Anniya

Who is Anniya?

Anniya is a dancer, choreographer, teacher, and the director and organizer of the international Festival Habibi. She has been dedicated to dance since the age of three, and throughout her competitive and artistic journey she has explored a wide range of dance styles, including ballet, contemporary, and jazz, but ultimately fell completely under the spell of Oriental dance. 

At the age of 13, she founded the dance group Annidia in her hometown of Rýmařov, focusing on teaching dancers from the ages of 5 to 30 and supporting their development in solo, duet, and group performances. Together, they work on a wide spectrum of styles, from classical forms of Oriental dance to Egyptian folklore, Oriental Fusion Shows, Indian Bollywood, Contemporary, and various fusions of these and other styles. Under her leadership, the group has earned several titles of Czech National Champion in solo, duet, and group choreographies. Since 2014, the group has regularly ranked among the top three at the Czech National Championships every year. 

Since the age of 16, Anniya has been organizing the Habibi Competition, which has since grown into the international festival it is today. She draws upon her extensive experience from both Oriental and non-Oriental dance competitions, as well as a touch of her architectural education. From all graphics, registration and sales systems, overall organization, the design of diplomas, to the selection and preparation of prizes — she prepares everything herself with love and precision. Just like everything else she does, she organizes her festival in a unique way, constantly inventing new and unconventional categories and creating more opportunities to spread the love of dance among dancers. She always keeps in mind the original purpose of the festival: to motivate children and complete beginners to try solo dancing, and to encourage all dancers not to be afraid of showing that they are different. 

She is recognized for her distinctive dance style, which combines expressive performance, Contemporary dance, Oriental dance, and unconventional music for Oriental performances. She has gradually popularized this unique style and feels grateful to help other dancers find freedom in movement, discover their own style, and overcome the fear of doing things differently. 

Anniya is a four-time Czech National Champion in Oriental Show, as well as the winner of numerous other international and domestic competitions, including professional categories. She regularly performs with the progressive metal band Rymath at their concerts, and together with her group Annidia Teen+ Profi she tours across the Czech Republic, performing everywhere from large music festivals to small private events, balls, and soirées. Anniya is also a frequent guest at both Czech and international festivals, where she has had the honor of leading workshops and serving as a jury member.