anadu Dance Collective
The Xanadu Dance Collective was formed from Kathryn Ferguson’s Xanadu Performance Troupe after her passing in April of 2017. Some of our current members studied under her direction for over 10 years. The main purpose of the troupe is to represent her legacy and vision. As such, the troupe only performs Kathryn Ferguson’s unique choreography.
The troupe primarily performs her choreography at Southern Arizona cultural events, festivals, community outreach events, and fundraisers for charitable organizations. We do so to honor Kathryn's legacy of giving to her community. Xanadu will travel on occasion to support events that align with Kathryn's love of dance and giving spirit outside of Southern Arizona. To request the troupe for performance, fill out the form at the bottom of the page & we will be in touch!
Upcoming
Performances
Tucson Meet yourself
Saturday, October 14th at 12:00p | The Lawn Stage
The Xanadu Dance Collective is pleased to be performing at the 50th Anniversary of Tucson Meet Yourself! Join us on the Lawn Stage for a fun, interactive performance!
Who Was
Kathryn Ferguson
After studying fine arts at the University of Arizona, Ferguson went to Spain to learn Flamenco. She ended up in Morocco, where she discovered belly dancing, an art form that would take her around the world. Tucson was always home base, and she founded Xanadu Dance Studio in 1973.
She had an illustrious career traveling the world as an American Belly Dancer. She started teaching classes and dancing in Tucson, in a Moroccan club and restaurant called El Jebala. In 1985, she studied five weeks in Cairo with Shoki and Faten Naim. Throughout her career, she danced all over the world and most of the fifty states. She traveled several times each year, for over a decade, to Europe-- Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands, performing and teaching workshops. She has also taught in Australia, New Zeland, Singapore, Istanbul, and Mexico.
The Kathryn Ferguson Dance Technique is based on cultural integration. It is a blend of traditional Mideastern Dance with a dash of Western drama.
In additon to her career as a dancer, she was a celebrated author, filmmaker, and activist. Kathryn Ferguson, it's been said, was a person who never refused a calling, and her legacy is vibrant and diverse. We are pleased to announce that we have begun the formation of a new nonprofit: the Kathryn Ferguson Foundation.
Learn More
If you would like to request a performance at your charitable event or community outreach event, click the button below to fill out our form. We do our best to respond within a week, but since we do volunteer our time, sometimes it can take longer to check our schedules before commiting to a performance. Thank you!