These are the dancers and teachers who have had the greatest influence on me as a dancer, and I want to give them the credit they deserve. They have all challenged me physically and emotionally, shaped my taste, built my skill, expanded my knowledge, and broadened my understanding of the dance I love. I honor them as my teachers, and encourage others to study with them, if possible.

- Jamila Salimpour gave me a foundation of steps and styling that remains at the core of my dancing. She provided encouragement, and created many opportunities for me. She also created verbalizations that made it possible to teach Oriental dance steps, and shared them with me and many others. She founded Bal Anat, and allowed me to be a part of the magic of that troupe.

- Aida Al-Adawi clarified my technique and trained my eye, and greatly expanded my understanding of the music. She has also been my dear friend for many years, though she has lived far away for most of that time.

- Dahlena taught me how much impact an extremely simple step can have, and improved my posture, particularly the way I carry my arms and upper body. She also showed me a way of dancing in phrases, not just in steps, by creating combinations that suit the music.

- Suhaila Salimpour has taken the technique developed by her mother and built a vocabulary of verbalizations and movements that are unrivaled in their precision and clarity. Her energy, talent, and creativity will carry our dance to ever higher levels.