Abigail Keyes is a lifelong performer with a passion for education, cultural awareness, and the movement arts of the Middle East. She began her studies of Middle Eastern, North African, and Anatolian dances with Kim Leary, continued her core studies with Artemis Mourat, and currently studies under the guidance of master instructor Suhaila Salimpour.
Abigail is a professional performer and teacher of Middle Eastern dance and its western transformations, and has taught dance around the world, including in Japan, Argentina, Spain, Canada, and Italy. She is fiercely dedicated to educating dancers about the history and culture of the Middle East and the evolution and roots of belly dance
She holds a B.A. in Near Eastern Studies from Princeton University, has studied the Arabic language at the Monterey Institute of International Studies, and is a current company member of Bal Anat--the longest running Middle Eastern dance company in the world--and the Bhoomi Project, a world dance fusion and performance arts group under the direction of Beats Antique member Zoe Jakes. She is also a staff instructor at the Suhaila Salimpour School of Belly Dance. Abby has Suhaila Level 5 and Jamila Level 5 certifications.