Shunyata is a professional tribal belly dance group with members from Houston and Austin, Texas. Shunyata has performed at various venues in Texas and are scheduled again this year at the upcoming Texas Renaissance Festival.  We are also, planning a trip to Egypt in the spring of 2008. Shunyata is available for birthdays, events, weddings, theme parties and renaissance festivals.
 

 Silvia is a life-long dancer from Mallorca, Spain.  She started her career as a belly dancer 6 years ago, 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 the woman can get closer to their self identity and discover oneself in a new level, increasing self-esteem, releasing tension. She has studied with Rachel Brice, Sharon Kihara and Urban Gypsy, and has been a two-time finalist for the Belly Dance Superstars auditions as a Tribal Dancer. With her personal tribal-fusion belly dance project (Shunyata Bellydance) Silvia has been performing at the Texas Renaissance festival. She has also been invited to teach workshops around Texas. Silvia feels honored and blessed to be now part of the premiere Houston Tribal performance troupe Urban Gypsy, and expects that this new adventure will make her grow in talent all together with her new sisters in dance. Silvia teaches both Tribal and Egyptian style belly dance in Houston. 

See videos of Silvia dancing click here.

To see Silvia's current performance and instruction schedule please click here.
 
   

Angelina is an Austin-based Middle Eastern belly dancer.  She has ten years
of experience in the Egyptian Cabaret style and about three years ago began performing American Tribal Style.  She has performed at many Middle Eastern Restaurants and clubs in Houston and Austin, captivating the audience with a combination of grace and amazing technique.  She has attended many Middle Eastern Dance workshops throughout the United States including Suhaila Salimpour, Rachel Brice, Camelia Lima, Angelika Nemeth, Amr Thalib, Aziza, Raffa, and Virginia.  She’s been practicing Bikram yoga for the past seven years and continues to learn and expand her knowledge of dance.
 
   

Angela is a professional belly dancer with over 18 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 8 years Middle Eastern dance experience in the American Cabaret style, having studied under the direction of Karen Barbee-Adkisson. Angela is currently an instructor, choreographer, and performer in Austin, TX dancing ATS (American Tribal Style), Tribal Fusion and Cabaret styles. 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.  The Ajna Project: Angela Nations, Lori Friedman, Jessica Hildrith.  ATS with a dramatic flair - performing now in Austin.
 
   

Lauren DeAlbert has been playing percussion for 10 years. She 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. On Maui, she learned the art of the Aboriginal didgeridoo, using the sounds of whales, dolphins, and birds as her inspiration. 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.