Candace Bordelon began studying belly dance in 1998 with Isis after 12 years as a modern dancer. She was an original member of the Wings of Isis and performed at numerous Arabic and Mediterranean restaurants and clubs throughout the DFW area. She holds a Ph.D. in Dance from Texas Woman’s University with additional coursework in Middle Eastern Studies at the University of North Texas. For ten years she gathered data while studying with Egyptian, North American, and European master teachers. Her dissertation, with research conducted in Egypt, explores the relationship between Oriental dance, classical Arabic music, and tarab, or musical ecstasy. She has presented lectures at international conferences in dance, ethnomusicology, and Middle Eastern studies and taught Middle Eastern Dance, Art, and Culture in the dance departments at various colleges and universities in North Texas. Dr. Candace is a contributing author to several academic publications as well as The Belly Dance Reader 2 published by Gilded Serpent.
