Nisaa began her studies of Middle Eastern dance with several well-known dancers in Missouri and Illinois, including Nadia Alooma, Salwa (director of Aalim Dance Academy), and Diana Wolf (former director of Simone's Seventh Veil Dance Studio). Currently, Nisaa continues to attend master classes, seminars, and workshops with internationally-renowned dancers such as Farida Fahmy, Dr. Mo Geddawi, Morocco, Mahmoud Reda, Sahra Saeeda, Faten Salama, Yousry Sharif, and Nourhan Sharif, among others. In addition to her dance training, Nisaa holds a bachelor’s degree in anthropology and history from Kent State University and a master’s degree in anthropology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Nisaa’s academic background rounds out her dance training and provides the foundation for her meticulous approach to the study of Middle Eastern dance.
Nisaa has been teaching Middle Eastern dance since 2003. In the summer of 2008, Nisaa opened her studio in south St. Louis as a dedicated space for the propagation of Middle Eastern dance, music, and culture in the St. Louis area. In addition to teaching, Nisaa has performed extensively at Middle Eastern dance events, cultural festivals, and other Middle Eastern themed events and venues both in the St. Louis area and beyond.
By continuing to offer quality instruction and outstanding performances, Nisaa presents Middle Eastern dance as a living, dynamic folk art and a window into the rich heritage of the peoples and cultures of the Middle East.
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Nisaa (Heather D. Ward) is a St. Louis-based instructor/performer of Middle Eastern dance and the artistic director of the Madrasat Nisaa student dancers.
Nisaa’s Mission:
To foster a greater understanding and appreciation
of the complexity, diversity, and beauty of Middle Eastern dance forms.
Although specializing in Egyptian raqs sharqi (belly dance), Nisaa also teaches and performs a variety of Middle Eastern folkloric dance forms.
