Meeting Our amazing
Dancers
Dance is poetry, it describes a feeling, a
story, and every story describes the ecstatic relationship
to beauty, love and divinity. The subtle movements of the fingers, the facial expression, and the mystic turning characterized in Persian dance are a communication between body and soul. As an audience you must follow the story, you must fall into dance the way a reader falls into a book.
Choreographers
Fereshteh Zakery
Fereshteh Zakery, established Fame Art Group in 2014 upon immigrating to Canada, aiming to unite communities through the art of dance. Fereshteh, a skilled dance instructor, choreographer, performer, and certified yoga instructor, discovered her passion for dance redirected from a decade-long pursuit of gymnastics at the age of four. Her dedication to promoting physical and mental well-being aligns seamlessly with her mission to foster unity and self-expression within communities. Fereshteh's expertise spans various dance styles, blending Iranian Folklore, Adult Ballet, Persian Modern Dance, and SAMA, creating a unique fusion of Iranian dance moves with the spiritual essence of Sama, utilizing Iranian poetry, traditional instruments, and symbolic attire. Her commitment to excellence extends beyond dance, evidenced by her roles on cultural center boards and advisory committees, highlighting her dedication to promoting multiculturalism.
Behrang Ferdosizdeh
Movement, rhythm, and cultural identity have shaped Behrang Ferdosizadeh’s artistic journey for more than fifteen years. Born in Tehran with an Azerbaijani background, he developed a deep connection to dance as a way to preserve heritage and express cultural storytelling through movement. He is a Vancouver-based performing artist, choreographer, and Azerbaijani folk dance specialist, with expertise in traditional styles such as Lezgi and Shalaxo, alongside contemporary movement. Since 2016, he has been a core member of the Fame Art Dance Group, contributing to artistic direction, choreography support, and mentoring fellow dancers. His performance experience includes major cultural festivals and theaters across Vancouver, Seattle, San Jose, and Los Angeles, as well as international touring with the concert-theatrical production Cisad. In addition to dance, he is an experienced musician and works professionally as an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer, bringing precision and discipline into his artistic practice. His ongoing goal is to inspire new generations of dancers and expand the presence of Azerbaijani dance within the cultural arts community.
Melina Mozafari
Movement has always been part of Melina Mozafari’s life. Her journey began through sports, where discipline and physical awareness shaped her early years, but it was through gymnastics and ballet that she discovered a deeper connection to movement, and dance became the space where strength, emotion, and expression came together. She is a Vancouver-based choreographer, performer, and dance instructor specializing in folk dance, Sama, and contemporary movement, with a strong focus on cultural expression and storytelling. At just 14 years old, Melina found her artistic home at the Fame Art Dance Group, where she continues to train, perform, and grow under the guidance of Fereshteh Zakery, developing a grounded and expressive performance style rooted in technique and presence. Melina has performed on major stages across Canada, the United States, and Europe, including international touring with the concert-theatrical production Cisad, and continues to grow as an artist through performance, choreography, and teaching, with the goal of sharing culture and emotion through movement and creating meaningful connections with audiences and dancers.
Dorsa Davoodabadi
Dorsa Davoodabadi is a choreographer and performing artist whose dance journey began in 2014 as a way to stay deeply connected to her cultural roots. She trained in Persian folk and contemporary dance under the guidance of private instructors, developing a strong foundation in movement, expression, and cultural storytelling. In 2018, Dorsa joined the Fame Art Dance Group, where she expanded her artistic practice to include classical Sama, classical contemporary dance, and a wider range of Persian folk dance styles. Through Fame Art, she has performed in numerous cultural events and productions across Vancouver, as well as in the United States and Europe, including international performances with the Cisad team. Alongside her artistic work, Dorsa studies Kinesiology at the University of British Columbia, bringing a strong understanding of body mechanics and movement science into her dance practice. With a deep passion for music and movement, she continues to explore the connection between physical awareness, cultural expression, and performance on stage.
Meet Our Team of Exceptional Dancers
Fariba Kian
Fariba Kian is a performing artist and dancer whose journey with the Fame Art Group began after developing early interests in music and theatre during high school. Inspired by her mentor and close friend Fereshteh Zakery, she chose to fully follow her passion for dance. Fariba believes dance engages the mind, body, and emotions simultaneously, enhancing mental focus, musical awareness, and overall well being. For her, dance is both a powerful form of self expression and a path to health, stress relief, and joy. She has performed in productions and cultural events including Sokhane Eshgh, Yalda Night Festival, Persian Poetry in Motion, International Women’s Day, and Persian New Year celebrations. Fariba views dance as a universal language that connects people across cultures while nurturing a balanced and healthy lifestyle.
Elika Fallahi
Elika Fallahi is a professional dancer and performing artist with over five years of experience in classical and folk dance, performing on stages across Iran and Canada. Her work is grounded in strong body awareness, movement quality, and emotional expression, allowing her to communicate presence and meaning through dance. She is a member of the Fame Art Dance Group, where she continues to train and perform in collaborative artistic projects. Before joining Fame Art, Elika spent three years performing in Montreal and has also appeared in theatre productions in Tehran. Alongside her artistic practice, she studies Naturopathic Medicine with a focus on anatomy, kinesiology, and movement science, integrating science and art to support performance quality and embodied movement.
Aida Issari
Aida Issari is a Vancouver based dancer and choreographer whose artistic journey began in Tehran, where she developed a strong passion for ballet and classical Persian dance. With over eight years of professional experience across multiple dance styles, she has performed in notable productions with Group Shiftegan Del at the Vahdat Center of Art in Iran. Alongside her artistic practice, Aida is a NASM Certified Personal Trainer and an ACE Certified Group Fitness Instructor, working with North Vancouver Community and Cultural Centre, Modo Yoga, and Fitness World. Her expertise in barre fitness has led her to teach hundreds of classes, blending strength, technique, and musicality. As a member of the Fame Art Group, Aida continues to collaborate with fellow artists to create meaningful and inspiring performances that connect movement, discipline, and expression.
Parto Tavassoli
Parto Tavassoli is a passionate Azerbaijani dance performer born in Tehran, whose artistic journey began in 2018 through a deep connection to folk movement and cultural expression. She has performed with a well known large dance group in Iran and has also shared her knowledge by teaching Azerbaijani dance, contributing to the preservation and transmission of this rich tradition. Alongside her artistic practice, Parto is currently pursuing a PhD in Business at Simon Fraser University, balancing academic research with her dedication to dance. For her, movement is a language of love and identity, and she remains committed to sharing the beauty, energy, and cultural depth of Azerbaijani dance with wider audiences.
Ronak Hakimzadeh
Ronak Hakimzadeh is from Iran. She is of both Turkish and Kurdish origin and she strongly values her cultural traditions. Ronak is passionate about and committed to helping people. She is a connector who loves to bring people together. In and out of her professional life, she is always finding herself in the middle of planning fun and memorable events for the people around her. That's why professional event planning is right up her alley. She specializes in personalizing diverse events for each client and handling stressful event situations with grace.
Hanna Eshraghi
Movement has been part of Hanna Eshraghi’s life from an early age. She began her physical journey at eight through gymnastics, building a strong foundation in strength, flexibility, and body control. At thirteen, she transitioned into dance, training in Persian dance styles and developing a deeper connection to music, expression, and performance. After focusing on her university studies, Hanna returned to the performing arts with renewed passion and expanded her practice into aerial dance hammock, a discipline that continues to challenge and inspire her creatively. Since moving to Vancouver, she has been a member of the Fame Art Dance Group, joining the team in 2025. Her journey is driven by curiosity, discipline, and a love for movement that blends strength, expression, and creativity.
Shokoufeh Shahangian
Shokoufeh Shahangian’s artistic journey began in Iran through music, where she studied classical piano and received solfege training at the Ali Zand Vakili Institute. From an early age, she was drawn to art, movement, and physical expression, with a strong curiosity for exploring new creative paths and self expression. After immigrating to Canada in January 2022, she focused on yoga, meditation, and spiritual self development, integrating physical awareness with inner growth. She later trained in salsa dance, which helped her better understand her movement style and artistic direction. Shokoufeh found a deeper connection through Sama dance under the guidance of Fereshteh Zakery and continues training in Iranian folk dance styles, including Azerbaijani and Kurdish dances, exploring cultural identity through movement.
Kimia Yeganeh
Kimia is a dancer who views movement as a powerful form of self-expression and a true embodiment of athleticism. She has trained for nearly a decade in a wide range of street dance styles, including Afrobeats, Hip Hop, Dancehall, Shuffling, and House, studying and performing in both Toronto and Vancouver. In recent years, she has expanded her artistic practice into partner dancing, with a growing focus on tango. Beyond dance, Kimia maintains an active lifestyle through strength training, skiing, and hiking, believing consistent physical movement is essential to staying energized and present. Alongside dance, she has pursued photography for over 17 years, using it as a way to capture moments and tell visual stories. Kimia joined the Fame Art Dance Group in 2025, where she continues to develop as both a dancer and an athlete.
Melika Mozaffari
A kinesiologist and performing artist with a strong foundation in fitness and human movement, Melika brings together scientific understanding of the body and artistic expression in her dance practice. Her work on stage reflects a balance of precision, physical awareness, and creative freedom. She has performed on stages across Canada, drawing on her academic background in kinesiology to enhance movement quality and control. Most recently, she joined the Cisad performance team and took part in their European tour, continuing to grow as a professional performer while exploring the connection between movement science and artistic storytelling.
