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The Pearls of the Valley |
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The Pearls of the Valley are Happy Valley’s best kept secret: a Middle Eastern dance troupe based in State College, Pennsylvania. The group, composed of five local women, has performed at various local and regional venues, including Rakassah East, an annual festival in New Jersey that is the largest gathering of Middle Eastern dancers on the East Coast, and First Night State College, a family oriented New Year's celebration. The Pearls were formed in early 2000 by Tammie Rea, who now serves as the troupe’s artistic director. Ms. Rea, who dances under the name Tamra Tahira, has studied Middle Eastern dance for over twenty years, performing professionally on the West Coast. As the founder of The Tammie Rea School of Dance, she now teaches private and semiprivate lessons in her home. She also teaches beginner classes on Wednesday evenings through the Penn State University Center for Arts and Crafts. For more information on classes, please visit Ms. Rea's website. The other members of the ensemble, Tarí, Amsah Noor, Marita and Kim, have studied dance under Ms. Rea as well as other teachers. The
Pearls seek to educate and entertain audiences, using their dedication
to and intensive study of these dance forms to bring some of the joy of
Middle Eastern dance to Centre County.
The group performs in a wide variety of styles, from modern
Egyptian dance set to music by popular Arabic artists to folkloric cane
dances of the Saidi region of Egypt and even traditional pot dances of
Tunisia. Most of the
repertoire consists of original choreography by the troupe members, who
enjoy the opportunity to perform a wide variety of dance types within
the broader genre of Middle Eastern dance.
P NEW: ask about our , perfect for theme parties or holiday gatherings. In addition to exciting performances from the Pearls, the Caravan Party Packages can include a catered Middle Eastern buffet and even a short dance lesson for your group! For more information or to inquire about booking a performance, please contact the Pearls at valleypearls@yahoo.com.
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