To celebrate the heart and soul of our community, we’ve been interviewing some of our ZeoT students. It’s our privilege to dance with so many different and wonderful women and we’ve loved finding out more about their lives, their passions and, of course, their love of dance.⠀
I am Samina Fayyaz, a 34 years old Swiss-Pakistani blend. I grew up with my Swiss mom and brother in an open-minded family in the Canton of Zurich. I was taught to be always curious towards other cultures, foods and music. When I was little I liked to listen to old Bollywood songs or I would help my mom cooking. From an early age, I developed a passion for cooking and to make people happy with home-made food. Maybe this curiosity for “exotic” things made me choose to study Indology and Portuguese.
To strongly value the bond to my core family and friends. To me, it’s also important to stay curious, creative and dynamic all the time, to travel, to discover new things and last but not least, dancing through life!
“To me, it’s also important to stay curious, creative and dynamic...”
Are you doing or working on anything exciting at the moment?
In fact, I am passionate about dancing and language but I haven’t founded a business combining these three, yet! You can follow my creative outputs on Instagram. Since I am also interested in Food and Climate Change, I am currently volunteering in the ClimateFood group of Myblueplanet, a Swiss climate NGO. In collaboration with “Crowd Container”, a Swiss fair-trade start-up, I’ll organize a cooking workshop about sustainable agriculture and direct food marketing which takes place in September.
How did you find your way to ZeoT?
Why did you start dancing? Why belly dance?
An old school friend of mine who also used to go to ZeoT told me about the school and how good it is in terms of technique. So I changed from a School in Winterthur to Zurich.
I actually never thought I was able to move gracefully, but rather felt clumsy. This feeling changed, when about 17 years ago my mom convinced me to go to this beautiful belly dance studio in Winterthur, where my interest in this type of dance was ignited.
I chose oriental dance firstly, because it’s not as physically challenging as other classical dances, that is, anyone in any shape and condition can do it. Secondly, it has a lot of similarities with Indian dance and offers many different styles from folkloric to fusion. And lastly, it’s simply fun!
“Belly dance classes lift my spirit practically always...”
Tell us about your experience with belly dance!
What do you like about it? What do you find challenging? Is there a style of belly dance you prefer?
Belly dance classes lift my spirit practically always, no matter what mood I’ve been in before. What I especially like is its mix of femininity, elegance and strength. And I am still stunned by the sheer endless variety of movements, from soft to sharp, from big to subtle and from dramatic to playful.
For me, Belly dance is always a challenge for muscles and brain, especially when it comes to isolations and shimmy layering.
I can’t say I prefer a particular style (it’s difficult to discern them, anyway) but rather certain dancers. But I’m not a big fan of too much “drama”. I really like to dance and watch drum solos, some Egyptian and Turkish styles, Saidi (with the stick) or zills. What I’m very attracted to, are fusions with Contemporary Dance, Salsa, Tango or whatever works!
Do you have a story to tell?
As I mentioned before, I haven’t started my own business yet but maybe in about ten years I can tell you something about my progress in dancing! Thanks to dancing, I gained a good posture and body balance, much more confidence. I also improved my self-perception and learned to look at myself in the mirror.
If you could invite anyone for dinner, who would that be?
And why them?
I would invite my closest friends and family because they have done so much for me and always supported me in whatever I am doing. And I know, I would have a great time!