TARA GHASSEMIEH

Tara Ghassemieh | Persian Swan™ is an Iranian-American artist and entrepreneur. Her prolific range in creativity are derivative of a variety of experiences in the performing and visual arts. Currently living in Southern California, she continues interlacing her careers paths of performing, creating dance for film stage, and teaching.

Ms. Ghassemieh is a pacifist-activist woman, that advocates that dance is expression of freedom; a birthright and a form of human expression. Her research in dance often tells stories that strengthen her Iranian roots, and inspire others to dance. Most recently, Tara had her directorial debut in film, with the release of her short titled "Persian Swan.”

As an educator for over a decade, Ms. Ghassemieh has been a guest teacher in various local and national organizations. She is a recurring renowned Jury member in dance competitions and conventions in the United States in over 30 states.

As a principal dancer she starring in classic roles such as Swan Lake, George Balanchine's "Valse Fantaisie," Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote, Firebird, She co-choreographed a pas de deux, "Scheherazade," with her partner on and off stage Vitor Luiz, which was performed at the Barclay Theater and the Segerstrom Music Hall at the 30th Annual International Gala. She also was a feature lead dancer in Florence and the Machine music video “Spectrum”, Directed by David Lachapelle; Award winning British composer Oliver Davis Narcissus and Echo film and other collaborations.

As Founder, Executive Director, and Artistic Director of INTUITV ARTSHIP, she launched its debut production, The White Feather: A Persian Ballet Tale—a bold, two-act ballet integrating spoken word, projection, and dance to infuse the art form with urgent narrative power. Featured in The New York Times and met with critical acclaim, the production embarked on a national sold-out tour, cementing her reputation as a groundbreaking storyteller who fuses classical technique with urgent narrative.

Most recently, she presented her next critically acclaimed work Tchaikovsky: A Love Letter at the Musco Center for the Arts. With raving success the production plans a New York City run in 2026.

Tara is a respected master teacher nationwide. She also leads underground ballet classes for youth in Iran, where dance remains criminalized—empowering the next generation with structure and technique in defiance of censorship. Tara is an emerging film producer and director- with her short film Persian Swan. She is now in production for her full feature documentary filmed rooted in her mission to revive ballet in Iran and through the Middle East, titled Exile of the Swans

Acting and entrepreneurship—

“Little Tara” was a vibrant child who at the age of six started chasing the dream of becoming a ballerina and actor. She became an incredibly versed young performing artist and at age sixteen she received for three consecutive years the National Training Scholar award, before receiving a full scholarship to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School American Ballet Theatre (SABT) in New York, NY. Later in life while working in New York and Los Angeles, Ms. Ghassemieh worked on several off-Broadway productions either as an actor or dancer.

Ms. Ghassemieh started her first company, a dancewear line named 'Tata's Dancewear' from 2004-2012. As a ballet practitioner herself, she knew what dancers her age were looking for. ‘Tata’s Dancewear’ band was featured at major stores and online selling products. Ms. Ghassemieh design’s became popular brand in dance for its creativity, aesthetics and comfort.

In Review—

“The best part of the show was undoubtedly the performance of Tara Ghassemieh. She moves with poise and power, and her movement quality is beautifully unique. Though linear as opposed to rounded like traditional ballerinas, she is not rigid, and her purposeful directionality is something I could watch for an entirety of an evening-length work.”

-Broadway World, review of her ballet

“The White Feather” a Persian ballet tale

“The choreography is grand and certainly suits the subject material. There is great passion and drama in every movement and one of the characters by his side throughout is his Muse, who represents his music speaking to him and through him all along. This character is performed by Tara Ghassemieh, a Persian-American artist and accomplished ballet dancer. She is very strong on pointe and has substantial technical chops. Her portrayal was lovely.”

-LA Dance Chronicle, review of her ballet

Tchaikovsky: A Love Letter