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 Castilow,
Alice Pearl Amira, 65, Spurrier Chemical quality control
employee and Amira Dance Productions teacher and artistic
director, died Monday, May 24, 2004. Memorial service 6 p.m.
Friday, Hillside Funeral Home West, 2929 W. 13th St.
Born Aug. 25, 1938 in Winfield, KS, she was one of the three
children born to Pauline and Kenneth Bursack. Alice and her
family traveled quite a bit but eventually settled in West
Virginia, where she met the love of her life, Don Castilow.
The Castilow's moved to the Wichita area around 1959 and had
five children. Alice had been a dancer as a child and she
rekindled her love of the dance in Wichita. Alice began
teaching ballet and was co-founder of the Wichita Civic
Ballet 1970, which she later reorganized into Metropolitan
Ballet of Wichita. In 1974 on a whim she and two other
ballet dancers performed as belly dancers. The music and
style of dance was very popular in the 70's and Alice took
the dance form to heart. She traveled to New York City to
study with the Master of Middle Eastern Dance and started
teaching and performing in Wichita under the name Amira.
During the past 30 years, Amira and her dancers have brought
an appreciation and respect for Middle Eastern Dance in the
Wichita area. Amira has touched the fortunate people that
have seen her dance with her style and bright smile. She has
inspired and enriched the lives of hundreds of women who
have studied dance with her. Amira and her company of
dancers also entertained and enlightened audiences with
Mediterranean folk dances, Spanish Flamenco, Polynesian and
the dances of India. In addition to her life as a dance
leader, Alice was proud to be employed by Spurrier Chemical,
where she has been a dedicated member of the team for over
25 years. Alice is survived by her brother, Fred Bursack of
Oxford, KS; children, Lettie Abdelaziz of Bayonne, NJ,
Donald Castilow Jr., Paula Kyle, Kenneth Castilow all of
Wichita, colleen Jones of Lee's Summit, MO;
stepgrandchildren, Whitney, Ashley and Robert Jones Jr. all
of Lee's Summit, Mo; grandchildren, Nora and Sara Abdelaziz
of Bayonne, NJ. The family would appreciate memorial
donations to Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice, 313 S. Market,
Wichita, S 67202. Service arrangements by Hillside Funeral
Home West.
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