Munira

At age 4 Munira began her dance training in Jazz, Tap and Ballet under Carmen Thomas and continued through high school under Ed Phiffer. She was a dance and vocal soloist in the Palace Show at Six Flags over Mid-America and performed the leading roll in many musical productions; Maria in West Side Story, Hodel in Fiddler on the Roof, Hope in Anything Goes to name a few. She studied Jazz and Modern Dance at the University of Kansas while earning a Bachelors and Masters degree in Music Composition and Vocal Performance. She began her involvement in Middle Eastern Dance in 1979. In October, 2004 the Lifetime Achievement Award for Belly Dancing was presented to Munira by Salome, internationally esteemed dancer and teacher, of Columbus, Ohio. Munira has performed in a wide variety of venues as well as a featured soloist at many seminars and workshops. Munira was the house dancer at Simon's Cafe in Chesterfield, Missouri. This spring AABLA RAQS performed in the Mountain Kingdom Renaissance Festival in Mansfield, Missouri.

Munira is the author and illustrator of "Friendship Flies the Sun" (The ancient Egyptian legend of Scarab Beetle). AABLA RAQS has performed a children's theater production of the book at many venues, including Ronald S. Beasley School (MICDS Lower School), DuBray Middle School (Fort Zumwalt district), The Forsyth School and Mosaics Art Fair in Saint Charles, Missouri. Video production has been completed.