Maris in Seattle
November 20th - 22nd
2026
For the first time ever, Maris will be teaching and performing in Seattle, Washington! Join us for an exclusive weekend of masterclass workshops, a show in a theater and a coffee social gathering to get to know Maris and learn more about her life as a full time dancer in Cairo, Egypt.
Originally from Estonia, Maris has lived and worked in Egypt for more than 13 years.
Whether you are a beginner or advanced dancer, now is your opportunity to dance and learn with one of Egypt’s most sought after bellydance performers and teachers.
Saturday Nov 21st Workshops
10:30am - 12:30am Tabla Solo
Learn one of Maris’s signature tabla solos in this high energy and super fun workshop. Drum solos are meant to be fun, playful and captivating. With this infectious energy, it’s the perfect way to start off our Saturday morning!
~ Lunch Break 60 min ~
1:30pm - 3:30pm Cairos Combos
Let loose and dive into today's modern and loved shaabi and mahragan music. Learn all the fun new ways Egyptians and working dancers play and move to the songs you hear on every street corner and in every party. This workshop will focus on technique and combos in bellydance that blend social dancing and performance.
Sunday Nov 22nd Workshops
11:00am - 12:30pm Coffee with Maris
In this 90 minute social gathering and questionnaire, Maris will share stories of her life in Cairo and answer questions. This will be a casual and friendly setting with coffee, drinks, pastries, fruit and snacks, held in the main studio lobby with chairs, couches and tables.
1:00pm - 3:00pm Classical Oriental Choreography
Our final workshop will focus on a beautiful and heart felt classical choreography. Immerse yourself in something deeper for the soul and elegant in the body. Classical Egyptian music is nuanced and rich in expression. This last class is sure to leave you feeling accomplished and inspired.
About Maris
Maris took her first belly dance classes in 2005 in her home country, Estonia.
In 2012 she started teaching regular classes in Estonia and workshops in Europe and Egypt. In 2013, she started working with Vanessa Show Productions in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. There she performed daily bellydance and folklore shows. In 2016 she was contracted to perform in Dubai’s famous Bab Al Shams Hotel. After that she headed to Cairo, where she currently still resides, performing in high class venues, upper scale weddings, various events and discos.
She is famously recognizable in the Arab world for her performance in the 2019 music video “Maltashet El 2loub” with Mostafa Shawki.
In 2024, she released her album with original music made for bellydance shows. She even raps in Arabic in the mahragan song! You can purchase her music here: MARIS ALBUM
Maris has traveled to 17 countries as a guest artist to teach and perform and is widely known for her longtime profession in Egyptian performance arts over the last 16 years.
We couldn’t be more honored to have her for the first time in Seattle, Washington.
View Maris’s Instagram here: @Maris.Bellydancer
EARLY BIRD PRICE - $250
First 5 people to register secure the early price before it goes to $300
Ready to have a super fun weekend of dance this November? Join us in Seattle, WA and dance with Maris!
Full Workshop Schedule and Descriptions:
Saturday Nov 21st Workshops
10:30am - 12:30am Tabla Solo
Learn one of Maris’s signature tabla solos in this high energy and super fun workshop. Drum solos are meant to be fun, playful and captivating. With this infectious energy, it’s the perfect way to start off our Saturday morning!
~ Lunch Break 60 min ~
1:30pm - 3:30pm Cairos Combos
Let loose and dive into today's modern and loved shaabi and mahragan music. Learn all the fun new ways Egyptians and working dancers play and move to the songs you hear on every street corner and in every party. This workshop will focus on technique and combos in bellydance that blend social dancing and performance.
Sunday Nov 22nd Workshops
11:00am - 12:30pm Coffee with Maris
In this 90 minute social gathering and questionnaire, Maris will share stories of her life in Cairo and answer questions. This will be a casual and friendly setting with coffee, drinks, pastries, fruit and snacks provided held in the main studio lobby with chairs, couches and tables.
1:00pm - 3:00pm Classical Oriental Choreography
Our final workshop will focus on a beautiful and heart felt classical choreography. Immerse yourself in something deeper for the soul and elegant in the body. Classical Egyptian music is nuanced and rich in expression. This last class is sure to leave you feeling accomplished and inspired.
Location: Whim W’him Contemporary Dance Center
1716 2nd Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109
Disclaimer:
This weekend offers no refunds. If you can no longer attend, you can sell your purchased spot.
Ready to have a super fun weekend of dance this November? Join us in Seattle, WA and dance with Maris!
Saturday Workshop Schedule and Descriptions:
Saturday Nov 21st Workshops
10:30am - 12:30am Tabla Solo
Learn one of Maris’s signature tabla solos in this high energy and super fun workshop. Drum solos are meant to be fun, playful and captivating. With this infectious energy, it’s the perfect way to start off our Saturday morning!
~ Lunch Break 60 min ~
1:30pm - 3:30pm Cairos Combos
Let loose and dive into today's modern and loved shaabi and mahragan music. Learn all the fun new ways Egyptians and everyday working dancers play and move to the songs you hear on every street corner and in every party. This workshop will focus on technique and combos in bellydance that blend social dancing and performance.
Location: Whim W’him Contemporary Dance Center
1716 2nd Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109
Disclaimer:
This weekend offers no refunds. If you can no longer attend, you can sell your purchased spot.
Ready to have a super fun weekend of dance this November? Join us in Seattle, WA and dance with Maris!
Sunday Workshop Schedule and Descriptions:
Sunday Nov 22nd Workshops
11:00am - 12:30pm Coffee with Maris
In this 90 minute social gathering and questionnaire, Maris will share stories of her life in Cairo and answer questions. This will be a casual and friendly setting with coffee, drinks, pastries, fruit and snacks provided held in the main studio lobby with chairs, couches and tables.
1:00pm - 3:00pm Classical Oriental Choreography
Our final workshop will focus on a beautiful and heart felt classical choreography. Immerse yourself in something deeper for the soul and elegant in the body. Classical Egyptian music is nuanced and rich in expression. This last class is sure to leave you feeling accomplished and inspired.
Location: Whim W’him Contemporary Dance Center
1716 2nd Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109
Disclaimer:
This weekend offers no refunds. If you can no longer attend, you can sell your purchased spot.
A note from your host, Chloe
When I first imagined hosting this event, I thought of Maris not only because of her professionalism and deep knowledge of the art form, but because of the warmth and kindness she carries as a person. Over the last five years between the United States and Egypt, I’ve had the chance to watch her perform many times in Cairo. What always stood out to me was her ability to genuinely connect with Egyptians, Arabs, and international audiences alike. There is something about her presence that draws people in so naturally.
I found myself wondering why. What makes Maris so loved? I knew it wasn’t only her dancing or her beauty, but something much deeper. After shadowing many of her work nights, I began to notice a pattern in every performance. No matter how exhausted or tired she may have been, she still gave her spirit to people. And in return, they gave their spirit back to her. This exchange felt like the purest form of embracing the art form.
Her priority was never simply to perform, but to make the Egyptian people feel seen. Through her understanding of the music and Arabic lyrics, the gestures, the everyday cultural nuances, and the unspoken shared language of Egyptian dance, she creates something that feels familiar and personal to those watching. She understands the feeling Egyptians carry when this music and dance are present, and she honors it with sincerity.
I hope this weekend offers you the experience of exchange through Maris’s remarkable ability to make people feel seen, inspired to dance, and connected both to themselves and to those around them.