Silvia Salamanca is a life-long dancer from Mallorca, Spain. She started her career as a belly dancer in 2001, when realizing the enormous benefits that this art-form brings to women in both body and spirit (something that she felt truly missing in other dance practices). From her first teachers, Tasnim Melendres and the acclaimed Nur Banu, two natural born-Egyptians, she realized how with the practice of belly dance that women can get closer to their self identity and discover oneself in a new level, increasing self-esteem, releasing stress and getting deeply in touch with the feminine essence in their soul.

With her work in the field of Zambra Mora (Spanish gypsy-oriental dance fusion) Silvia has gained international recognition and is currently invited to teach workshops and perform in major festivals in Europe and across the USA, and will be part next November of the international Jury of the Contest for the Belly Dancer of the World hosted in Germany.

Silvia is also the co-director of Shunyata Belly Dance, the tribal-style company that captivates audiences at the Texas Renaissance Festival and has recently launched its first instructional DVD.
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Passionate about teaching and performing, Angela Nations is a professional belly dancer with over 19 years of formal dance training. She studied the Erick Hawkins Modern Dance technique at Texas State University, in addition to jazz and ballet. She has over 9 years Middle Eastern dance experience in the Cabaret, ITS (Improvisational Tribal Style) and Tribal Fusion styles. She is currently an instructor, choreographer, and performer in Austin, TX and performs at workshops, faires, and events throughout Texas. Her expressive and fluid style, layered upon precise, controlled movements is a blend of various dance techniques combined with a dynamic presence that captivates and entertains.
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Lauren Checchio attended the Ali Akbar College of Music in California, and has studied with some of the best percussionists in the world, including Swapan Chaudhuri, Zakir Hussain, Anindo Chatterjee, Glen Velez, and Ty Burhoe. Lauren traveled to the Middle East to study the art of the doumbek, and to Hawaii, to study tabla under Daniel Paul, one of the world’s few tabla tarang players.

Lauren is the director of percussion of the UT Middle Eastern Ensemble. She has played and recorded with 1001 Nights Orchestra, Oliver Rajamani, The Gypsies, Teye & Viva Flamenco, Govinda, Anita Jung, Ojala, among others, in Austin, TX. Lauren is also in demand as a teacher of percussion, giving both private lessons and group workshops.