I was so young, I’m not sure what exactly it was that drove my ambitions, but once I started my obsession with dance really took over my life and I was willing to train and practice as much as it took to get me where I wanted to be.ĭuring my teenage years I tried all different kinds of belly dance but once I started to learn about Egyptian dance and folklore, I was hooked. What led to you becoming serious about your dance studies?Ī. My mom will be the first to tell you that I decided I wanted to be a professional dancer almost immediately after starting classes. She ended up taking them with me for several years. I had recently started home schooling and my parents were very open to letting me explore my interests, so when I saw belly dancing and started asking for classes my mom found them for me pretty quickly. What phase of life were you in when you took your very first dance class?Ī. I was maybe 10 or 11 years old. How did you first encounter the dance form that you primarily teach and perform now?Ī. I saw belly dance videos advertised on TV! Was social dance or music a part of your life growing up? If so, how?Ī. My parents were always playing music, all kinds of music, so I was really interested in music from a very young age and loved moving to it. Let’s learn about Shahrzad’s origin story.Ī. Now that I think about it, I cant really remember a time when I wasn’t singing and dancing, I can’t even pinpoint a certain moment because it was always there. The time has finally come! This coming weekend, Shahrzad and her partner, Marshall Bodiker are coming to Portland, Maine to teach workshops and perform at the 10th anniversary Springtime Spectacular! Her teaching skills were deeply impressive and I resolved to bring her to Maine at the next opportunity. She was kind enough to arrange a private lesson for my friends and I. The first time I encountered her was in 2014, when her performance at the Las Vegas Belly Dance Intensive inspired an immediate standing ovation.Ībout a year later, I was planning a visit to Cairo and heard that she would be there.

Shahrzad series part 2