Interview with Kelly S.

March 30, 2010 12:56 PM

Name: Kelly

What is your role within the Sahara Dance community? Company Member, Student, Lover of Dance

Childhood ambition: My childhood ambition was to become a successful politician who would change the world. I have no idea where this particular childhood dream came from, but being a politician is the farthest thing from my mind now. I think rather than change the world, I would like to have a positive impact on it and leave some kind of legacy.

First job: McDonald’s cashier. Even then I was ambitious; at 15, I was running the drive-thru.

What’s playing on your iPod or CD player?
Prince - the entire discography
Alice Smith - For Lovers, Dreamers, and Me
The Roots - Phrenology and Rising Down
Maxwell - Black Summers’ Night

Indulgence: Besides dance — Wine! Also, I cannot say no to good crème brûlée or chocolate mousse.

What’s your favorite belly dance moment or experience? My most unforgettable experience is when I first performed at the student showcase this winter. What a rush! My favorite moment was when I was able to learn to make my stomach flutter.

Current inspirations:
Dancers:
Ebony - her style is unique and through her courses I think I am starting to figure out my own unique style.
Ansuya - Her dancing is so fun. Whenever I watch DVDs of her choreography, I have to try it although I don’t know what the heck I am doing. The movement puts a big smile on my face though, so it does not matter that I cannot do it.
Alvin Ailey - I love watching them dance. They have actually brought me to tears!

Music:
Prince! - I am a raving, lunatic fan. He is so unique and out there.

Authors:
Paulo Coelho - everything he writes makes me really take a close look at my world and the world around me

What is your dance background? I took ballet when I was about 7 or 8 … and I hated it!!! The guys in my karate class always made fun of me for having to go to ballet and wear a tutu. Since college, I’ve danced socially on DC’s club scene. About 5 years ago I decided to take a belly dance class at a local community center. For some reason, it was always something I wanted to try. I fell in love with it immediately. Since then, I cannot get enough of dance. I’ve started taking ballet again, at the age of 32, and I’ve even started taking pole dancing classes, in addition to belly dance instruction.

How did you get interested in belly dance? Oddly enough, I cannot pinpoint exactly when I became interested in belly dance. It was just something I thought was beautiful and uniquely feminine. I wanted to try it, though it looked impossible to learn, and as soon as I had the first opportunity to take classes, I did. The rest is history.

Finally, what do you love most about Sahara Dance (other than Hip Talk, of course!)? What I love most about Sahara Dance is the feeling of community. Here is a safe space for women of all ages, shapes, and backgrounds to come together and dance. The support, instruction, and enjoyment created in this atmosphere is absolutely phenomenal.

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