YOU CAN DANCE,
IF YOU WANT TO
OUR STORY, MISSION AND TEAM
WE ARE AFSDᵀᴹ!
A DANCE STYLE FOR ALL LEVELS
Through our passion for African dances, we aim to inspire and educate our students about diverse styles, including folkloric, urban, and traditional forms. Afro Fusion Sharqi Danceᵀᴹ provides tools and principles for dancers to navigate their journey with respect, integrity, and honour for African culture and traditions.
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Before incorporating specific elements, we emphasize the importance of education and comfort. Researching the cultural significance and ensuring respect for traditions is essential. Respect guides our choices, honouring African heritage while forging individual paths. Dance teaches values and fosters respect between performers and audiences.
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We aspire to popularize Afro Fusion Sharqi Danceᵀᴹ, raising awareness of its African origins and cultural significance. We aim for dancers to embrace this style with deep understanding and respect. Not only that, but we aim to elevate African dances to a level where studying with masters in Africa becomes a natural progression for performers.
MEET THE TEAM
Tania Amaral
The Teacher
PynKsy Shell, also known as Tânia do Amaral-Ndeve, hails from Mozambique and is a passionate dancer, teacher, and cultural activist. Formerly a pharmacist, she transitioned to full-time dancing and researching African dances. After stints in Portugal and Cape Verde, she now resides in Canada, where she teaches Afro Fusion Sharqi Dance, a fusion style combining elements of African dances and Raqs Sharqi. She aims to share African culture's richness and diversity through her art. She has collaborated with notable figures in the dance community and holds certifications in various dance styles. She's also a member of the International Dance Council CID by UNESCO. In 2019, she patented Afro Fusion Sharqi Dance, which has now become a trademark, and she's currently finalizing the AFSD Manual in English and Portuguese to spread this dance style globally. More information can be found on her website or Afro Fusion Sharqi Dance's official Facebook page.
Riti Tiwari
Assistant
Born and raised in the Central Plains of India, Riti moved to Canada to pursue her post-secondary education nearly six years ago. Although an enthusiastic dancer all her life, it was in 2022 that she finally embarked on a journey with Tania Amaral to professionally study a fusion style that is quite unique in itself: Afro Fusion Sharqi Dancing. Steeped richly in tradition, and giving enormous respect to the roots and the land from which these movements originate, she believes
that learning AFSD has truly been an enriching experience, fostering stronger connections of mind, body, and soul. According to her, it is a deep honour to be practising the craft, as well as a
privilege to be able to share it with the community and participate in creating bridges that support diversity and bring us closer together.
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Our Community
I am a Mozambican immigrant living on the traditional and unceded territory of the Snuneymuxw, Tla'amin, and Snaw-naw-as First Nations, and I acknowledge the Cowichan Tribes. I understand the negative impact of colonialism and systemic racism on BIPOC communities.
My dance classes are inclusive, welcoming everyone regardless of race, gender, sexual preference, or physical ability. I donate 10% of my net revenue to local organizations and Milorho, a Mozambican Music & Dance Company.
To combat cultural appropriation, I ensure all dance movements, rhythms, and instruments in my classes are taught with their cultural context to instill appreciation in my students.
PynKsy Shell - Tânia do Amaral-Ndeve