Nazanin Badiei is an Iranian-born dancer, choreographer, and scholar whose work bridges the rich traditions of Persian dance with contemporary performance. She began her journey in classical Persian dance at the age of seven under the guidance of Hayedeh Kishipour, training extensively in both Persian Classical and Folklore styles. Early in her career, Nazanin gained recognition as a member of the acclaimed group Shiftegan-e-Del, performing at Tehran’s prestigious Talar-e-Vahdat during the 1990s. By her mid-twenties, she had begun choreographing and presenting her own original works.
In 2010, Nazanin relocated to Los Angeles to further her artistic and academic pursuits, enrolling at Santa Monica College to study dance choreography. There, she explored the integration of traditional Persian dance into contemporary contexts and joined the Global Motion Dance Company, where she introduced Persian dance to diverse audiences for the first time.
Nazanin holds two master’s degrees, one in Middle Eastern Studies and one in Dance Anthropology, and is the author of Unveiling The Secrets of Persian Dance. With over a decade of professional experience, she has performed, choreographed, and taught Persian dance to students of all ages, emphasizing not only technique but also the deep cultural and emotional connections the art form embodies. Reflecting on her work, she states, “When I dance, I don’t just move; I connect with the music, the culture, and the spirit of every dancer I teach.”
In addition to her performance and teaching work, Nazanin is the creator of the Dance in Diaspora Video Podcast, where she investigates immigration, identity, and the experiences of Iranian dancers around the world, highlighting how diaspora shapes artistic expression and cultural memory.
Nazanin’s work continues to celebrate Persian dance as both a living tradition and a vehicle for cultural dialogue, identity, and expression, making her a distinguished figure in the global dance community.