Anna Greenberg began her dance training at the Pasadena Dance Theater and attended the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts where she was introduced to modern dance. With a BA in Dance, Choreography, and Children’s Book Illustration from Hampshire College, she studied and performed with many inspirational and life changing teachers including Summer Lee Rhatigan, Cristian Burns, Cathy Nicoli, and Cynthia Young. She has performed works by Merce Cunningham, Alvin Ailey, and Rudy Perez. Anna is also performing with Dance Ceres and Venture Dance Project. Anna has been with SDC since 2009 and she’s thrilled to continuing learning this beautiful dance form.
Dancers
Shahrzad Dance Company Members
Anna Greenberg
Alison Weir
Alison has been involved with dance for over 20 years, studying at various studios in Chicago, Illinois. From 1996 to 1999 she attended the St. Charles Academy of Dance and performed with their company dance group for the last two years, focusing on jazz and ballet. Her background with the studio also includes modern and lyrical. Alison received her bachelor’s degree in Spanish/ Linguistics from the University of Illinois in 2003. She earned her teaching credential from San Francisco State University in Spanish Education in 2006. Alison has been teaching high school Spanish in Oakland for the past four years. At the University of Illinois, she was involved with 3-Spot, a student run dance troupe that covered many areas of dance including swing, salsa, modern, jazz, ballet, hip hop, and fusion pieces. Alison was very excited to join the Shahrzad Dance Academy Company and to have the chance to learn Persian dance, a beautiful part of an intriguing culture.
Kim Ganassin Mendes
Kim is a Bay Area native and graduate of John F. Kennedy University. After a long break from performing Jazz and Tap as a teenager, she attended an SDA class and fell in love with the beauty and sensuality of Persian dance. In her 10+ years studying Persian dance with SDA, Kim has become an SDA Company member and instructor and has enjoyed continuing growth in Persian and Modern dance performance. Dance, as a physical and mental discipline, is her favorite method of self-discovery and healing, and she enjoys the journey whole-heartedly!
Rebekah Fessenden
Rebekah is a Bay Area native, with a B.A. in Fine Art from UC Santa Cruz. She began her love of dance at 8 years old, happily sampling any dance class that came her way. However the core of her training has been ballet, which she has studied since age 13, tempered and softened with a simultaneous study of modern dance, primarily Hawken’s technique. For many years the stable foundation beneath all of Rebekah’s dancing and her life in general has been her ongoing practice of Iyengar yoga which she also teaches. Once exposed to its classical lines and sensual rhythms Rebekah quickly fell in love with Persian dance. She has studied, taught and performed with Shahrzad Dance Academy since ’03. It has been her great joy and honor to share Persian dance with audiences across the U.S. and in Pakistan.
