Michele Harrington

Even from the very beginning, Michele Harrington has always allowed her enthusiasm as a performer to spark new ideas that inform her professional work behind the scenes. A "Gladney Baby" - meaning she was adopted from the Edna-Gladney Adoption Agency - Michele Harrington grew up in Southeast Texas, pursuing modeling while still in high school. Her modeling portfolio included work for such companies as Dillard's Department Store, Calvin Klein fragrances, Regis Hair Salons and others. While earning her degree in Mass Communications at Lamar University, she parlayed her role as the school's mascot (a cardinal) into a position as a mascot (a bee this time) at a local Top 40 station. Climbing the ladder quickly, Harrington became an on-air personality and eventually the station's promotion director. In 1990, the station partnered with Fox Television to create a new music video program, "Hit Video," featuring Michele interviewing guests and introducing videos as one of the hosts. Michele took a detour from performing and radio, and went to work for a national non-profit organization. There she used her skills in television production developing and later directing a 22-hour live telethon for a top 50 broadcast market. She found her way back into the spotlight, appearing as an actress in a number of independent films. Eventually she added commercial work - both on-camera and voice - to her resume, as well as roles on larger film and TV projects. A few years after establishing herself as a versatile and reliable dramatic presence, the uncommonly fortunate synergy that defined her career thus far took hold yet again, as a family vacation to Epcot Center introduced her to belly dancing. From this aspiration, combined with years of subsequent study of Oriental Dance, the persona of Dilara Sultan was born. Enthusiastic, charming, and unpretentious, Dilara is now the face of Why Knot Productions: a down-to-earth and relatable girlfriend, unintimidating and warm. Although she has studied belly dance around the world with a range of great range of master instructors, Dilara retains the spark of wonder that first inspired her to enter the world of Oriental dance. While she performs a few times a year as part of a troupe and occasionally teaches a beginner class or two, most of what Dilara does is off-stage. She has set about creating a hub for the belly dancing community - a one-stop resource where newcomers can seek out instruction in their respective towns and travelers can find venues and teachers in cities they are visiting.