VENDOR COORDINATOR

 
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Jeanie is the owner and operator of Sahhira's Souk, specializing in ethnic and cabaret belly dance costumes and accessories in Austin, TX. She sells at Middle Eastern dance conventions and seminars in Austin and around the country. Jeanie not only vends but also has been Vending Coordinator for several events such as Desert Passion Middle Eastern Dance Theatre shows in Pflugerville, TX, and the Unmata Show at the Washington Carver Center in Austin, TX. Her first time vending at the ABDC was in 2005 and became the Vendor Coordinator in 2015. Her duties included requesting from vendor on-site needs, materials for promotion, and copies of Texas Sales State Permits. She also maintained the Vendors’ Masterlist, keeping record of requested items. On-site, Jeanie mapped out vendor spaces and assisted vendors with load-ins and load-outs.

Jeanie owns Gypsy Witch Productions and over the last two decades has produced shows at the Vortex, Butterfly Bar, Tailgatorz, Jax’s, and Spider House in Austin. Since 2010, Jeanie has been the Contract Manager for The Hands of Fatima, a Gypsy bellydance and musical troupe at Sherwood Forest Faire Renaissance Festival in Paige, TX. For three years, she was the Contract Manager for The Typsy Gypsys at the Central Texas Renaissance Faire. As a long-standing member of the Austin Bellydance Association, she has served on the Board of Officers and as the Librarian and Vendor Coordinator. Previously, she was the Assistant Editor for the ABA's newsletter, “OPA!.”

In addition to vending and producing, Jeanie is an assistant instructor for American Tribal Style classes. She is also a regular performer at belly dance shows at Kick Butt Coffee, Carousel Lounge, Sahara Lounge, Desert Passion Middle Eastern Dance Theatre, and the Moose Lodge. At the Sherwood Forest Faire, she performs approximately 60 shows in 17 days each season. Jeanie has been studying and performing Middle Eastern dance for almost three decades and has studied classic and modern Egyptian, Turkish, Gypsy, Tunisian, Improvisational Tribal Style, and American Tribal Style. Jeanie holds a BBA and an MBA in Marketing/Management. She has worked for numerous Texas state agencies and held positions including Assistant Human Resources Director and Classification Director at the Attorney General's Office.