Meet the Troupe

Sheba 32 Years

Karli 26 Years

Hadara 25 Years

Leila 21 Years

Nadia 13 Years

Sadira 12 Years

Zahira 9 Years

Shirah 9 Years

Privileged Member

Privileged Member

Privileged Member

Privileged Member


Originally formed as Bal Aziza, Desert Rhythms is one of the oldest Middle Eastern dance troupes in Rochester, New York.  The original troupe focused on a more traditional style of belly dance, along with some ethnic styles of dance that were rooted deep in Middle Eastern culture.  However, as the members of the troupe changed and belly dance evolved in the US, these dances no longer reflected the troupe’s truly unique identity, so several years ago, the troupe name was changed to reflect the Americanized style of Middle Eastern dance we embrace.  Desert Rhythms’ approach is a blending of traditional and cabaret styles of Turkish, Egyptian and Tribal dance, or what we like to call Tribaret. All of our dances are original pieces choreographed through a collaborative effort by all troupe members.  Drawing on this vast array of talent helps to create truly distinctive dances that keep our audiences engaged and entertained.  Likewise, our musical choices tend to be less traditional, old-style Middle Eastern and more contemporary, upbeat Middle Eastern pieces occasionally mixed with the sounds emulating the music of an Arabic lounge. Our troupe is made up of many beautiful, vibrant women of all ages, and even includes a few mother-daughter pairs.  We have found that the love of dance knows no limit of age or body style.  What makes Desert Rhythms so unique is the vast array of knowledge and experience our dancers have and the respect and value we place on the contributions every member of the troupe commits to making each performance a memorable experience for our audience.

Thank you for visiting our site.  We would love to see you at an upcoming performance!