Latifa began dancing at the age of six. She has studied Ballet, Modern Dance, Jazz Dance, Afro-Cuban, and Latin Ballroom Dance.

 Latifa began performing and teaching Middle Eastern Dance in the mid-1970âs in Europe and San Francisco.  In Spain she formed a dance troupe, while working in nightclubs and restaurants in Southern Spain, Ibiza and the Canary Islands. She also did some work in commercials for  British television.

Upon returning to San Francisco, she danced in several clubs including the Bagdad, The Greek Taverna,  Powell Station (see ãGilded Serpentä articles on North Beach in the 70âs) and The Mykonos, where she also booked the bands and hired other dancers.
 
 
 
 

 In 1991, After several years away from dance to persue a graduate degree at
U.C. Berkeley and to do a spiritual reevaluation, she  began teaching  again in Sausalito. From this group the original Dancers of DeNile was formed. At this time, she also began performing regularly at theCairo Cafe in Mill Valley.

 The Dancers of DeNile, which is now an ensemble, are known for their work in restaurants and dance festivals in the Bay Area. Many of their pieces are humorous performance art  with political overtones, using Middle Eastern Dance as the medium and artists from other genres such as ãCulture Clashä as the inspiration.

 Original members of The Dancers of DeNile  performed as solo dancers in several Bay Area  Restaurants including The Hatam, The Cairo Cafe,  The Byblos, Petra,   Pasha, Cleopatra, and Amira.
 
 
 
 

Desert Dance Festival 1999
Perfomer: Latifa
 

Dancers of Denile   Rakkasah 1996
"Chocolate As A Spiritual Path"
Performers left to right: Wendy Moore, Monica Osorio, Fermin Pineda, Latifa,  Norma Novy
 

Dancers of Denile at The Espace
(on Hayes in San Francisco, Ca.,)  1995
Performers left to right: Wendy Moore, Latifa

Dancers of Denile   Rakkasah 1998
"The Bottom Live"
Performers left to right foreground:
Debra Parma, Latifa, Norma Novy.
Background Performer: Fermin Pineda

Sausalito Caledonia Street Fair, Sunday, May 24th, 2009

Sausalito Caledonia Street Fair, Sunday, May 24th, 2009

Sausalito Caledonia Street Fair, Sunday, May 24th, 2009

Dancers of DeNile Rakkasah 2011 -- Photo by John Kalb

Top Photo: Latifa in Spain 1982.
Second from the top Photo: Latifa at Carnaval 1984 in San Francisco, Ca.,

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