Faculty

AIPA’s faculty consists of highly-trained educators with diverse professional, and personal backgrounds, who are also accomplished performers in their own right.

Sarah Faouri

Director of Dance

Sarah Faouri began dancing at the National Center for Culture and Arts in Amman at the age of six. After completing her Royal Academy of Dance examination, Sarah continued her professional training at Danceworks Berlin, from which she graduated with a degree in contemporary dance and choreography in 2021.

Sarah has performed works by renowned choreographers such as Christina Mertzani, Heidi Weiss, and Michael Langeneckert at varioustheaters across Berlin. Additionally, she choreographed for and performed with MISK Dance Company at the Amman Contemporary Dance Festival in 2022 and 2023.

Sarah now heads the dance department at the Amman Institute of Performing Arts and leads the Sarab Dance Collective, both initiatives of Bank al Etihad Foundation.

Yara Abdallat began her ballet training at a young age before joining the National Center for Culture and Arts (NCCA) in Amman, where she refined her technique and deepened her passion for dance. She trained extensively in classical ballet, performing in various productions and developing a strong foundation in movement and artistry.

Alongside her ballet training, Yara explored contemporary dance, expanding her movement vocabulary and artistic expression as she attended numerous workshops led by international artists visiting for the Amman Contemporary Dance Festival. These experiences allowed her to explore diverse movement styles and broaden her artistic perspective. She has also performed at multiple editions of ACDF.

Now, Yara teaches classical ballet at NCCA and contemporary dance at the Amman Institute of Performing Arts (AIPA), where she is committed to guiding young dancers in refining their technique, enhancing their artistic expression, and developing a strong foundation in movement.



Committed to both performance and education, Yara continues to evolve as a dancer and instructor, sharing her passion for movement with the next generation of artists.

Maegen Gonska is a classically trained dancer and choreographer with expertise in ballet, contemporary, jazz, and lyrical. Recognized both regionally and nationally for her creative vision and artistic excellence, she was awarded Choreographer of the Year in 2021. Her choreography is celebrated for blending technical precision with storytelling, leaving an impact on both dancers and audiences.

With over 15 years of teaching experience at dance studios across the United States, Maegen has guided and mentored countless students in their artistic journeys. Many of her dancers have gone on to earn acceptance into prestigious training programs and elite companies nationwide.

Louise Bossière began her dance training at the age of five in Brussels, Belgium, learning classical ballet at Balletomania with teachers who were former soloists of Maurice Béjart’s Ballet. She later expanded her training in contemporary dance, jazz, and dance on heels, while continuing intensive ballet training at Karys Dance Center in Brussels.

With over 20 years of experience, Louise has performed internationally, including in Japan with the Misk Dance Company and in Jordan with Sarab Dance Collective. She also has a strong background in theatre and a deep love for the stage, which informs her expressive, musical, and performance-driven approach to dance and teaching.

Mustafa Al Shalabi is a visionary dancer and artivist from Amman, Jordan. He is a member of Sarab Dance Collective, contributing as both a performer and movement artist in contemporary works.

He has extensive teaching experience and blends contemporary and expressive dance styles, using his body as a tool for storytelling and social reflection, while exploring and redefining the boundaries of self-expression. His work focuses on technical precision, body awareness, and the development of performance skills, guiding students of all levels through contemporary dance classes that emphasize technique, creativity, and expressive movement, helping them build confidence, alignment, and versatility in movement.

Cynthia Tokajian has been passionate about the performing arts from a young age. She trained in classical ballet and contemporary dance at the National Center for Culture and Arts before joining MISK Dance Company in 2011. With MISK, she performed at various festivals locally and internationally, including in Jordan, Bahrain, Turkey, and Italy. Through short workshops and residencies, she had the opportunity to train with various international contemporary dance companies such as Panta Rei, Guy Nader & Maria Campos, among others.

As a choreographer, Cynthia premiered two contemporary dance pieces at the Amman Contemporary Dance Festival in 2018 and 2019, as well as at the Beirut International Platform of Dance in 2019.

Since 2015, she has been teaching ballet and modern/contemporary dance in various schools and institutions.

In 2023, Cynthia joined Sarab Dance Collective and continues to perform with the company.