Mary Snow

Photo by John Robb Photography.

Mary is currently the most senior dancer in the Invoketress Dance troupe. She is proficient in the styles of Raqs Sharqi (classical Egyptian), folkloric belly dance, Bollywood, and a number of fusion styles.

Mary discovered belly dance in 2003 in Ishra Blanco’s classes and instantly fell in love. She progressed through Ishra’s levels by taking multiple classes at a time and became a member of the Invoketress Dance Troupe where she is currently the Managing Director, senior dancer, instructor, and choreographer.

DANCE TRAINING: 
She is currently taking advanced belly dance fusion classes with Ishra and Raqs Sharqi with Melissa Gamal and Florence LeClerc. For many years, she concurrently studied FCBD® (formerly ATS®) classes with Valizan, most recently at the Advanced level. She was a founding member of (now defunct) Tribe Aurealis, a troupe who focused on group improvisational style and fusion dance. She regularly takes workshops with specialty instructors as much as she can in a variety of topics and genres. Notable instructors include Rachel Brice, Sahar Samara, Kami Liddle, Zoe Jakes, Yasmina Ramzy, Michelle Sorensen, Silvia Salamanca, Sahira, Henna, Nada El Masriya, Badia Star, Nawal Doucette, Audra Simmons, Inga Petermann, Mayada, Joharah, Heather Marie, Andrea Fryett, Esmeralda Enrique (Flamenco), and Neefa from Khafif (Romany). Other styles she has studied are modern belly dance, Irish, Flamenco, breakdance, Turkish Romany, hula, hip hop, and more.

She further informs her dance training with studies in Arabic music with training from Melissa Gamal (finger cymbals), Dr. George Sawa (Arabic music appreciation, Arabic drumming rhythms); Karim Nagi (finger cymbals, performing with live musicians); Roula Said (Arabic Musicology and singing); Khizmet (Arabic drumming), and Arabic percussion with Sheldon Valeda at Haft Vadi Belly Dance Studio.

PERFORMANCE EXPERIENCE:
Mary is a frequent performer, both as a soloist and with the Invoketress troupe. She loves connecting with an audience and has extensive experience performing at shows, weddings, parties, corporate events, community and cultural festivals, charity events and fundraisers. She is the resident belly dancer at Retour Bistro, a Guelph Lebanese restaurant who she has partnered with to offer regular belly dance and hookah nights that usually sell out. She is also a cast member of Haus Of Quartz Entertainment where she performs regularly at Onyx Night Club‘s Skillz ‘N’ Thrillz drag and variety shows.

She has danced at many small and large-scale belly dance events including at the International Belly Dance Conference of Canada (Toronto), Tribal Revolution (Illinois), Momentumfest MTL (Montreal), Detroit Raqs, Sparkle Motion (Kalamazoo), and the Great Lakes Belly Dance Convention (Ann Arbor, Michigan). In 2017, she was part of the Invoketress ensemble who won 1st place in the Hamilton International Belly Dance Competition.

PERFORMING TO LIVE MUSIC:
Mary loves to improvise and collaborate with musicians. She has had the pleasure to dance live with some amazing musical talent such as twice Juno-nominated Eccodek; world-renowned The Lemon Bucket Orkestra; internationally-acclaimed Adrian Raso; nuevo-Flamenco guitarist Cuneyt; award-winning The Light of East Ensemble; Roula Said, the Guelph Concert Band, respected and accomplished local musicians Gary Diggins, Brent Rowan, “The Naked Harpist” Leslie Shapiro, and the Bhadra Collective.

INSTRUCTION & CHOREOGRAPHY:
Mary is a regular workshop instructor at parties, dance studios, and events such as the Flying Dance Festival and Hillside Festival. For a number of years she formed, taught and directed the performance group “Invoketribe” in improvisational group synchronous dance.  She provides private belly dance instruction as well as coaching and mentoring in choreography and performance. She has choreographed a number of Invoketress’ large troupe pieces in a variety of styles as well as works in collaboration with other dancers to create duets and her own solo work.

For Mary, belly dance is not solely a hobby or a form of exercise. It has become an intrinsic part of her life. During these days of quarantine, she can be seen dancing in online shows, collaborating with other artists on video projects, and being the resident belly dancer at Onyx Night Club‘s Thrillz ‘n’ Skillz livestream show. 

Contact Mary by email here.
Mary’s website.
Follow Mary on Instagram: @mary.snow.official
Mary’s Profile on Facebook.

“Khusara Khusara” Remix

“Maria” – Freestyle Dance

“Seductions” – Free Flow Dance

“More Tea” Belly Dance Fusion Performance

“Doin’ Time” Belly Dance Fusion Performance

Belly Dance and Fusion Dance Demo Reel

Belly Dance with Veil – Chiftitelli

Belly Dance with Sagat

Drum Solo – “Turbulence”

Urban Belly Dance Fusion

Belly Dance to live music by Light of East Ensemble

Belly Dance with Fan Veils

Drum Solo – “The Captivation”