Annah is known for her energy and stage presence, her musicality and her ability to connect with her audience.
As a dancer, she receives many compliments both for her technique and her feel for the dance, and for the way she designs each show to elevate the event and delight the audience.
As an instructor, she is often told that she is responsive, knowledgeable and inspiring, and that her students learn a lot in a short time.
Fireflow Dance Studio and Annah are committed to promoting Raqs Sharqi / belly dance in the most respectful and knowledgeable way possible, disseminating information about the dance and its cultural context, and supporting dancers, musicians and composers in the countries and cultures where the dance belongs.
Annah started dancing classical ballet at the age of 3, and jazz and show dance in her teens. In the early 90s she discovered belly dance/Raqs Sharqi and quickly became engrossed. Both by the dance and by the Arabic music, which has become a crucial part of Annah's life.
After a couple of years she started to perform as a dancer in the Malmö region and was frequently hired in a variety of contexts. By then she had also started taking workshops and lessons for teachers from Egypt, including Raqia Hassan and Aida Nour.
During the 90s Annah also worked as a dancer and instructor in Argentine tango and performed regularly as a tango dancer. However, in the late 90s she chose to focus on Oriental dance and since 1996 had started teaching her own classes.
After initially teaching through various study associations, Annah started her own company Fireflow Dance Studio in 2011. She gives courses and private lessons both in the studio and online, based in Ask outside Röstånga in Skåne. She also regularly holds workshops both locally in Malmö / the Öresund region as well as in the other Nordic countries and internationally.
Orientation, inspiration and training
Annah focuses mainly on Egyptian Raqs Sharki, Raqs Baladi and Egyptian folk styles. She is continuously training for high level instructors. She has studied privately / taken intensive courses for Aida Nour, Zeina, Marta Korzun and Jillina Carlano, among others, and has taken recurring workshops for Mohamed Kazafy, Camelia of Cairo, Khaled Mahmoud, Ahmed Refaat, Tito Seif, Lubna Emam, Aida Nour and Raqia Hassan, among others.
In addition to contemporary dancers, Annah is inspired by classical stars such as Fifi Abdou, Souhair Zaki, Tahia Carioca and Naemet Mokhtar. What she strives for in her dancing and teaching is a flowing movement with inner energy and direction - hence the name "Fireflow".
Awards and prizes
- 2nd prize in the group category with the group AlFayruz at the Danish Open Bellydance 2023
- 1st prize in the Soloist category at the Danish Open Bellydance 2022
- 2nd prize in the group category with the group AlFayruz at the Danish Open Bellydance 2019
- 1st prize in the Grand Diva category at the Danish Open Bellydance 2018
- 1st prize in the Grand Diva category at the Danish Open Bellydance 2017
- 1st prize and the title Dancer of the Year in the Oriental Professional / Semi Professional category at the Oslo Oriental Dance Festival 2016 - 1st prize and the title Dancer of the Year in the Style category (various folk styles) at the Oslo Oriental Dance Festival 2016a prize and the title Dancer of the Year in the category Oriental Professional / Semi Professional, at the Oslo Oriental Dance Festival 2016
- 1st prize and the title Dancer of the Year in the category Stilart (including different folk styles from the Middle East) at the Oslo Oriental Dance Festival 2016
- 3rd prize in the online competition "Take me back to Cairo" with a. o. Raqia Hassan in the category "Oriental Professional".Raqia Hassan in the jury, in connection with From Cairo with Love Festival, Amsterdam 2015
- 1st prize in the category Grand Diva at Danish Open Bellydance 2014
- 2nd prize in the category Grand Diva at Danish Open Bellydance 2013
Partnerships and events
In parallel with solo performances and teaching, Annah has participated in several dance groups, since the 90s and onwards: Magica, Ammam, Al-Delta, Raqs Qadira and others. 2017 she started Fireflow's show group AlFayruz, as instructor and artistic director.
Annah has been active as an organizer of dance shows and workshops since the mid-90s, including for the non-profit association Zhagareet, where she has been a member of the board since the association's founding in 1997. She has been involved in organizing several workshops with guest teachers from Egypt and other countries. During the period 2012-2019, she also organized the Fireflow Festival in Malmö, with international stars Marta Korzun and Vanessa of Cairo as guest instructors.
Annah has also organized haflas and student shows for many, many years, both on her own and in various collaborations. Since 2021, she is one of 4 founders and organizers in the Raqesnii Schwai network, based in Malmö and the surrounding area.