Moselle– 2nd Place Winner

The interview 

 

Let’s start at the beginning… how did your bellydance journey begin? Do you remember your very first class or performance?

 

I was about 21 years old and I was working in the corporate world. I had just been through an ugly breakup and I saw bellydance was being offered at the gym at my work. I was looking for ways to distract myself and it seemed intriguing. I took one class and never looked back. Nearly 20 years later and I’m more hooked than ever. My first performance was pretty funny, in retrospect (and cringey). I had been taught ZERO cultural context, and we danced to "Burn the Witch" by Queens of the Stone Age. Pretty much the furthest thing from Egyptian music.

 

Who (or what!) has influenced you the most in shaping the dancer you are today?

 

It was probably the year or so I decentered dance to focus on embodied movement. I was going through a very tough time and I needed some help getting out of my head and into my body. What I discovered while I was there was that I was extremely uncomfortable being seen, I was overfocussed on how movement looked and not how it felt, and I learned that my body had been talking to me and I wasn’t listening. I lost some technique during that time of absence, but I returned with permission to be fully in my body—and from there, my progression accelerated. 

 

As for people, at every stage of the journey – of which they have been many – it was different people. I wish I could take up the space here to list every teacher and person that has impacted my journey 

 

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

 

My biggest growth moments have been mental, not physical. Dance is a microcosm of life; the challenges we face on stage and in the studio mirror the ones in our daily lives.

 

Performing at the first Dance Like an Egyptian festival in Cairo in 2021 was huge—especially as someone from the Canadian prairies who once thought the dream of dancing in Egypt was far too audacious. Supporting myself into and through something that scared me that much leveled me up in ways technique alone never could. AND that was the first time I met Zara! 

 

Was there a specific moment when you thought, “Yes. This is it. This is what I’m meant to do”?

 

I think my moment may have been quieter than that. I had been in troupes and learning environments of all kinds for 15 years. I’d even taught a little bit, but it was all worked in alongside my “real” work and other parts of my life. I was in another moment of life transition and my relationship to Bellydance was a little bit weak. After 10 years away from my hometown, I had moved back and was finding my feet. I spent a very active year in the Latin dance community, and then one day I turned around and asked myself, “why did I just spend 20 years studying Bellydance if not to do something with it?” And I quietly and without ceremony decided, “I think I’d like to do some restaurant gigs“. Nothing momentous, just honouring and following a little nudge that said, “this would make me happy”. That decision that felt so small ended up being a major turning point for me. Fast forward 3 years, and I’ve now co-founded a Calgary-based artistic initiative called SAMAR, which is dedicated to fostering an appreciation of and support for MENAHT art and artists in Calgary, and specifically, the visibility of improvised raqs sharqi in collaboration with live musicians. It’s attracting a lot of attention, and I’m so proud of it. I’ve always felt like Bellydance chose me and not the other way around, so I guess this was all just a natural outcome of continuing to show up.

 

What inspired you to take the leap and compete at Celebrating Dance Festival? 

 

Honestly, I think it was Zara. I had been fostering a relationship with her over the course of a few years, studying with her when I visited Egypt, and more recently having her teach in Calgary as part of SAMAR. I knew that anything she was involved in was likely to have the kind of honest community vibe I like, and a calibre of instruction that I can get behind. After dancing 20 years, I had never competed before, and I was looking for a new environment in which to stretch myself. I thought it would be valuable to work with my ego by intentionally walking into judgement. I wanted to push myself to new levels… And it worked.

 

Be honest — what was going through your mind on competition day before you stepped on stage? 

 

Different things were happening in my mind throughout the day! I didn’t feel nervous until about four hours before the competition was due to start. By the time I was watching the other performers, I felt less nervous. Performing is home now. I went into this experience very much with the mindset that I was looking for feedback from very talented dancers to improve my own art. Staying rooted in that really served me.

 

 Tell us about your competition piece! Why did you choose that music and concept?

 

I chose to dance to the Salatin al Tarab Orchestra’s version of “Aziza”. I listened to a lot of music before selecting it. I was looking for something dynamic with diverse rhythms, and I wanted it to have a certain vibe: “grounded, earthy queen diva”, to get real specific about it! I was looking for something that gave me lots of opportunity to showcase musicality, and something that would “go” with the two costumes I would feel most comfortable in. I honestly didn’t have an emotional connection to the piece when I chose it… but now I do. It’s the song I competed to at Celebrating Dance!

 

Did anything unexpected (or slightly dramatic!) happen during your preparation or performance?

 

Haha, yes. As I waited offstage and listened to the song’s introduction, I began to approach the stage with the opening strains… and heard that it wasn’t my song. Turns out I had accidentally submitted the wrong song file. We fixed the problem, but by then I was a tiny bit shaken. Not badly, but just enough that I wasn’t in the same headspace anymore. The music came on and I entered as planned. Almost right away, I dropped the edge of my veil. Then, as the song came to a close, my hair decided to take its final resting place in my face, so I used the final note to pluck it away. As Farah Haraf said to me later, “everything that could go wrong, did.” I do think that the fact that the performance was improvised — and that I handled the mishaps with composure — played into my placement.

 

What did the competition process teach you about yourself — as a dancer or as a person?

 

I learned about an error in the matrix, so to speak. On the judges panel were Zara, Farah Haraf, Aziza, and Arabella — world-renowned dancers whose knowledge, skill, and opinions I deeply respect. And yet, somehow, my brain kept saying, “there must’ve been some kind of mistake” that I placed. Experiencing that firsthand was a fascinating lesson: sometimes your brain doesn’t tell the truth. Cognitive dissonance is an interesting creature!

 

How has winning impacted you — whether emotionally, professionally, or maybe even in ways you didn’t expect?

 

It’s a strange thing to be recognised for something that’s so personal, full of love, struggle, and years of work (especially when it’s something you never dreamed you could actually accomplish). 

 

I received both positive and constructive feedback, and I have a very clear direction as a result. In particular for at least the next year I will be focusing on my posture, deeper movement completion, hand and arm elegance, and onstage confidence. I’ve already begun working with what I’ve learned, and I’m jazzed to see where it takes me. As a learning experience, it was unparalleled. Dance keeps humbling me and teaching me in the most unexpected ways.

 

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

 

If a kind, accepting, welcoming community matters to you… if you want lots of different types of subject material and teachers to choose from… if you enjoy the partying side of things… if you want to grow as a dancer… then attending Celebrating Dance is a no-brainer. It can be intense if you try to maximize everything available to you, especially if you’re jetlagged. That said, I also made some really valuable and meaningful connections — the kind that stick with you long after the festival ends.

 

How do you prepare mentally before a competition? Do you have any mindset tricks?

 

I remind myself that I dance because I love it, and that I’m lucky to share what I love. I try to stay connected to that feeling rather than get distracted by all the other things my brain wants to tell me. It helps to remember that our minds are built for survival, not happiness, and that not everything it says is true (see above!). So I acknowledge my mind — “I’m not ready enough,” “these other dancers are stronger,” “I don’t like my body right now” — thank it for its contribution (trying to keep me safe from failure or judgement or whatever), and then intentionally choose a thought that serves me better. This helps me step on stage feeling grounded, present, and aligned with why I dance in the first place.

 

What’s your backstage ritual before performing? (lucky earrings? Peptalk? Last-minute shimmy check?)

 

Well, in Canada in the winter, the first step is to remove your snow boots! lol I always leave my lipstick application for once I arrive at my venue so it’s as fresh as possible. The full ritual depends on how nervous I am and/or how much time I have. I like to warm up my hips, shoulders, and ankles in particular and I will do some movement that gets the blood pumping. If I am nervous, I will do some grounding exercises; I like to take a superman pose and speak some affirmations (“I love my audience and my audience loves me”, is an old favourite).

 

What are your goals for the next year – dream stages, dream teachers dream costumes?

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I am hoping that I get to return to Egypt again later this year! I am also really excited to have just bought my own home, which includes a home studio. I am deeply looking forward to creating in that space… with friends, with colleagues, with musicians, with dancers, and teaching some private lessons too. Having my own studio will let me collaborate more freely with musicians and dancers, and explore new ideas without constraint.

 

 Are you working on any exciting projects that we should keep an eye open for? 

 

Yes! My dear friend and colleague Nico and I are creating a podcast called Bellydance, Unfiltered, which explores what it actually means to be a working bellydancer — not the fantasy version, not as a big star on the world stage, but in your own city, your own community, your everyday gigs and relationships.

 

We talk honestly about mindset, artistry, professionalism, collaboration, and cultural awareness — especially the parts that don’t always get discussed openly. It’s storytelling, reflection, real conversations, with a large dash of goofiness. The guidance we’re sharing is culturally grounded and responsible, so dancers can understand the music, context, and culture behind what they’re doing, not just copy aesthetics.

 

We plan to release the first episode in May 2026, and continue biweekly after that. I hope to meet a few Zameena readers there!

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I’m really excited about that, but it’s not the only big thing happening this year: SAMAR is bringing the lovely Melissa Gamal to teach in Calgary, August 21–23, 2026. The exact workshop details are still being finalized, but like with when Zara  visited us last year, we’ll cap attendance to keep the learning experience intimate. Melissa Gamal is teaching at Celebrating Dance this year, so for anyone for whom traveling to the UK isn’t feasible, this Western Canadian opportunity could be a great alternative. Keep an eye on www.samarexperienceyyc.ca or our Instagram @samar_experience_yyc for updates.