Layla transforms almost any venue into a Sultan's Palace. She has performed far and wide...from plush Moroccan restaurants to the dance floors of high-tech clubs. She has performed on the stages of prestigious theaters, elegant hotel ballrooms, and in the living rooms of private homes. She has danced on outdoor festival stages, on grassy lawns, beside swimming pools, and in the sand of beautiful beaches. Layla enjoys traveling and would be delighted to perform in your area. She is now based on Maui, in Hawaii.

Layla dances with enthusiasm, sincere love for the dance, and powerful eye contact. She is able to bring out joy and energy in people. Her full show includes a lyrical veil dance, high energy finger cymbal playing, a dramatic sword dance, and the mysterious and ever popular fire dance. At the end of her show, she invites all to get up and dance!

Venues: Layla's performances are great for Wedding Receptions, Birthday Parties, Bar Mitzvahs, Anniversary Parties, Community Festivals, Cultural Festivals, and Educational Events. Yes, kids love to watch Layla dance. They are often her most attentive audience. Layla has danced for hundreds of girl scouts who often dined in Savannah's Casbah Moroccan Restaurant.

Costumes: Layla prefers to wear a beaded two piece Cabaret costume for indoor evening performances. She can also wear a fully covered Egyptian Beledi dress for a modest, folk style look. For outdoor festivals, she usually chooses an earthy ethno cabaret style two piece with vest, bra, belt and a full skirt.

Layla Katrina on Kauai, August 2006, photo by Ron Middag

Types of shows:

Belly Gram: A Belly Gram is a short show (5 - 10 minutes) that is done to surprise a guest of honor who is celebrating a birthday, graduation, wedding, anniversary, or other occasion. It is best if he/she knows nothing about it before hand! The performance can be done in a home, office, or restaurant. The more the merrier, and don't forget the camera! Layla wraps the Sultan's head with her veil, gives him a chance to dance, and leaves plenty of kisses on his cheek before she goes.

Full Show: In a full show, Layla will make a grand entrance, dance with her veil, play finger cymbals, perform a dramatic piece with fire or sword, a dynamic drum solo, and then her energetic grand finale. This show is 15 to 25 minutes long, and will include many different rhythms and songs. Layla will be at her best in this setting. Afterwards, the people are pumped and ready to dance themselves. Layla's performance is the spark that gets everyone up and moving!

Fire and Sword Dance are extra special and very popular. One or both can be included in the show, and these performances require a more controlled venue than a Belly Gram. There must be plenty of room. The fire dance is completely safe, and can even be performed in a home with a large enough room and good ventilation.

Layla can put together a troupe show with several dancers and musicians. The troupe can perform choreography and improvisation, with a variety of dances, including solo performances by each member. Live music always increases the energy and is particularly good in a festival setting. The dancers will encourage the audience to join in at the end of the show. A troupe show can be anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour or more, depending on your venue.

Technical considerations: A good sound system, and an open space to dance. A full show works well for any large event with a stage or a dance floor, and a DJ or band. A short show can be done in a small space, such as an office or a home, and Layla can bring a boom box. A troupe show will require a large space, state of the art sound system, and a dressing room. All of this can be negotiated when you book Layla for your event.