Biography

Marci Selena worked as the premiere Modern Egyptian Cabaret dancer of the Middle Eastern community in Los Angeles for more than fifteen years. She has taught and performed all over the world for the past sixteen years, including Egypt, Africa, Paris, London, Amsterdam, Mexico, and Panama.

She has danced with many prestigious artists, most notably Paul McCartney, Placido Domingo, the Go-Go’s, and the B-52's. Known for her graceful passionate style, the Beverly Hills Outpost calls her dancing "the life force personified.”

Marci Selena danced as a soloist, choreographer, and company member of the critically acclaimed Arabian Dance Company, Flowers of the Desert, to sold- out crowds at many of the top American theaters including the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, the Shrine Auditorium, the Greek Theater, the Palladium, and the El Rey. They opened for several Middle Eastern superstars including Hakim, Alabina, Ehab Tawfik, and Amr Diab. She has also performed countless times with belly dance stars Jillina, Veena and Neena, Sonia, Ansuya, Dolphina, Princess Farhana, Jindra, Anaheed, Fahtiem, and Mesmera.

Marci Selena performed for more than two years with Mohammed Khordadian’s Persian Dance Company and has danced multiple times for the Arabian Royal Family.

Marci Selena has organized belly dancers for many high profile parties, most notably the premiere of the film "The Mummy" with Brendan Fraser at Universal Studios where she performed with 20 tons of sand and priceless ancient Egyptian artifacts flown in just for the party.

She also danced at the PETA Benefit honoring Linda McCartney where her dancing was lauded by Paul McCartney. She danced again with Mr. McCartney on his East Coast Tour in 2002, with the Go-Go's on their West coast tour in 1999, with the B-52's and Chrissie Hynde, John Taylor of Duran Duran, with Placido Domingo and Franco Zeffirelli in Pagliacci, and she performed weekly for more than a year at the notorious Viper Room on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood.

In addition, she has belly danced in multiple films and television shows and appeared in several publications. She has also written for several different belly dance publications including Habibi and Cymbal.

She is also the creator of the wildly popular workshops and class series entitled “Belly Dance for Better Sex.”

Marci Selena’s extensive dance training includes more than twenty years of ballet, jazz, and tap, as well as several different folklorico styles. Her background in theater includes studying at the Lee Strasberg Theater Institute and performances in several award-winning musicals with some of the most prestigious directors and choreographers onstage today. This includes performing onstage five nights a week for five months in the critically acclaimed musical, “Eating Raoul- The Musical” with award winning directors, choreographers, and musicians Scott Wittmam, Marc Shaiman (Tony award winning creators of the music and lyrics for Broadway musical Hairspray), and Adam Shankman (director of many films including Hairspray).

In addition, she has done extensive research into the developmental, educational, and therapeutic aspects of multicultural dance for terminally ill children and preschoolers.

She also holds degrees from UCLA (a BA in English/Creative Writing) and Harvard (a Master of Education).