Photo: Robert Hirschi

For the past several years, Utah’s Middle Eastern dance community has often had the opportunity to watch the amazing Viktoriya.   A true professional, she brings technique, talent and personality to her performances, always giving us everything she has.  Multi-faceted, Viktoriya is an actress, model, dancer, teacher and loving mother.  She is always fun to watch and rewards her audiences with incredible energy, choreography and passion.  

Raised in Russia, Viktoriya has danced since she was five years old, studying Russian ballet and folkloric dance.  She graduated from the College of Classical Ballet in the Ukraine and danced professionally for 12 years with the Radujniy Company of Folkloric Dance.  Her association with this dance company took her around the world, and to the Middle East, where she fell in love with belly dancing.  Viktoriya then worked and performed in the Middle East for six years, studying and dancing with belly dance artists from Syria, Lebanon and Egypt.

In the United States, Viktoriya has been sought after to dance and teach workshops and has been featured in several performance videos.  She has also danced and acted in several movies.  Viktoriya’s professional attitude and joy for dancing has always been present every time and everywhere she performs.

 

A few weeks ago, our beautiful Viktoriya was in a terrible head-on automobile accident where she sustained critical head injuries.  As of this writing, she is still in a coma, though she has been moved out of the intensive care unit and into a nursing facility.

 

The wonderful dancers in Utah’s belly dance community have organized a benefit performance for Viktoriya, featuring Utah’s premier Middle Eastern dancers.  The show will be held on Saturday, July 25, at the Academy of Performing Arts, 2207 South Main Street, Salt Lake City.  Doors will open at 5 p.m. and the show begins at 6 p.m.  Presale tickets are $15 and can be bought through Paypal, rmaxwilson.com (include the name of who will pick up the tickets from will/call with their identification).  Tickets at the door will be $20.

There will be an auction, henna tattoos, and card readings. All proceeds collected from this event will go to Viktoriya and her family.  Please tell everyone you know to attend this benefit concert and help the belly dance community assist a fellow dancer and friend.   For more information go to myspace.com/viktoriyasbenefitor bellydancingbyviktoriya.com.