Habeeba Hobeika
Habeeba is an Egyptian dancer and choreographer, who has been much celebrated throughout North America and the Middle East. Born and raised in Alexandria, Egypt, Habeeba spent much of her childhood traveling throughout Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia. Her experiences have instilled in her a lifelong appreciation of Middle Eastern culture, a deep pride in her heritage, and a passion for dance. This was the foundation that led Habeeba to take up, perfect and elevate the art of Raks Sharki (belly dancing) and Egyptian Folklore dance, and bring it to the world stage.
Choreography
Egyptian born, Habeeba is the Choreographer and Artistic Director of Habeeba’s Egyptian Dance Ensemble. Habeeba is renowned for creating spectacular belly dance and folkloric stage performances. Her background and experience bring cultural and historic authenticity to the dances, and the ambiance she creates through movements, music and costume design is unmatched.
Dancers
For over 30 years Habeeba worked with and mentored many lovers of the dance and helped them develop into professional soloists. She emphasized the importance of acquiring strong technique and using it with purpose, while cultivating an understanding and deep relationship with the accompanying music to authentically express meaning in one’s dance. Habeeba worked with each dancer to uncover and express their individual personal style. Every soloist who has worked with her is uniquely beautiful.
Habeeba’s Dance Company
In 1986 Habeeba founded the Habeeba Egyptian belly dance and folklore dance company in Toronto, Ontario Canada. Over the years she built the company into a successful multifaceted business, becoming a well-known and highly reputed dance school and professional troupe.
Her dance school taught all levels of authentic Egyptian belly dance. Students of Habeeba’s dance school are known to be dedicated to her teaching style.
She also created a professional dance troupe, the Habeeba’s Egyptian Dance Ensemble. The troupe has performed Habeeba’s spectacular choreographed dances for stage events, corporate functions, weddings, galas, and arts and culture festivals. All members of the dance troupe are professional soloists, dancing stage performances, for large private and public functions, and smaller venues such as restaurants.
Habeeba’s vision and creativity mastered the talent to modify a large stage dance requiring up to 12 dancers to a smaller number of as few as 2 to 3 dancers. This versatility without compromising sophistication and beauty, allowed smaller venues along with a wider audience to experience the magnificence of Habeeba’s creations.