I started dancing as a toddler. I did ballet for thirteen years, but quit because it was I knew I wasn’t going to be a prima ballerina and it hurt! My mom and my sister were training in belly dance with Aisha Mau, so I started doing it to.  At first it was really hard for me because I kept wanting to turn my feet out and add these lyrical touches. Once I started to feel the dance the Middle Eastern way, I realized that my early dance training was a benefit because doing the finishing touches was easy.

I enjoyed dancing with Shadows of the Fire. It was a lively, creative group. Aisha Mau is a good choreographer and the group was lots of fun, but I really didn’t know how to be a soloist. When I left there, I had more space to work on developing me.

I am at the point now where I am exploring and growing. I want to know about everything so that I can have a signature style. You see people like Nadirah Nasreen (MD) who is the Lucille Ball of belly dance and Niran (OH) who has this smoldering look about her, and you get a glimpse of who they are. I am not sure yet who I am. If I had to define it now, I’d say my style is American- Egyptian. I don’t know what I will be when it’s all said and done, but I hope to have fun along the way.

Part of my development included competing in contests. I placed second in the Gold category at the Shakira’s Personal Best competition this year, second in the Fantasy Artist category of the East Coast Classic, and third in the Grand Champion category at the East Coast Classic. I hope to do even better at the Jewel of the Nile in New Jersey, but even coming this far has been phenomenal. As I get better, it inspires me to do even more.

I get excited by the dancers I see on video, and I say to myself, “I can do that!” It’s a reachable goal. It keeps me working. I also see the other dancers on the contest circuit who are also working as hard as I am, and I realize that we are the ones who are going to be the household names of the future. It’s really inspiring. I want that. I hope I don’t run out of things to do. For now, I really just would like to be a valued performer and for people who watch me to say they enjoyed the show.