Rana Gorgani
Rana Gorgani was born in Germany. She subsequently grew up in France, where she still lives today. Fascinated from an early age by the Persian culture, Rana was fortunate to grow up in a family very present in the Arts where music and poetry were a constant fixture in her household.
As a teenager, she took her first steps as an actress. She devoted her studies to drama, eventually going to the prestigious Conservatoire de Paris 20eme. She went on to teach theatre and stay play, working for a number of years with a variety of audiences of all ages. She took her focus to work with people with disability, enabling her to develop a means of transmission accessible to all.
It was during one of these plays ‘Le Secret Espoir de Tchoul’, a story centered around traditional Kurdish and Iranian music as well as Middle Eastern instruments, that Rana found her true calling. The play featured a Persian dance, which Rana did beautifully. And although she acted several parts, the only thing the audience remembered was her dancing.
From there, she gave up everything – her job as an actress and her work teaching theatre – and traveled to Iran.
Authenticity & Creativity
While traveling in Iran, she was introduced to the Daf instrument, a large Persian frame drum, and pursued learning this sacred percussion for the Kurdish Sufi rituals.
Instinctively, she became familiar with this spirituality that sounded like an inspiration and reflection of her artistic work. Finally, at the age of 24, Rana dedicated herself entirely to dance.
After several years of learning and traveling in and around Iran, Rana mastered the Iranian dances and the dances of its neighbors.
In 2009, she founded the company “l’Oeil Persian” – The Persian Eye – the first company lead by traditional dances of the Persian world in Europe.
Furthering her knowledge of dance, she obtained a Master degree in Anthropology of Dance at the University of Clermont-Ferrand (France) and is pursuing research within the Qashqa’i people, one of the many nomadic tribes of Iran.
As a choreographic artist, my travels, encounters, and experiences are the food of my soul.
My creations are constantly evolving, tying me to stay in the perception in all its means, as well as spontaneity and generosity. Today, I am mainly involved in what I have called “the Sufi Experience”. Borders are disappearing, East and West merge to form the circle within the Self, Others, and Love is ONE.”– Rana Gorgani
