Amel Tafsout ( means ‘Hope of Spring’) is among the most charismatic international master dance teacher of our time and has mesmerized audiences in the Middle East and North Africa as well in Europe und the U.S.A. with her expressive and stunning stage presence.

She is an acclaimed choreographer , instructor and performer of North African Maghreb Dance as well as a storyteller, a singer, a linguist and dance anthropologist.

Brought up in Algeria, Tafsout was fascinated by dance and music since childhood; and much of her research has focused on ritual traditional dances from the Maghreb, the Middle East ( reflecting the dual Berber-Arabic personality of Algeria), Africa and Cuba.

She has been able to look at the ways in which spirituality is part of daily life and her work is characterized by a search for harmony between Body, Mind and Spirit.

 ‘ Amel will seem to you like a voyager between countries, cultures and languages (…). Her technique of teaching focuses on sharing the spiritual energies (…). Each of Amel’s movements come from inside her and is charged with pure energies. While Amel, the Berber woman, moves closer to the souls of the women, they in turn become more aware of their own strength and are able to recover their spiritual balance through dance. The word ‘healing’ is not mentioned but what happens here is nothing less than that.’ Gizella Hartmann, in ‘Orient Magazine’, Germany nr.1,2002

In her early twenties Tafsout moved to Germany where she founded the Pan Arabic company called ‘Banat As Sahra’ (Daughters of the Sahara Desert), a company which instrumental was in dismissing Eastern prejudices about Arab women as well as working to bring Arabic dance culture to the West.

In the late 80s Tafsout moved to London, U.K, where she performed at various dance and music festivals and was an important member of Chakchouka , a Latin–Jazz band, Mambo Duniya, Noor Shimaal .  

‘Always graceful, she nevertheless reflected the enormous energy and excitement of the strongly percussive music to add an extra dimension to a truly remarkable evening’, P.Rush, ‘The Stage’, Nov.1997, London, U.K.

‘Amel Tafsout, accompanied on drum by Salah-Dawson Miller, provided us with a third contrast in dance styles, the earthy rhythms of the drums and Amel’s mesmeric hips and arms made you feel as though you were in a Berber tent’, Afra Al Kahira, 1999, U.K.

Tafsout has lectured, danced, taught, sung, and conducted anthropological research in many countries; in the UK alone, she has performed at international festivals , such as WOMAD in the UK and Spain, “Die Orientale” in Dusseldorf, Germany, ORIENTALIA 2004 in Miami,”Spirit of the Tribes”,Florida, “Tribal Quest” in Portland, Oregon and other festivals , such as the first Arab Dance festival in Minneapolis, U.S.A. and others in the U.S. … .

She speaks four languages and has published articles in academic and popular magazines.

‘ And yet, when you meet her, Tafsout is also tremendous fun, and infects everyone she meets with huge enthusiasm for North African dance.’ Mira Katbamna, 2003

‘Strong woman, passionate, formidable cultural ambassador, internationally acclaimed, spiritual, Medicine woman,[patient, gentle, accademic, linguist, powerful ambience surrounding her’ - All true. But there is the rest: the humour!’ Marian Watson, in ‘Mosaic, Winter 2001/2

 ‘ Watching a performance by Amel Tafsout is a cathartic experience. (…) She dances from the very core of herself. Sensuality is expressed as power and generosity. She has a direct stare, a presence that can only come from the true knowledge of herself and her art. She is a unique performer and there is no one else who dances like her.” Beatrice Parvin, in Habibi Magazine, Vol.18,no 1, 1999, Santa Barbara, USA.

Having worked and lived all over the world, unsurprisingly, migration has been a constant theme in Tafsout’s work.

Amel Tafsout is living in South Oregon, U.S.A, still performing and teaching in the U.S. and worldwide.Lately she has been invited to join Andy Kershaw, the BBC 3 radio presenter of World Music, to travel to Algeria in order to record a programme on Algerian music.

In July 2006 Amel performed with Cheb I Sabbah at Central Park New York City and has been featured at the television “Bridge TV”.

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