Sahnobar is a professional company of dancers and musicians. We do contract
work (individually and as a troupe) as well as self-produced shows.
Our dancers specialize in traditional and
contemporary dances of the Middle East and Greece. This
includes folk (line) dances and Oriental ("belly") dance. Our repertoire extends beyond this
specialization and includes dances of Europe and the Polynesian Islands as well as original works
(see Styles).
We perform to our own pre-recorded or live music; we can also work with musicians you provide.
Our musicians specifically perform our group pieces. They adapt Middle Eastern and other
influences to a variety of Eastern and Western instrumentation to produce an original and exciting
accompaniment.
The dancers of the Sahnobar Ensemble have been performing under that
name since April 1995, although members worked together in other groups for several
years prior to that. Our band joined us in early 1996.
The SDE has been
featured at: Walt Disney World's Epcot Center, Universal Studios, The Florida International
Museum's Grand Openings for "Splendors of Ancient Egypt" and "Alexander the Great",
the Florida Folk Festival, the St. Petersburg International Folk Fair Society's (SPIFFS)
International Folk Fair, WMNF's Tropical Heatwave Concert in Ybor City(Tampa's
Community Radio Station),
the Alachua Music Harvest Festival and more.
