Belly Dancers

Born to two talented parents-raised by one-it was Aziza's destiny to follow in their footsteps-the way of the smoky tavernas and oriental cabarets -the places that reminded a special generation of immigrants to the U.S. of the old country. She was discovered at the age of one by the manager of The Parthenon while her mother was performing in Houston.
Aziza made her debut as a solo act in Houston and each night the audience was amazed at her repertoire of moves that included hip sways, shimmies, spins, veil work, and darbucky and tambourine playing. A Houston area jeweler gave her her first gifts from fans. She added zil (finger cymbal playing) by age two. Since that time she has performed extensively throughout the U.S. in major cities like NYC, Boston, Allentown, PA, Orlando, Charleston, WV and Blacksburg, VA. From the age of six through thirteen she was a regular guest on the Turkish Voice TV show which broadcast on the Wometco Network (the now legendary channel 68 in NJ) in NY, NJ, CT, and PA in the U.S. and in Ankara, Turkey. The show was produced by the Feniks of Turkish airlines and tourism board. The Wometco network had an eclectic lineup and was a broadcast innovator at the time. Co-stars on the show over the years included Johanna, Jemile Biljin, Alexandra and Farhat Alpar, singing star Princess Cihan Isik of Turkey and Iraq, and professor Talat Halman, Ambassador of Culture from Turkey to the UN at the time.
Over the years she had the extreme bliss of being apanied live by some of the most talented and greatest legends in belly dance music including Simon Shaheen, Baba Ajdin Aslan ( In an Egyptian Garden ), Freddy Elias ( Strictly Belly Dancing ), Anestos Athanasiou ( Concerto for Bouzouki ), Mitch Kaltsunas, Harry Bedrossian, George Kaminaris, Dennis Chritikos, Mike Gregian, etc. Some of the nightspots she has performed in include: The Parthenon, Houston, The Aziza Club, K Z Greek American Lounge, and The Sindbad, Brooklyn, NY, The Green Valley, The Paradise Oriental Restaurant, Sagapo Greek Restaurant, The Aegean, and the original Sirocco, Manhattan, NY, The Beirut, Allentown, PA, The Averof, Cambridge, MA, The Olympia, Orlando, FL, and many others whose names have been forgotten. In addition, Aziza performed in concert as a member of her mother Johanna's Middle Eastern Dancepany Oasis.
She has also entertained at country clubs Like Berry Hills, Charleston, WV and on Long Island, festivals, block parties, street fairs, and churches in various cities. College performances include: VA Tech, Blacksburg, VA, Morris Harvey (University of Charleston), Charleston, WV, and Barnard, NY. She was especially requested by members of the Art Students League in
Manhattan to pose for them in her beautiful costumes-the resulting artworks being displayed in the Soho Art District. She performed with her mother Johanna in a special mand Performance at the Fashion Institute of Technology and modeled different costume designs from their own personal line in a fashion show there. Some of her dance specialties are classic Cifte Telli, traditional style veil and scarf dance , Turkish Gypsy Karsilama , authentic sword dance (martial) Al- Ard , a variety of Middle Eastern and Greek international folk/line dances like Kasop/Hassapiko/Hora, Syrto-Cifte Telli, and Laz/Laziko (Black Sea Dance with Firepot).
Aziza has taught classes independently in NYC, Boston, and NC, and been a guest instructor at The East Side Women's Club and YWCA, Charleston, WV, Barnard College, NYC, and various retail establishments.
Aziza's training in Middle Eastern Dance and Music came from Johanna and Baba Ajdin Aslan of the Balkan Record Shop NYC. She also studied music at Turtle Bay Music School in NYC.
Aziza is also an actress who has studied with Morgan Freeman among others.
Honors and Awards:
Honored in 2008 as an Armenian in World Dance by the Museum of Literature and Art, Yerevan, Armenia. Newspaper coverage in Armenian Newspapers in the United States and Russia. Aziza is also featured in apanion book by Dr. Artsvi Bakhchinyan, director of the museum's research project.
Honored alongside her mother Johanna in 2009 by Amara Al Amir and the Middle Eastern Dance Leaders Society with the Mother and Daughter Award.

Aziza is beautiful on our color television program. - Faruk Fenik, Producer, Turkish Voice.
Aziza has grown up on Turkish Television. She is outstanding because she is so very graceful. - Inci Fenik, Producer and Host, Turkish Voice.
Aziza did indeed make it look as easy as breathing. - The Charleston Gazette.
But you could tell when Aziza did it-it was the real thing! - nightclub patron.
Tell me. How long have you been belly dancing? No!!!! Don't tell me!!! For I know. ALL YOUR LIFE!!! ALL YOUR LIFE!!!. - enthusiastic Greek gentleman at an outdoor fest.
I thought I knew what belly dancing was-but then I saw you and realized I knew nothing!!! - member of the Baha'i Faith of Long Island after seeing a performance by Aziza.
Aziza is a master of the hand percussion! - Soraya El Khouby, Atlantic City Middle Eastern Dance Star and Entrepreneur.

Among other cities, Aziza Al-Tawil may serve the following areas: Washington, Washington Navy Yard, Bolling AFB, The White House, Fort McNair