CEO - Rachel George 

Rachel George is a San Diego–based performing artist, educator, producer, and arts leader with more than 30 years of experience in Belly Dance, arts education, and performance production. She serves as CEO and Co-Founder of Maqam Arts Alliance, Director of Salimpour Collective San Diego, and Certification Coordinator for the Salimpour School, where she is also a Licensed Level 5 Salimpour Instructor.

Rachel has toured internationally, assisted Suhaila Salimpour in performance and instruction, and performed extensively with live Arabic musicians, in traditional nightclub settings, cultural events, and theatrical productions. Her professional honors include Bellydancer of the Universe, Entertainer of the Year, and Bellydance USA.

Her production and project-management experience includes Bal Anat, the historic production founded by Jamila Salimpour and recognized as the longest-running Belly Dance show of its kind. As both a performer and project manager, Rachel has contributed to artist coordination, production planning, and the continued presentation of this significant artistic legacy.

As Director of Salimpour Collective San Diego, Rachel leads an ensemble of certified dancers, providing artistic direction and mentorship while creating professional performance opportunities in the San Diego community. As Certification Coordinator for the Salimpour School, she supports dancers through structured education and certification while helping maintain the standards and continuity of an established dance lineage.

As CEO and Co-Founder of Maqam Arts Alliance, Rachel applies her experience in performance, education, production, and leadership to support artists, develop cultural and educational programming, build community partnerships, and expand access to culturally informed arts experiences throughout San Diego County.

Her work is grounded in responsible stewardship, transparency, cultural respect, artistic integrity, and accountability, with a commitment to honoring the histories and communities connected to culturally rooted art forms while supporting their continued practice and development.