Samra Said, one of the pioneer Oriental Dance teacher and performer since 1995. Started off as a hobby while living in Muscat, Oman for 4 years which she later decided to pursue the dance as career. Fitness has always been her top agenda in life, from bodybuilding to achieving a black belt in Northern Shao Lin in 1998 for 4 years under the instruction of Master Soh at YMCA and Tampines.

In 1990, she studied Oriental Dance in Adelaide,Australia,under the instruction of Shamira. In 1995, she decided to live in Singapore, where she was born. Her next teacher,she experienced with is Ma Prabhu Erasmia, a Greek Teacher living in Poona, India. In 1996,she was the first performer to performed in a Middle Eastern Restaurant for 3 years called "Cleopatra" which later change it's name to "Kasbah" At this period, she also started teaching at her small studio in her home. In 1999,she left for Perth, Western Australia to further her studies under the instruction of Belyssa,Eva Cass and Shaheena. During this period of time,she frequently travelled to Sydney and Brisbane participating in as many workshops as she could organized by Ameera and Maria Masselos. When she came back to Singapore in 2001,she started off teaching again and later opened her first Oriental Dance Boutique shop and officially a dance studio in Arab Street.

Before leaving for Perth, in 1995,Samra was the first teacher to have invited an Oriental Dance Masters and guests teachers to Singapore, such as Kartyn Ferguson from USA, Maria Masselos, (Brisbane) Nayima Hassan (Adelaide) Belyssa

(Perth) and as years to follow Eva Cass, Rose, Elaine Heydon, Russya S Connor (Perth) Leila Haddad (Paris) Tamalyn Dallal (USA) Bella Donna (Aust) Iara Kendrick (Samra), Caroline Evanoff, Raed El Tnoura (Cairo),Jenna, Kaeshi, Amar Gamal from American Bellydance Superstars, Nuriyya, Prof. Dr. Hassan Khalil from Belgium and many more.

Her experiences since 1999,she has attended extensive Masters workshops in the winter-up programmed in Brisbane under the instruction of Dr.Mo Geddawi and Yousry Sharif, followed by overseas guest teachers such as Keti Sherif, Maria Masselos, Terezka, Claire Naffah, Naima Hassan, Caroline Evanoff, Tamalyn Dallal, Jenna, Kaeshi, Aziza, Beata and Horracio Ciffuente, Lena Lentini and Masters such as Aida Noor, Raqia Hassan, Magdy El Leisy, Zaza Hassan, Hossam Ramsy, Mahmood Reda, Dina, Rhanda Kamal, Mo Mo, Gaby Shiba, Liza Laziza, Khaled Mahmoud, Mohamed Kazafy, Nesrin, Tito, Nawal Ben Abdalla, Lubna Emam, Sema Yildiz and many others.

She frequently visits Istanbul learning the art and history of Roman Gypsy with her close acquainted friend, Sema Yildiz and also by attending the yearly Cairo Bellydance Festival, upgrading her techniques and learning new and different styles of Oriental Dance. During the 12 years experience, she has mastered and studied the Authentic Classical to the modern day songs like Amr Diab,Hakim,Nancy,etc,etc.She has studied the dance of Shamadan, Saiidi, Cabaret, Classical, Milaya Laf, Khaleegy, Pharonic, Shabii, Nubian, Wings Of Isis, Veil, Sagat (Finger Cymbals),Roman Gypsy, etc.....

Samra has often been mistaken as an Egyptian Dancer due to her cheeky, playful personality and strong facial expressions. A great entertainer, performer and teacher. She has worked and performed in Istanbul, Egypt, Kuala Lumpur, Australia and has conducted workshops in Australia, Kuala Lumpur and Dubai.

She has so much passion and love for the art of this dance, she took the initiative to organize first ever in Singapore a Teachers Training Course this year in January 2008.She hopes to see more talented and experience teachers in this field to offer students the best that we could to the dance that we all love most.

She takes the great opportunity to thank the teachers and masters above as I am now a dancer within myself and always hope to teach and dance with great passion.

Dance with emotions, feelings and passion from our hearts will one day make us all great dancers of all time.

Signing off with great pleasure,
Samra Said Ozturk