Sharon Kihara
Fusion Dance Artist
Classes
-
Feb20–27
Embodied: 7 Day Somatic Bellydance RetreatSomatic Bellydance Retreat
2027 -
Nov6–8
Seminarios con Sharon KiharaSeminarios con Sharon
2026
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Book Sharon
So far, Sharon has performed for countless audiences worldwide and has taught tens of thousands of students in over 80 countries. Bring her to your city!
Career
Early Life
& Dance
Sharon began dance at age 3 at the ballet barre. Jazz, Modern and dances of the African diasporas would follow soon after, and by 10, she stumbled upon a treasure- The Caravan Stage at the Oregon Country Fair- and it was indeed life changing. Belly dance became an obsession, and at age 13, Sharon began performing. At age 16 she began degrees in Choreography and Kinesiology in tandem with Naturopathic medicine, and performed regularly with her college repertory contemporary dance company.
Fusion &
Somatic Practice
Known the world over as one of the original pioneering forces in the field of Fusion belly dance, Sharon Kihara is regarded as one of the most seasoned and well-traveled artists in the genre, and is known for her avante-garde artistic sensibility that defies replication. She is both a dance and yoga therapy teacher, 200 RYT certified by Yoga Alliance; and has created a practice that combines somatic, body-centered psychotherapeutics with animistic movement, as a method for the creative processing and transmutation of trauma and the emotional wear and tear of daily human existence.
Mentors &
Training
Sharon’s education in belly dance has been eclectic, beginning with the legendary Zamara, grand-niece of Ruth St Denis, in Oregon in 1993. Here she studied American Cabaret style, Egyptian and Lebanese styles; and in 1998 in San Francisco she was immersed in ATS with Jill Parker as a member of Ultra G*psy, one of the foremost influential companies in the earliest days of Tribal Fusion. In 2000 Sharon began to study intensively with Suhaila Salimpour as a certified dancer and member of the Salimpour school, and became a member of The Indigo with Rachel Brice.
Bellydance
Superstars
In late 2003, Sharon was scouted for the touring production Bellydance Superstars by music mogul and producer Miles Copeland. Sharon spent over five years on tour with BDSS as Fusion director, principal dancer and choreographer. In 2009 she was recruited by BDSS Director Jillina Carlano to dance in a principal role and be a contributing choreographer in the unique and critically acclaimed theatrical touring production, Bellydance Evolution. Sharon worked with the company for a decade before taking a dance hiatus to rehabilitate injuries and explore new artistic mediums, after nearly 17 years of relentless travel, finding herself in a different city and often country every single week- an incredible privilege.
Bellydance
Evolution
So far, Sharon has performed for thousands of audiences worldwide, and has taught tens of thousands of students in over 80 countries. She has been featured on television and in media internationally, in several music videos, as well as a library of Bellydance Superstars and Bellydance Evolution instructional and performance videos. In 2007 Sharon moved to Berlin, Germany, and created the first comprehensive Fusion cross-training program in Germany, focusing on Tribal Fusion belly dance, Raqs Sharqi, Folkloric Source dances, Classical Ballet, Japanese Ankoku Butoh, and Yoga.
Life & Career
Today
In 2013 she relocated to the Pacific Northwest where she has continued her education in movement arts, and pursued a career in fine jewelry design, creating the brand Gift Horse Gems. Sharon is grateful to be residing in the lush forests of southern Washington, where she sculpts, forges, has a voracious Pilates practice, works daily as a land steward on her acreage and orchard, and enjoys caring for her pack of rescue animals.
