Biography
Katalin Schäfer has been dancing for more than 20 years now and she started her path with classical ballet from Endre Jeszenszky in his Ballet Institute. After 10 years of ballett she became familiar with other types of dances, from jazz-ballet to flamenco, but the real breakthrough arrived in her life in the year of 2000 when she started to specialize herself on oriental dance.
Her skills and knowledge were developed in Egypt on private lessons and master courses: "I was trained by several master teachers on their workshops (Raquia Hassan, Mahmoud Reda, Aida Nour, Dr. Mo Gedawi and many more amazing teachers) and I also got to know Magdy El-Leisy who started to study oriental dances as an excellent representative of classical ballet. I've learnt a lot from him about Egyptian folklore and Andalusian dances too."
From the beginning her shows have been influenced by Middle-Eastern folklore dances. "My aim is to preserve the traditions of dance for the future. To know and understand Arabian folklore dances is as important as being familiar with classical music, rhythms, percussions and typical body movements. Without them, just a little segment of this highly accomplished genre can be attained."
2003
She established her bellydance studio in Budapest, Hungary.
2004
She became a member of the very succesful company called "Art of Orient", (other members: Marta Wollner Shaba, Krisztina Nemeth Amira, Mercedes Nieto).
2005
She won many awards world-wide as a member; "Art of Orient" were awarded the first place at an International Bellydance Festival in Cairo as the best group and best choreographers. They created a dance theatre play called "Holdkelet" (Moonrise), in which they performed Andalusian scenes of dance, which was a huge succes in the International Merlin Theater. She also won the second place at Ahlan Wa Sahlan Festival in Cairo in solo category.
In the same year she established an Arabic Folklore Theatre Company.
2007
They annound their first play called the „Golden Scarf” which is an Arabian folklore play which narrates the story of a classical Arabic wedding ceremony from the proposal of marriage to the ceremony itself, decorated by Egyptian, Lebanese, Syrian, Saud Arabian, Alexandrian and Nubian dances choreographed and tought by herself.
2009
She became the bellydance costume designer of the year.
2010
She founded her own costume label, SCH-Fashion which is becoming more and more famous world-wide. /www.schaferfashion.com/ and she have started to teach internationally also in different festivals.
2011
She is the Art Director and Organizer of Orient Dance Universe Festival & Competition (Turkey) and teaching, performing at International Festivals (Canada, Iceland, Morocco, Greece, Spain, Turkey).
"I adore when a dance is full of sense and sensibility, if feelings and thoughts are represented by body movements, emotionless actions and empty techniques are avoided. That's the way I can share one litte part of me with others. This should be the aim of my work, it cannot be touched, it cannot even decorate the wall in our home, but the feeling that you have shared something and somebody appreciated it, remains forever."