Meet the Dancers of Blue Loti

CHRISTINA KING:
​Christina began studying folkloric Middle-Eastern dance in 1993, with Tahjah of Madison, Wisconsin and was a regular performer and choreographer with Tahjah's troupe. After moving to Chicago in 1996, Christina began studying Egyptian Oriental dance with Jasmin Jahal, later becoming an apprentice member of her dance company, Ward el Sahara. While still studying with Jasmin, Christina added group improvisation belly dance to her repertoire in 1999 under the tutelage of Stephanie Barto and began performing in Barto's student troupe, The Fringe Connection. In 2001 Christina, along with Wendy and other dance friends, formed Blue Lotus Tribe (now Blue Loti). She also began her professional solo dance career, performing at events all over the Chicago area. Christina began teaching weekly belly dance classes in 2003 and by 2004 was invited to teach workshops with the members of Blue Loti throughout the Midwest. She owns and teaches at Eastern Groove Studio in Elgin, IL. Christina has received a recognition certificate for Zoe Jakes' DanceCraft: Key of Diamonds (2016) and Key of Spades (2017) as well as Rachel Brice's 8 Elements Phase I: Initiation (2013), Phase II: Cultivation (2016), Phase III: Culmination (2017), and Phase IV: Transmission (2019). She is a Certified 8Elements Practitioner and Datura Style™ Teacher.

WENDY PASTRICK:
Wendy fell in love with belly dance in 1989 after taking a free introductory class, after which she chanced upon a weekend workshop with Jasmin Jahal. Fate then moved her to Chicago and the opportunity to study with Jasmin on a regular basis, eventually achieving a role in a full length production created by Jasmin called "Kismet - One Man's Destiny". She has also had the privilege to be an apprentice in Jasmin's professional performance troupe. After signing up for a group improvisation belly dance class with Stephanie Barto of Read My Hips, a new flavor was added to her studies. A few years later in 2001, she and her friends decided to take the two belly dance forms and fuse them together, creating their own take on belly dance fusion and launching Blue Lotus Tribe (now Blue Loti). Wendy continues her lifelong study of both belly dance and other dance styles including Swing, Salsa and even dabbling a bit into Ballroom, not to mention many folkloric dances. From the slow and sultry to the fast and breathtaking, she enjoys nothing more than sharing her art with the audience. Wendy has been a  belly dance workshop instructor since 2001. In 2016, Wendy received her recognition certificate Zoe Jakes' DanceCraft: Key of Diamonds.

SARA TRICE:
Sara started dancing in 2003 in Nashville, TN under the direction of Nichole Hanna. In 2008 she moved to Chicago, IL and began studying with Christina King, eventually joining the studio troupe of Eastern Groove Studio, La Groove Fatale. Sara’s dance roots are firmly planted in group improvisation and fusion, though she has dabbled in Egyptian Cabaret. She became an instructor at Eastern Groove studio in 2016 and accepted her invitation to join Blue Loti in 2017 where she is fitting in quite nicely.  In 2017, Sara received her recognition certificate Zoe Jakes' DanceCraft: Key of Diamonds.