Katayoun Hutson

Katayoun was born in Tehran, Iran and grew up in Virginia Beach, Virginia where she took her first dance class as a teen in the summer of 1988. Today, she is best known for her interpretations of E...view moreKatayoun was born in Tehran, Iran and grew up in Virginia Beach, Virginia where she took her first dance class as a teen in the summer of 1988. Today, she is best known for her interpretations of Egyptian folklore and the Persian dances of her Iranian heritage.Among the most respected instructors and professional performers in the Washington area, she is known for her elegant and expressive dance style and captivating stage presence. In 2010, she was one of 25 dancers selected from around the world to participate in Project Belly Dance, the search for America's Top Belly Dancer, a competition and reality show.A graduate of George Mason University and former language teacher, she is trilingual with English, Farsi and French, and has also studied Arabic and Italian. The intersection of dance, music, culture and language is where the culmination of her life-long experiences came to fruition in 2009 when she founded Mosaique.An innovative and dedicated instructor, Katayoun has consistently taught weekly classes to hundreds of students of all ages and backgrounds in Northern Virginia since 2001, accumulating over 8,000 instructional hours in the classroom and the dance studio. She has continued her own education with over 350 hours of advanced and specialized training in Middle Eastern dance and music with acclaimed instructors, as well as graduate coursework through the University of Virginia.She has developed a multi-dimensional approach to education that is fun and inspiring, yet considers each student's interests, abilities and goals. In addition, she has created Teacher-Training programs to promote breadth of knowledge and teaching standards within the Middle Eastern Dance community. A community leader, she serves as a mentor and role model for area instructors and aspiring professionals.Katayoun is a co-founder of Tiraz Dance Network, a member of the National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) and Loudoun Arts Council.view less