This year's winner is Yasmina Ramzy
Yasmina Ramzy is a visionary and pioneer. Her prolific and highly sought-after choreography is best known for its originality, elaborate staging and full range of emotional expression. She has created over 200 ensemble choreographies for 25 dance companies in the USA and Canada, including Arabesque Dance Company & Orchestra, Earthshakers and Bellydance Superstars.
As mentor to countless professional Raqs Sharqi dance artists, Yasmina is known as a "Dance Whisperer", inspiring individuality and a path to artistic self expression. Her passion to represent an authentic art form compelled her to create seven large international dance festivals featuring discussion and debate, while staging as many as 150 artists in each festival and presenting over 50 master teachers such as Dina Talaat, Mahmoud Reda, Mohamed Khalil and Aida Nour.
Yasmina received her primary training from various teachers in Egypt and Syria. Since 1981, she has taught in more than 65 cities around the world. Yasmina has performed extensively in the Middle East, primarily with the master Muwashahaat trained musicians of Aleppo, Syria. Her full-length, six-day theatrical productions have been presented 10 times with as many as 45 dancers and musicians at a time. Some of her productions have toured in USA, Greece, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria and across Canada.
Yasmina has been awarded several government-sponsored arts grants for her groundbreaking and authentic choreography, as well receiving awards from Arab communities for helping to nurture and uplift Arab dance and live music. She has produced seven CDs and 15 DVDs. Currently, Yasmina teaches daily in Toronto as well as online, directs four dance companies, one online, offers the "Be The Canvas" programs in various cities, writing a book and in Spring 2020 will stage a new vision in presenting Raqs Sharqi dance and music with the production entitled "Al Qamar". Visit her website.
