"Watching Donia dance was like watching the slow lick of a flame--powerful, sexy and beautiful."
- Mark Blaise Fallon, Writer
"A powerful flame within a delicate flower"
- Zajal (aka Katharyn Howd Machan), 2002 Poet Laureate of Tompkins County, NY
"The movement of her body sends ripples through the thick, fragrant smoke that lingers in the air"
- Nicole Krestos, Journalist
NEWS
Dance has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. From learning and later teaching in New York to performing almost every night in Los Angeles, I've met the brightest, kindest souls and made the most magical memories. It's been a shocking dance-less period since the pandemic, but as I prepare to move again, I'm hoping to rise like a phoenix and shimmy once again. Stay tuned...
HI!
I'm a choreographer, dancer, and teacher working to share the beauty and joy of this art form with as many people as I can.
I perform all over the Los Angeles area both as a soloist and with Jillina's Sahlala Dancers.
I've shared the stage with a range of live artists including: U2 cover bands, Middle Eastern fusion groups, beatboxers, and drummers both famous and "locally famous".
I've danced on enormous stages and in tiny tea rooms, entertained in modest homes, Hollywood mansions, farmer's markets, casinos, music festivals, restaurants, and more.