspired by a family of actors and musicians. Alexandra's training includes ten years of ballet, four years of training and performing in Polynesian dance, jazz and tap as a child, three years of flamenco classes, two years of training in the classical East Indian style, Bharata Natyam, Greek and Middle Eastern folk and line dance, as well as intensive study of both Traditional and Modern Styles of Oriental "belly" dance.

Alexandra studied belly dance first with Diana Ferrari, a former member of the San Francisco-based company Kos Kadas, and later with the legendary dancer Jenaeni Rathor, Ansuya's mother. She was a member of Rathor's company, Yaleil, from 1980 to 1983, and still works with Jenaeni and her daughter, Ansuya, in dance productions. Alexandra has traveled extensively throughout North Africa and the Middle East to observe and study the dances of this region. In 2001, she was appointed as the lecturer in the first ever accredited ethnic dance class in the Univeristy of California at Santa Barbara (USCB) dance department. She travels extensively throughout the United States teaching and performing, both independently and as the director of UCSB's Middle Eastern Dance Ensemble, Seher.

Alexandra King's Resume

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Alexandra King’s School of Middle Eastern Dance

Mission Statement
It is my intention as a professional dancer and dance teacher to represent and offer Middle Eastern Dance as a dance art as well as a fun form of recreation and as a cultural element in our local community. By bringing the best classes, performances, workshops, events and supplies possible to those who wish to share in the art I hope to contribute to the rising the level of quality of Middle Eastern Dance as well to meet the demands for the dance as art, entertainment and recreation.

Alexandra King’s School of Middle Eastern Dance is the premiere center for Middle Eastern dance in Santa Barbara, California and a primary dance center for belly dance and Middle Eastern Dance on the California Central Coast and the US.

Instruction
The School offers private and semi-private lessons in Alexandra’s downtown studio. Group classes in belly dance from beginning to intermediate levels are available on campus at UCSB in the Physical Activities and Recreation Department. Alexandra offers a complete course in the basics of belly dance as a learning aid, as well as periodic workshops in Middle Eastern Dance.
Opportunities to perform are available for dancers in training to perform publicly in restaurants, festivals and with the Mid-East Ensemble. The school is a launching pad for future professional dancers who may or my not join Alexandra’s company, Seher, or who may go on to become professional dancers.

Events
Every two years Alexandra produces Moon Over Morocco, a prominent festival which includes workshops with top instructors and a fabulous concert featuring the guest instructors and vendors selling a complete line of dance supplies.
At the beginning of each school year Alexandra hosts a Henna party with videos, henna art and dance supplies offered all while enjoying a buffet of food and videos of the latest shows. Each spring Alexandra presents a festival geared toward the local dance community, Gathering of the Tribes, in which all schools and instructors are invited to perform,Sell their used costumes and dance supplies and share.

Performances
In addition to being the official dance company of the UCSB Mid-East Ensemble, Alexandra’s professional company, Seher, performs at local parties, clubs and festivals.

Dance Supplies
Basic dance supplies and including hip scarves, zills, CD’s and videos are available for local dancers either on line, in classes and workshops or at Alexandra’s studio. Plans for expanding her line of supplies are underway.