AdeebA Korsana

Those who read this blog might be curious to know a bit more about the personalities that run the show in this performance that is my life. And, because I have no idea what to write about. Here is a brief look into who, AdeebA Korsana is.

AdeebA (AdibA) is a female name of Arabic origin, it means literary, noble, proud woman. When I first began dancing with Lori Hunt (Badrea Talua) at Shirley’ Delhi (43^rd Ave & Cactus), she recommended that I choose a stage name. So many ideas ran through my head. I could take the easy way out, Easalle. It sounds exotic if not Middle Eastern, it was a name no one else shared. It spoke to me. But, Easalle did not dance. Czep was also pretty exotic, but not the look I was going for.

Lori offered a book of approved dance names. Some of the names in her pamphlet sized book had little stars beside them, to indicate another of her students had taken the name already. I looked into the meaning of my given name and the possible angles I could take on that. Nothing jumped out at me. Lori suggested Mish Mish. At my age though I was looking for something a bit more mature, something I could grow into, not out of.

At the same time, I was getting more and more into the social side of writing, meeting with other female would-be authors at the Fresh Start Women’s Center in Phoenix. I realized I had two separate lives that needed connection. I needed a name to reflect that. I began looking for names that meant poet, writer, words, anything that could coincide with my being a writer and a dancer.

I also needed a name that was visually appealing. Words have a beauty to them, and much like Anne of Green Gables, who demanded an “e” at the end of her name, I wanted people to see the name and find beauty in it. AdeebA had balance. Libras like balance.

AdeebA was perfect, and, it wasn’t taken. Then the pirates came.

One year into playing pirate with the Arizona Corsairs told me I would not be rid of the pirate portion of my personality any time soon. Here was a third slice of the pie that is my life that needed to be added into the name.

Korsana is the feminine for pirate in Arabic. I considered changing the name altogether. Drop AdeebA, go full pirate. I was, and always will be a woman of words first though and AdeebA was just too fitting. I asked Badrea what the rule for having two names was, if any. Blessedly, it is all up to the dancer. I do find it suiting though that Badrea, being the instructor of troupe Dancers of DeNile, and I, with the aspirations to teach one day, both took two names.

Shirley’s Delhi is closed, Badrea Talua recently retired, but the name stuck, the dancer grew, AdeebA Korsana is teaching, and I think she is here to stay. Even if this body stops shimmying, AdeebA Korsana will continue in fiction. She did find a place in the story line of Captain Blackstrap. It is not quite the same as the true story.

There is another part to the name, recently surfaced, due to a need to conjure a name for the students AdeebA Korsana is gathering – bint Hazine. Daughters of Treasure. On the surface, it adds to the pirate side of the name, The noble pirate woman, daughter of treasure. But, there is a back story too. Hazine was the name of my first Arizona belly dance instructor. When I was awkward, chubby, and shy, the Fresh Start Women’s Center, in downtown Phoenix, that played host to the writing group also held a weekly belly dance class. If anyone knows what happen to Hazine, please, let me know. I have since lost all track of her. I would like to tell her where I am now.

All of this brings me to want to discuss the origins of other members of Dancers of DeNile and their names. That is better suited for the troupe page. The name Mish Mish did not go away completely.