Kim – 3rd Place Winner

THE INTERVIEW

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Let’s start at the beginning…how did your bellydance journey begin? Do you
remember your very first class or performance?
One of my first memories (at age 4) is of watching a bellydancer on TV rolling coins
on her stomach, and declaring to my parents ‘That’s what I want to be when I grow
up!’ I remember practicing belly rolls and flutters for a short time after that…but
then I forgot all about it. Until, in mid-30s, a friend saw a flyer for a local bellydance
class and asked me to accompany her. I never looked back after that first class.

Who (or what!) has influenced you the most in shaping the dancer you are today?
My first teachers and mentors (Lea Smith, Charlotte Desorgher, Aziza of Canada)
have been among my biggest influences, as well as a couple of my current teachers,
Lebanese Simon and Florence LeClerc.

Every dancer has a ‘character-building’ moment – what’s been the biggest
challenge in your journey so far?

There have been a few challenges in my dance journey, including dealing with
imposter syndrome.

But one that I remember well from early on was trying to work out what the ‘rules’
of the dance are, what you should interpret etc. And I remember very clearly a
workshop led by Guy Schalom where he explained that I, as a dancer, had the power
of CHOICE. The choice of what to highlight in the music, the choice of what I wanted
to communicate in terms of story / emotion, the choice even of silence. And that
that was how I would showcase my uniqueness. That was a very liberating moment
for me.

Was there a specific moment when you thought, ‘Yes. This is it. This is what I’m
meant to do?’
I can’t say that there was a specific moment after my first bellydance class. But I do
recall the sense of satisfaction when I started teaching in January 2020.
Notwithstanding the impact of the pandemic a few months later (and the steep
learning curve to transition to online teaching), it was a real joy to be able to pass on
what I was learning to other dancers, and keep my passion for the dance alive.

What inspired you to take the leap and compete at Celebrating Dance Festival?
I liked the format of the competition, namely showcasing in round 1 a piece in my
own style and which I’ve had time to work on. But then equally taking on the
challenge of improvisation (both a song and live drum solo) in round 2. Improvisation
used to be my nemesis for many years, as a recovering perfectionist who likes the
control associated with choreography, so I felt I would really benefit from this part of
the challenge.

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Be honest – what was going through your mind on competition day before you
stepped on stage?
Before round 1 – “try to remember your choreo and whatever you do, don’t step on
your skirt!”

When I realised I made it to the final round, I honestly didn’t think I would place. It
was an impressive lineup of finalists, all very skilled. So at that point, I just thought
‘forget about this as a competition, and go out and entertain the judges and the
crowd’, especially as it was a fully improvisational round. I think that really helped
me to show my personality as a dancer.

Tell us about your competition piece! Why did you choose that music and concept?
As with any piece that I create, it’s the music that grabs me first. It must give me the
chills in some way. And Nebtidi Mnein el Hikaya was one of the songs that had been
sitting in my ‘Songs I HAVE to dance to’ playlist for a while. So it seemed a perfect
opportunity to work with it for the competition. It gave me a chance to showcase
some beautiful veil combinations I had previously learnt together with my own
musicality and choreography.

 

Did anything unexpected (or slightly dramatic!) happen during your preparation or
your performance?
Nothing particularly unexpected or dramatic.

What did the competition process teach you about yourself – as a dancer or as a
person?
One thing the process revealed was how easily I can self-sabotage my competition
preparation. I had great intentions of taking the full 10-11 months from signing up to
methodically work on different development goals. But I consistently prioritised
other matters (important in their own right) and in the end only gave myself a few
weeks to really get ready for the competition. If I could do it again, I would give
myself more time and organise my preparation better.

How has winning impacted you – whether emotionally, professionally or maybe
even in ways you didn’t expect?
The main impact has been the realisation that ‘I am enough’. On many occasions,
and even on the day itself, imposter syndrome kicked my butt. But with winning
third place, especially after an improvisation round, I feel finally able to ‘own’ who I
am as a dancer, and especially the ‘flavour’ that my Caribbean roots bring to how I
perform.

For dancers thinking about entering CD Festival in the future – what would you tell
them?

I would recommend setting personal development goals for the challenge, so that
whether you place or not, you can track your own growth and celebrate your wins!
Also, organise your preparation time well so that you can work on your goals
systematically over the whole period.

Oh…and bring a second costume, as you might surprise yourself and get to the finals!

How do you prepare mentally before a competition? Do you have any mindset
tricks?
I don’t have any specific mindset tricks that I employ. But because I know how much
of myself I invest in any performance, let alone a competition one, I try to remind
myself that I, as a person, am more than the performance, no matter how good or
bad it may be. Yes, my intention is to ‘leave it all on the dance floor’ in terms of
bringing my best energy, emotions, even vulnerability. But at the end of the
performance, that’s also where I’m leaving it, to be its own moment in time and not
a thing that defines me completely.

What’s your backstage ritual before performing? (Lucky earrings? Pep talk? Last
minute shimmy check?)
A good shimmy to keep me warmed up…and if I’m feeling really tense, I like to pull a
really silly face for a few seconds. There’s nothing quite like it to tame nervous
energy.

What are your goals for the next year – dream stages, dream teachers, dream
costumes?
I’m always aiming to improve my overall technique, but more than that I love getting
creative and experimenting. So a couple of my goals (which will definitely span more
than a few years) include learning to dance with buugeng (an S-shaped balance prop)
and also getting to grips with playing the tabla again. I made a decent amount of
progress in 2024 but other projects took over last year. So I’m keen to pick up where
I left off…and who knows? Maybe one day I’ll be able to create and play my own
signature drum solo??

This year I’ll be attending festivals and intensives in Spain and the UK, including
teaching at 3 of them, which will be a real highlight for me! I’m also particularly
looking forward to studying with Esmeralda Colabone in September!
 

Are you working on any exciting projects we should keep an eye out for?
I have a few things that I’m cooking.

The first is my course on cultivating creativity as a dance habit, Kultivating Kreativtiy
with Kim Maria. Details on my website www.kimmariabellydance.com. I’ve
thoroughly enjoyed sharing creative practice tips and tricks with other dancers, and
will be opening up the course to new cohorts of dancers a few times in 2026, so
follow on IG or FB for details of when!

Secondly, I’m working on bringing two of my favourite teachers, Lebanese Simon
and Florence Leclerc, to the UK for intensive weekend of workshops (magical
veilwork, Oriental technique and dabke) and a show at the end of November
2026…details will be coming soon! But it’s going to be FIRE!

And last, but definitely not least, I’m working on developing bellydance retreats to
the paradise that is my true home, Barbados, starting from 2027. So if you’d like a
cocktail of blue skies, sandy beaches, warm welcoming culture alongside learning
from top international teachers…watch this space!