Banafsheh

Banafsheh, MFA, MA, draws from her knowledge of Persian mysticism and the Taoist view of the internal functioning of the body to uncover movement that is at once healing, self-illuminating, and connected to spirit.

An internationally acclaimed sacred dancer, choreographer, and transformational teacher, Banafsheh has blazed a unique trail in dance. Born in Iran, her electrifying and wholly original dance style combines flamenco, tai chi, Gurdjieff movements, and the sensuous ecstasy of Persian dance with the austere rigor of Dervish whirling, “fusing ancient forms with a postmodern punch,” says the Los Angeles Times.

Known for her innovative movement vocabulary, Banafsheh is one of the world’s few bearers of the authentic Persian dance form. One of the innovators of Sufi dance previously only performed by men, she is a leader in a style she has created called Dance of Oneness®, aimed toward conscious embodiment through dance.

Banafsheh teaches workshops in North America, Europe, and Turkey, and incorporates her expertise in Chinese medicine to transmit a holistic view of how the human body functions.

Her film, In the Fire of Grace with Andrew Harvey, traces the ancient Persian poet Rumi’s journey of the soul in dance.