Biography
Fascinated by the enchanting movements and the beautiful Arabic music, I fell in love with the oriental dance at first sight. Here is my oriental story and like a true artist I will start from upside down. 😊
My dance career in 7 sentences
- A certified oriental dance teacher from the two most prestigious Egyptian schools in the world – Ahlan Wa Sahlan and Mohamed Kazafy Certification Program
- Founder of Badriya Oriental Dance school
- Guest performer and teacher at international and national stages and festivals, and participant in television shows
- Founder of the professional belly dance show group Violeta Dance Company
- Finalist and judge at international oriental dance competitions.
- Author of Raqs Academy – an educational course on the history and styles of oriental dance
- Choreographer and organizer of oriental dance shows and parties
If you are intrigued below is how I got here…
My first meeting with the oriental dance
In 2010 I attended my first belly dance class, a workshop with Eveleina Papazova in Sofia. The music and her movements immediately captivated me, and the magic I felt then remains with me today.
For a year, I studied oriental dance basics by attending Evelina Papazova’s workshops and the classes of her assistant, Boyana Petrova, in my country.
I was beyond enthusiastic, every spare time and money between work and university I spent on dancing. I was fortunate to find a teacher from whom I learned the correct base technique and I made quick progress in a short time.
In 2011 Evelina invited me to become an instructor at her dance school in Bulgaria – Shahrzade. The responsibility I had towards my students and Evelina’s trust in me inspired me to develop my talent and skills further. Also, at that time the history and the origin of oriental dance were a mystery to me – I wanted to know more about them and the culture they originated from. And like this, I started travelling to festivals and workshops in Europe and Egypt.
Searching for knowledge around the world
Over the years, I’ve attended dozens of oriental dance festivals, as well as hundreds of practical workshops and theoretical lectures with the world’s finest dancers and instructors. Artists who adhere to genuine Egyptian dance and shine with a bright personality have left the greatest imprint on my dancing style.
Among them are Mohamed Kazafy, Khaled Mahmoud, Mohamed Shahin, Lubna Emam, Gamal Seif, Tito Seif, Camelia (Egypt), Prince Kayammer (Greece), Shahrzade (USA), Leila (Serbia), Mayodi Sultan (Morocco), Mercedes Nieto (Hungary), Nesma (Spain).
During my travels, I studied not only technique but also the history and styles of oriental dances. Some of the courses I believe are particularly essential for my professional development are:
- Journey Through Egypt – Level 1 & 2 – a course on dance and traditions of different ethnic and social groups in Egypt.
- SHARQ – Symposium for Music, Dance and History of Egypt and the Arabian Gulf
- Mahmoud Reda Dance Legacy – Intensive Folklore Course with Nesma
- Mohamed Kazafy’s professional certification program for oriental dance and Egyptian folklore
- Ahlan Wa Sahlan teachers’ course
- Professional training for aerobics, callanetics and stretching instructor at the Bulgarian national sports academy – at first glance, it is not related to oriental dance, but in fact, dance is a low-intensity practice, which is conducted by certain rules and methodology.
My travels in search of knowledge, inspiration, and self–improvement continue to this day and take me to new and exciting places. They enabled me to acquire experience and knowledge that allowed me to establish myself as a dancer and teacher with my own school.
Teacher and choreographer
In 2014 I found my own dance school – Badriya Oriental Dance. I am pleased to share that this is one of my most successful projects. The school was established as a location where people can have fun while learning oriental dance technique, history, and styles.
Some of Bulgaria’s most successful dancers and teachers began their careers at the school, and my students and choreographies have received awards at different international oriental dance competitions.
Oriental dance styles are part of their respective cultures. And this is why I believe I am responsible for portraying them in the most accurate and authentic manner. On the one hand, this entails correctly demonstrating and explaining the technique, and on the other – understanding the culture so I present oriental dance in its whole rather than isolated movements.
With this in mind, I’ve been improving my teaching skills and developing my own approach. It combines the best practices from my oriental dance training, methods from my university degree in pedagogy, and techniques I learned in the professional course for aerobics and stretching instructors.
In 2016, I started Raqs Academy – an educational course for students who want to go beyond the beautiful dance movements and learn more about oriental dance history and styles. The course expanded from only 2 themes in 2016 to nine theoretical and practical modules in 2022.
In 2018, I assembled a professional belly dance show group. The troupe consists of the most talented and devoted dancers from my school and together we present belly dance shows at different venues.
In 2020, another dream of mine came true and I opened an oriental dance studio. It’s our creative haven, where talented students from my school can grow and become professional dancers and instructors.
Currently, I am teaching regular oriental dance classes in Sofia to children and adults. I also give workshops at international events and judge oriental dance competitions in festivals and dance contests.
Performer
I won’t bore you with a long list of events I’ve participated in; instead, I’ll highlight some of the scenes that have given me the most interesting and valuable experience.
- Belly dance festival – I’ve been a guest performer and multiple belly dance festivals around Europe and in Egypt.
- Belly dance show gigs – from 2013 to 2018 I performed on a regular basis in almost all Arab clubs and restaurants in Sofia. Currently, I give performances at private and corporate events along with my professional troupe.
- Mohamed Kazafy Troupe – for a short period of time I’ve been a member of Kazafy troupe Greece, a truly unique, enriching, and educational experience.
- Events for cultural exchange – I’ve been performing at various events, hosted by organizations and ambassadors of Arab culture. The purpose of these events is to raise awareness and celebrate Arab art and culture in Bulgaria.
- TV shows – I’ve been performing and giving interviews for oriental dance on different tv channels and broadcasts, including the Bulgarian national television and radio, and Bulgaria Got talent contest.
What is the oriental dance for me
Oriental dance helped me gain self-confidence and taught me that I can achieve my goals. I learned a lot about Arab culture, music, language, and customs through belly dancing. Dancing daily keeps me in shape – physically, mentally, and emotionally.
My love for them motivates me to improve my skills in a variety of areas so that I can be the best dancer and instructor I can be.
But, most importantly, dance helps me to be creative, to visualize a concept, to transform an emotion, or to tell a story. The richness and variety of Arabic music, as well as the different oriental dance styles, allow me to express all aspects of individuality.
Visit Gallery to see my students and me in action. 😊
