It is with the greatest pleasure that we introduce this ***STAR*** to you.
Vilia Varghese
 

The young lady that is chosen to be our STAR this month is  a dancer of  many dimensions. Her forte is to be that of choreographer. Her work is excellent. Vilia is a tall, beautiful, willowy blonde. An exceptional dancer and wonderful to be around.

Vilia has danced most of her life. She was inspired at the age of five or six by a Christmas production of Nutcracker that her Mom took her to see.. She started her training at the California Ballet School in San Diego. She also studied at San Diego Youth Ballet and started dabbling in tap, jazz musical theater, voice, drama gymnastics and Ballet Folklorico.. She eventually ended up with Val Na-Rue School of Dance in Poway. She also studied at the Academy of Performing Arts. Her desire to be a dancer was already in focus. She found herself playing performer and teacher until in high school she got a chance to really teach. In addition to dancing Vilia sang in high school musicals and worked with Palomar College. She toured San Diego and after school was hired to dance for convention parties and banquets.

While practically living at the Val Na-Rue studio she was introduced to Middle Eastern Dance. She loved the soulfulness of the music. She definitely pulls form her knowledge of  dance for technique. The musical theater and drama help her emote through the dance. By pulling from her extensive dance background she has choreographed some exceptional pieces like her one last year to a piece by Shakira that was presented at One Enchanted Evening by some students from the Palomar studio now called C-K Danse Eclectique. They have been invited to present this piece again this year. Even though jazz was her favorite she realized that this dance form was easier on the body and the lifetime of performing was much longer than in other dance forms. A knee injury made her decide to focus primarily on M.E. dance.

The people who have influenced her the most in her dance are Bob Fosse, Gene Kelly, then Delilah and Azziza of OR. Through Morwenna & Walid Assaf her dance has flourished and blossomed. Through them she has been introduced to such greats as Yousry & Norhan Sahrif, Jehan Kemal, Elena Lentini, Dalia Carella and of course the late Ibrahim Farrah. She is inspired by the works of Ibrahim Farrah. Loves Classical Orientale and is now enjoying the Andalusian Style.

Her goals are to expand her performing skills to cover  improvisation performing with live music. o continue teaching her Middle Eastern Dance classes in Poway . She is a Certified R.A.I.S. Level 1 Teacher through the Art/Dance Academy Complex to teach Danse Arabi. She continues to study  teaching methods. Her future goals is to be able to dance in local restaurants and clubs. She is a member of Raks el Anwar a professional Middle Eastern Dance Company. She is working towards forming a student performing group of her own to be able to choreograph for.

She feels that people should study not only dance but the culture, the food,  the music, the language, the art and the people. This way the dance can be portrayed properly. To be the best dancer you can one must focus not only on technique but on stage presence. For Vilia, she has found that dance brings an inner peace and heals the spirit. It is her soul’s medicine and a very important part of her life. Her dancing is truly an inspiration!

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