DELSIE
DANCES
Persian-Iranian Dance Instruction and Performance
What is Persian-Iranian Dance?
Persian-Iranian (aka Persian Classical Dance) is best known for its delicate, graceful hand and arm movements, coquettish facial expressions, and flowy or airy quality. It is often an expression of beloved Iranian poetry or simply a dancer’s expression of the music. In solo form, Persian-Iranian dance is historically improvised and stylizations of Persian-Iranian dance are either inspired by court dance from particular time periods and others find their inspiration in poetry and art. Persian-Iranian dance movement vocabulary, poses and body lines are visually aligned with cultural aesthetics such as Iranian Miniature art and Persian calligraphy.
"Stay close to anything that makes you glad that you're alive." -Hafez
ABOUT DELSIE
Delsie Khadem-Ghaeini embodies the love of her Persian-Iranian culture through dance. Born in Mashhad, Iran and raised in Colorado, Delsie is a Persian-Iranian Traditional and Contemporary Dancer based in Denver, Colorado and is the co-founder of Iranian Dance Academy and the artistic director of the Delnaz Dance Ensemble.
Delsie's performances and choreographies capture the essence of Iranian music, bringing life to the poetry within it, and engaging audiences with unique and surprising nuances and elegant details. Delsie’s artistic composition is best described as soulful, emotive, delicate and playful and her audiences describe her as joyful, authentic and passionate.
Delsie is more than just a dancer who is teaching her art, she is educated and experienced at the art of teaching. A dynamic instructor with a vast range of teaching experience, Delsie has successfully engaged groups of over 500 non-dancers in public lessons, wedding parties with customized choreographies, advanced-level dancers in group classes and private lessons as well as kids of all ages in school workshops. Whether she is engaging the public for a fun first-time experience or supporting an advanced dancer in refining their performance, Delsie is highly talented at engaging every level of dancer.
Delsie has been an educator for over twenty years and is most fulfilled when she gets the opportunity to share her passion for dance with others. In her classes, you will be introduced to different stylizations including those considered to be "classical", "traditional", "contemporary", "mystical" (erfani) or "Qajar-era". Through thoughtfully choreographed combos set to a range of traditional Iranian (Persian) music, you will leave inspired, connected, graceful and free. Delsie is talented at teaching technique and building to a powerful combination by the end of class leaving you feeling graceful and grounded.
Delsie is the co-founder of the Iranian Dance Academy, the founder and artistic director of the Delnaz Dance Ensemble and a certified dancer and teacher in the Shahrzad Technique of Persian-Iranian Classical/Traditional Dance. Her Iranian dance experience and performances include what's known in the West as "Classical Persian", "Miniature-inspired", "Ruhowzi", Persian popular dance ("Mehmooni"), Sama, Mystical/Erfani, Baba Karam, and regional folk dances of Iran including Ghashghai, Lori, Bandari, Azari and Kordi. Delsie’s dance experience includes Egyptian Bellydance, Hip Hop, Flamenco, Salsa, Bachata, Merengue and Cumbia.
At heart, Delsie is an activist and a passionate educator having spent years teaching math to underrepresented students in Colorado, Guatemala and at the University of Colorado at Boulder. She currently teaches in-person weekly Iranian dance classes at Bella Diva World Dance Studio and online at IranianDanceAcademy.com. She is an ambassador for the Persian Cultural Circle of Denver, an organizing staff member and dance teacher leader with the Colorado Children’s Nowruz Foundation and an active member of the Iranian Working Group of the Dance Studies Association. When not dancing, Delsie is passionate about sharing her love for life, health, food, math and nature especially with her husband, son and daughter.