Sani Rifati Explained

Sani Rifati is a human rights activist and the President of Voice of Roma.[1]

A native Roma himself, he was born in Pristina, Kosovo, Yugoslavia, lived and worked in California, United States. He currently resides in Berlin, Germany.[2]

Rifati began dancing as a youth in Pristina and was a part of the 'Kheljen Romalen!' Folklore Dance Ensemble. During the 1980s, he was a drummer for a professional band. He has worked as Romani dance instructor and choreographer. Since 2012 he has worked as a Roma-dance teacher at the refugee dance group Heimatsterne of the Arbeitsgruppe Flucht+Menschenrechte in Berlin.

Rifati is a cousin of the Macedonian Gypsy vocalist and dancer Esma Redzhepova as well as being her tour manager.[3] He has also managed Ivo Papasov, Yuri Yunakov, and Kal.

He appeared on the History Channels programme Curse on the Gypsies.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Sani Rifati – Bio. https://web.archive.org/web/20070214041006/http://plantpath.wisc.edu/~tdd/Sanis%20dance%20bio.htm. dead. 14 February 2007. 14 February 2007. 18 May 2018.
  2. Web site: Sani Rifati . romaarchive.eu.
  3. News: Pareles . Jon . Esma Redzepova Dies at 73; Sang of Her Roma Heritage to Generations . The New York Times . 12 December 2016.