Artist Directory

Seyyide Sultan has been a teacher, choreographer and performer of Egyptian Raks Sharqi (“belly dance”) for 19 years.

Seyyide is the founder, artistic director, choreographer and manager of Sarab-Mirage Dance Company, and has received grants from Arlington Cultural Council (an agency depending on Massachusetts Cultural Council) in 2017 and 2018, to present Middle Eastern dance performances on stage. The result has been producing, directing, choreographing and performed for oriental dance staged shows: “Helwa! From Cairo to Boston” (2017) and “Dreaming of Arabia” (2018). Seyyide is also a sough after teacher offering group and individual classes, coaching and workshops at the regional and national level. In 2020, she moved all her classes to the Zoom platform, and she’s teaching weekly live remote classes at all levels.

J Michael Winward is an independent dance artist based in Boston. With influences in American-style ballroom, ballet, contemporary and somatic dance practices, his work places a strong focus on building connection: connection to one’s body, one’s self, one’s audience, connection between dance partners, connection within and across communities. His solo performances blend movement and memoir, and deal with a variety of topics, including: coming of age, institutional injustice, and the politics of being oneself. Through the Steps in Time® program, Michael brings social ballroom dance classes and parties to independent/assisted living and memory care communities throughout Greater Boston. Dancing with Peter DiMuro/Public Displays of Motion (PDM), Michael works to advance the PDM mission of cultivating dance/arts literacy, advocacy and engagement. Along with Maggie Cee, Michael produces Dancing Queerly, a festival of performances, workshops, discussions, and social dance gatherings by and for the LGBT+ community, friends, and allies.