About Suzanne

Suzanne (Shields) has been involved with Middle Eastern Dance for over

30 years. In 1996, she was a founding member of the Big Bad Baghdad

Band and Dance Troupe, a group that specializes in performing Middle Eastern

Dance to live music. Since 1999, Suzanne has been a teacher and is the director of Troupe Cleopatra and Cleopatra's Jewels.

Previously she had performed with Raven's Sahara Wind, Amira's L'Orient Dance Troupe, and Dance Arabesque.

Troupe Cleopatra

The Big Bad Baghdad Band

Suzanne has a B.S. in music education from the University of Kansas,

a B.S. in industrial engineering from Wichita State University, and a M.S.

in music performance from Wichita State University. She has taught music

in the public schools and privately for many years, in addition to teaching

dance classes for the City of Wichita Park Board at Linwood Recreation

Center and as a seminar instructor. One of her specialties for seminar

instruction is "Understanding Middle Eastern Music: A Class with the Dancer in Mind

Linwood Recreation Center

Sites of her performances include the Kansas City Renaissance Faire , the Newman (Wichita) Renaissance Faire , the Wichita River Festival, the Great Plains Renaissance Faire, The Old Sedgwick County Faire, and dance seminar shows in a five state area.

Suzanne has composed three cds of original dance music, in addition to music for The Big Bad Baghdad Band, which is available in sheet music form.

Her reviews of dance seminars and photos have appeared in Jareeda, Zaghareet, and Habibi dance magazines.

Her web page, "Midwest Bellydance Happenings" provides current listings of teachers and dance events, as well as photos and links to other dance-related sites.

In addition to her dance activities, Suzanne can be seen locally performing as a Harp Soloist