“I think that every dancer I’ve run into has taught me something, whether it’s a technique or a performance idea. It’s tough for me to pin it down to one special influence, as I feel that everyone has had an influence on who I’ve become as a dancer,” Northeast Ohio’s Safiyah Nour explains.
A mail-order catalog with belly dance instruction videos for sale lured the teenage Safiyah into the world of Middle Eastern dance. Her parents encouraged her by gifting her with the videos for her 16th birthday.
“It wasn’t until I went away for college that my mom and sister signed up for classes with me in an effort to have some “girl time” together. It was a lot of fun and good bonding experience for us,” Safiyah says.
“Before dancing I was really shy and lacked some self-confidence. As I’ve learned how to move gracefully, I’ve gained a lot of confidence in what I’m able to do. This confidence has spilled over into my personal life and I’ve found myself more sociable and willing to take on more challenges. I’ve also found a lot of appreciation for my body and what it’s capable of.”
This confidence has led to performing.
“Right now I mostly perform at shows hosted by other dancers, although I will occasionally appear at Kan Zaman and other Middle Eastern restaurants. The most unusual place that comes to mind is this year’s Ingenuity fest. It’s an annual festival that features Cleveland’s arts community and takes place on the subway level underneath the Detroit-Superior bridge. I performed there with a couple of other dancers accompanying the surf rock band KB and the Riptides. It was a great experience to be pat of this event and I hope to perform again next year.”
Though Safiyah is now a solo dancer, she has danced for four years with the Wind and Sand Dance Company.
“I think my unique quality if my background in music. I was a classical musician for 13 years before beginning a career in dance. My experience as a musician gave me a pretty good ear for listening to music and finding patterns/rhythms, etc.”
“Also, I mix choreography with improvisation. I call it “planned improv” because I give myself a framework and know when I will do traveling moves and the like, but I still have the spontaneous feeling that comes with improvisation. When I first started dancing, I would choreography every second because I was too afraid to not have a plan. But as I gained experience I realized that I really don’t like when a routine is structured and planned out. It also give me the flexibility to change my dance if something goes wrong.”
“I prefer modern Egyptian styling, although I don’t really like to box myself in to a particular style. For example, I love to do veil work and this isn’t typically a part of Egyptian repertoire.”
Her most memorable dance experience?
“For me, it was winning Headliner of the Year at the Northeast Bellydance Competition. I worked on my routine for months and improved greatly as a dancer. The feedback I got from the judges was extremely helpful, and it was even sweeter to actually win the title. I think that competitions hold their place for those dancers who need a goal in order to feel motivated to practice. If I don’t have a show coming up, it’s very easy to slip into a habit of not practicing.”
What advice does Safiyah have for other dancers?
“Take as many classes as possible with multiple teachers. Watch You Tube videos, listen to music. It takes time to develop your “dance self.” So having as much exposure to as many styles as possible will help so much. If you want to improve your technique. I highly recommend videotaping your practice time. Review the tape afterward and make a list of things you’re doing well as well as things that need improvement. You can even ask your instructor to review the tape if you need help. Video sometimes misses out on that extra something but gives you a good idea of things like posture, lines and technique. It doesn’t help much with stage presence and emoting.”
“I have a quote on my Facebook page that says, “Dance to express, not to impress.” My philosophy is to always have a message and tell a story. I far prefer to watch a dancer with lower technical skills who is truly enjoying herself rather than an emotionally-void dancer who has amazing technique.”
Safiyah will be participating in an event with Laila in Pittsburgh on November 9.
Safiyah can be contacted at: safiyah@safiyahdances.com or www.safiyahdances.com
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