Antonia - A Lifetime of Dance

By Zahirah

After a recent show at the 5 Seasons, where Antonia brought down the house as the featured dancer, she was approached backstage by a talented and well-known dancer who thanked her. This dancer had witnessed an inspired show by Antonia more than 10 years ago, that single performance that drove her to study bellydance.

That is the definition of a great dancer: one that affects people in such a dramatic way and inspires others to dance. And over the past few decades, Antonia has done just that.

Antonia's knack for dancing was discovered at a very early age. Coming from a Greek family where music and dancing are a way of life, Antonia was often hoisted up on tables at family gatherings to entertain them.

Although her love of dance was apparent, she wasn't encouraged to pursue dance lessons as her family was very religious and being a dancer just wasn't considered an honorable occupation. However, she still danced whenever she got the chance, and adored watching musicals where dancers such as Fred Astaire, Cyd Charisse, and Gene Kelly captured her heart. She dreamed of one day becoming a professional dancer like the ones she saw in the movies and on Broadway.

It wasn't until later in life that Antonia took it upon herself to study dance, and when she did, she focused with vigorous intensity. She began studying ballet and jazz and later on took up flamenco and modern. These types of dance as well as traditional Greek dance later played an important role in developing her style in Middle Eastern dance that sets her apart from other dancers.

The first bellydancer Antonia ever saw was at a Greek nightclub when she was 7 years old, and she was mesmerized immediately. However, bellydance was forbidden by her family.

Antonia began studying in secret, taking the bus from northern Baltimore all the way down to DC so she could study at Adriana's legendary studio. She would practice her zils in the pockets of her coat on the ride. Studying with Adriana completely changed her life. She eventually moved to DC, where she could be closer to the studio, and take more frequent lessons.

She also took trips to New York to study with Ibrahim Farrah, and notes him along with Adriana as one of her greatest influences.

After some time studying dance, a friend suggested that she begin performing professionally.

"I thought that was crazy!" Antonia remembers thinking about the suggestion "But, the more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea. And since I had missed the train for Broadway, I decided to go for it".

Antonia was lucky enough to enter the professional world of bellydance in the early 70's, during the Golden Age, when bellydancing clubs were abound in Baltimore and DC. There were many places to dance, some Greek and some Arabic, and they were among the city's main attractions. Tourists as well as locals would flock to the clubs to see the dancers and the bands and be entertained. The crowds were enthusiastic and appreciative, and the dancers were true entertainers, often bringing the audience into the show.

Antonia began at Salaam on K Street in DC, and quickly moved into dancing at many other clubs. Her dreams of being a professional dancer began to come into formation as she performed in front of adoring audiences, being showered with money and applause.

The musicians played an important part in her shows.

"I developed a rapport with the musicians- it can become magical. You're totally enveloped in this unbelievable energy- you can actually feel it in the air." she reminisces.

She would build an exciting onstage relationship with the musicians, dancing her way up to one of the musicians for an improvisational solo or to "spar" musically with them-- through her hipwork or zil playing. She claims that these experiences were "exhilarating...an unbelievable high."

It was during this time of the nightclubs that Antonia developed her performance skills. The more she watched the other dancers and how they interacted with the audience, the more she began learning the things that you aren't able to learn in classroom: how to engage the audience.

Through dancing at the nightclubs, Antonia quickly developed the quality that she is most known for today: her showmanship. She learned how to capture and hold the attention of every person in the room, and if you are ever lucky enough to see one of her performances, it is still her greatest quality.

As well as dancing in all of the clubs in DC and Baltimore, Antonia travelled to perform in various cities throughout the United States, even landing some shows in Greece and the Bahamas!

Antonia's dancing is poetic, often she seems completely absorbed in the music and unaware of anyone else in the room, as if she is in a trance. At other times, she exudes energy and excitement and brings life to the room, flirting with shy audience members, slamming her zils on the tables of unsuspecting patrons, and creating a lively atmosphere with her famous kasalama and tambourine playing, which she often uses to end her shows.

Although the "Golden Age" of bellydance began to wind down in the mid-80's, Antonia's dancing continued. She often performed at private events and began taking on students. Her reputation grew as a teacher and today she teaches several classes from the studio in her home in Carney.

She has a wealth of knowledge that she passes on to her students, and encourages them to become the best dancer and performer that they can be. One of the most important things that she stresses to her students is "Keep your standards high-what you do and how you act reflect on other dancers."

And if Antonia has set the bar, then the standard is very high indeed!