| B R A N D O N A S K S T E N T O . . . MAHIRA LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA She takes the physical aspect of the dance as solidified as her mental dedication to professional bellydance. She provides plenty of ingredients to her sensual display, inside and out, and expresses them from a personal perspective. |
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| http://www.mahira.net |
| 1. Who were your 1st and current bellydance inspirations? |
| 3. What are your favorite routines to do in a live performance? |
| 2. As a bellydancer of color, how do you see your current status in bellydance in your area (of Los Angeles)? |
| ''My first inspiration is Dina of Cairo. I just saw her while she was in L.A. (in May) and she was simply amazing. She makes everything look so simple, yet her steps are very complex to do, as those of us who were at the workshop found out. She is also gracious and beautiful. Any of us would be lucky to posess the grace and beauty she holds in one finger! I am also inspired by other Egyptian stars such as Nagwa and Lucy. Also, Hale of Turkey is beautiful and an amazing dancer.'' |
| ''The bellydance world, and the people in it, have always been accepting of people of color, and that is the one thing I'm grateful for. I have never in any way felt seduced or alienated from the bellydance culture in my area because of my ethnicity or skin color. We are lucky that out here (in L.A.) bellydancers are judged more on ability and less on skin color.'' |
| ''I usually improvise my performances, and I typically pick my songs based on my mood at the moment, as well as the venue. I really love traditional Egyptian baladi and Saaidi, and try to incorporate both into most of my shows. I also really like Greek Tsiffi Telli, and dance to it whenever I can. Drum solos are my favorite part of any performance, because they can be really fun when done well andd people usually really enjoy them.'' |
| ''Wow, that is a tough question. There are so many places I would love to go, that I hate to just pick one. However, I would love to perform to the Egyptians in Cairo, as their enthusiasm for their culture is unmatched. I would also love to travel and perform in Greece, as I have been told they shower the bellydancers with roses as they dance. How lovely!'' |
| 4. What international city would you like to perform in and why? |
| 6. You come from a multi-ethnic background. What are they, and how influential has it aided you in bellydancing (in any way)? |
| 5. As a bellydancer ''with curves'' what have been the positives/negatives you have encountered at the professional level? |
| ''To be quite honest, my body type has never been a detriment to me professionally. The women in my family are curvaceous, as am I. However, I have never thought of it as something that is an asset or a problem. It is just how I am. However, I am not willing to starve myself to meet a Hollywood idea! My family would never let me get away with eating a salad at the dinner table. I come from cultures that enjoy food, and I am not willing to give up cooking for anything!'' |
| ''My background is Egyptian, Puerto Rican and Swedish. I have always been influenced by my family, and as I got to college, I became very interested in my background. Growing up, I was surrounded by dancing and music. I could dance before I could walk! :) It was wonderful growing upsurrounded by culture and music. Being mixed, I was exposed to so many ways of thinking and different cultures and was very fortunate. The Egyptian music and dance I grew up with are complex and rich, and have added so much to my life. I was also raised with Puerto Rican music and culture, which is so fun and full of life, just like the Puerto Rican people. And, I was raised with some of the strength from my Swedish ancestors who were actually pioneers and tough people, full of preserverance and history. All cultures I am from have completed me in some way, creating a balance in my life. I would have been such a different person if I hadn't been raised in such a diverse household.'' |
| 7. What is the one trait you value most from all of the teachers you trained under? |
| ''The trait that I feel is most important is the ability to really feel and interpret the music, as well as the ability to really make your audience feel like they are part of the show. Every teacher I've trained with has had a slightly different way of doing both things, and I value all of their expert opinions. However, I sometimes learn the most simply watching performances, and seeing what moves me as an audeince mem- ber. These are the things I take with me the most.'' |
| ''The best advice I could give is to have fun and really enjoy the music. Sometimes we get so involved with the technique and formalities of the dance, we forget what it is to really feel a baladi for the first time. So relax, have fun and enjoy the richness and beauty of the dance and culture.'' |
| ''I still have problems with veilwork. It is something that I am working on, but it doesn't feel natural to me, so for a long time I have avoided doing it. I would also love to learn how to use Isis wings. They look so beautiful under stage lights.'' |
| 8. What advice do you have for today's ''beginner bellydancer''? |
| 9. What's the one move you're currently trying to perfect for your live performances? |
| 10. The day will come when you'll perform for the final time. As you walk off the stage, what lasting impact do you want to have on bellydance? |
| ''I would like to think that as I do my final performance, I have reached all of the goals in the dance world that I have set for myself. One of these goals is to be respected as a true artist who showed reverence for her culture through the dance of her ancestors. I would also like to help people experience Middle Eastern culture in a positive light, and to learn to respect the culture and its people. However, even as I perform that last time, I hope to have a continued impact on the Middle Eastern dance world by instreucting everything I know, and continuing to learn by teaching. Even though there is a day we must stop performing (professionally), we can follow the lead of the dancers in Egypt and after retiring, focus on teaching this beautiful dance.'' |
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| ASK 10'S: AZZIZA RACHEL BRICE SORAYA ATHEENA RANIA ZAHEEA SADIE HOME NEWS VIDCLIPS OASIS/TROUPE OASIS |
| Q U I C K P I C K S CREATED: JULY 5, 2004. *In a world of 6-pack abs, Mahira's midriff puts an equally sexy perspective to anyone. *Loves Traditional Turkish and American Cabaret-style bellydance. *Has a love for henna tattooing. *Have you noticed that beaming grin of hers? *Has performed at the Orange County Fair. *Is very excelled at sword balancing (see pic from her photo gallery!). *Sports a georgeous hip/waistline by far. *Has a solidified following in So. California. |
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