Teacher, Director and Choreographer
Student Shows Video Clips:
Khelashi @ Rags to Ruffles (Alex, Dearbhla, Laura)
Bollywood Dance (Lilith)
Testimonials:
"Sandra
is an amazing teacher, she was my 1st bellydance teacher and she made
the whole experience so great and fun. Her classes are relaxing yet
energising and she helps everyone reach their potential.Her true love of
dance is refreshing. She puts her all into her dances and she is an
amazing live performer at any event, be it a big show or a private
hafla. She is a breath of fresh air, she makes me smile every time I see
her, and I will never forget her. :-) LOVE YA SANDRA! xxx" 
(Nisha Gupta)
"Sandra is one of the most creative and versatile dancers I know, always bringing new life to her dances with each time I see her. She was my first bellydance teacher and the proof of her impact on me was that I am still here bellydancing (in my room even without a teacher!!) Her style of dance is indelibly printed in me and she will always be someone who I admire and trust. Wexford is so lucky to have her and I can tell her new class fully appreciate that. Looking forward to more shows with Cork/Wexford collaborations!!! :) xxx"
"Sandra
is a diverse and refreshing teacher, performer and friend; each of her
dances is infused with natural creativity and passion. She can turn her
hand to anything from an earthy sword fusion to a spirited gypsy dance.
Students immediately warm to her and feel at ease when learning moves that can initially be daunting... especially for still irish hips :)
I would definitely recommend her for any event or as a valued teacher, we really miss her guidance in Cork!"
(Catherine Harte)
"Sandra is just such a beautiful dancer the first time she danced in Belfast we were struck by her talent.
I know the work that goes into making dance look beautiful and it is a joy to me to watch her.
It is always a pleasure to be in her company and I really respect her as an artist.
Here's hoping we can pull off one beautiful dance art project."
(Karen Mallon)
Reviews:
Wexford Echo 9th June 2010
Wexford Scene June 2010:
Wexford people (25. April, 2007)
Khelashi Belly Dance on RTE Nationwide
watch a clip on
http://www.rte.ie/news/2006/0111/nationwide.html
Wednesday, 21.June 2006
Wexford Echo
(article by David Looby):
A night of exotic dance providing a gateway into the age-old dance traditions of the Romany people will be held at Wexford Arts Centre this Saturday night.
Khelashi Dance Group will perform their flowing dance routines involving tribal dance, flamenco and belly dancing in a shimmying spectacle of colour, sound and movement from 8:30p.m.
Founder of Khelashi Dance Group, Sandra Keil’s passion for dance is apparent in the way her eyes light up as she describes the various routines she performs and teaches at classes in Wexford and Waterford.
“Tribal is a proud dance. The Egyptian style is more feminine and playful,” she said; adding “men perceive belly dancing as sexy, but women are sexy anyway. The intention is to celebrate our sexy, proud and playful side.”
Born in Germany of Romanian parentage, Keil loved to dance from a young age. She developed a love of Romany dance from her travels throughout Europe and her study of the history of the Romany people.
Initially she studied flamenco, a dance which the Romany people developed by incorporating Moorish dance tradition with their own.
Sense of identity:
“The dance of the Romany people is a celebration of the woman. It includes dance rhythms and routines from different countries going back 1,000 years when they fled India. This sense of rootless-ness informs the dress of the Romany people to this day,” Keil said.
“You can see it in their gold teeth and the coins that can be heard rattling as the dancer’s shimmies represents the fact that these people wear what they own,” she added.
The name for Keil’s dance group, Khelashi comes from the word which means player or dancer. This sense of fun runs through Keil’s conversation about the classes she will run at Carmel Corish Wallace’s studio in Charlotte St, Wexford.
Improvisation is another important feature of the dance classes.
“Fun is very important. The women really change. They come out of themselves where before they were shy and didn’t want to show anything,” Keil said.
The 35-year-old describes belly dancing in sacred terms. Her dance classes are held every Wednesday from 6:30-8p.m. (Tribal style) and from 8-9:30p.m. (Egyptian style). She also plans to start morning classes for women with children and pregnant women also from 10:30a.m. to noon. To book a class contact Sandra Keil on (086) 1594508.
Irish Examiner
(Review by Su Sexton):
<>Pub goers in the Woodford Bar on Paul St in Cork were treated to a ravishing display of belly dancing last Sunday night. Appealing and entertaining, 3 dancers of the Khelashi Troupe were joined by some of Cork’s best musicians, who mixed exotic and primal drumming with lively violin and mournful flute. The dancing and music were of high professional quality, giving us all a taste of the Midddle East in a polished yet endearing manner.
<>Rita was the first dancer. She was beautifully dressed in an ethnic-themed outfit, and used her full-length multi-coloured veil to weave an exotic luxurious spell over the audience. We were mesmerised by her flexibility and confidence as she moved gracefully to the slow, haunting music. The leader of the troupe was next, and she commanded the space with directness and strength, inviting onlookers with her obvious enjoyment of the dance. She was adorned with shells and shiny jewellery, and with streaming dark hair and dark eyes, was every inch a Gypsy dancer. The live drumming filled the air with primal energy as Sandra whirled into action, using the dance as a greeting to all. She used a sword to display tremendous skill and strength as she balanced it on her head and hip while performing difficult isolated dance moves, that completely amazed the audience. Her energy and love for belly dance is inspiring, and her students would no doubt agree!
<>The third dancer was elegant and graceful, performing to a cover version of Christy Moore’s “Ride On”. Nina used a veil beautifully and skilfully to capture the audience’s imagination, creating a floating dreaming atmosphere that we were happy to drift along to..
<>The three dancers mixed their own styles as the night wore on, extremely entertaining and interesting to watch. They danced together and alone accompanied by the excellent musicians. The versatility and diversity of belly dance was highlighted and celebrated - how it encompasses a lot of cultures and styles, from tribal to gypsy, but is always welcomed and recognised all over the world, even in Cork!
<>At the end of the night we were invited up to dance, and many of Sandra’s students obliged, happily ending a very enjoyable evening.
086 1594508 or
khelashidance@yahoo.ie
