October, 2005
Elena Lentini asks Alia to teach workshop.

When Elena Lentini, world-famous oriental dancer, contracted pneumonia 
this fall and was unable to teach a major two-day workshop on Cape Cod,
she called Alia! "You are the only one I am considering for this,” 
Elena said. “I want YOU to do it." What an honor! 

Kasim of azzizaproductions.com, the sponsor of the workshop, 
was anxious at first: “When Elena called me to give me the news, 
I of course went into panic mode about what to do. Elena told me about
Alia Thabit. I only met Alia briefly when she came to the workshop that
 Elena taught here in October 2004. I thought to myself how can 
somebody living way up in VT even attempt to fill Elena's shoes. 
Elena asked me to trust her judgment because she knew Alia well and 
knew she could do a good job.

Well, what Alia did for me and everyone 
in attendance was not a good job but an AWESOME job. She not only is 
a wonderful and caring person but an incredible vivacious teacher/
performer. Everyone that took her 2 day workshops was very happy and 
pleased.At the evening performance Alia was nothing short of stupendous. 
I called her (please excuse the wording) an incredible "Kick A**" 
dancer. She totally blew my mind. (and in my career I have seen over 
1,000 belly dancers perform since I was 18) We had planned an impromptu
mini duet at the end of her show and when she came over to the table -
I told her I couldn't do it because her energy level just drained me 
while watching her. She did get me to do a 2nd Turkish drop which at my
age should be a "no no". Needless to say Alia got a standing "O" which
does not happen too often in New England for some reason. Again, hats 
off to you Alia - Azziza Productions's "Diamond in the Rough".

Peace & Love,Kasim