INTERVIEW with UNA

by Shabnam

  1. How did you get introduced to Belly Dance?
  2. Who was your first teacher?
  3. How did you come to develop your style?
  4. Do you choreograph or improvise your routines?
  5. Your abdominal tricks and undulations are amazing. Any advice for all the belly rolling newbies out there?
  6. What is your favorite dance move?
  7. How do you stay in such great shape?
  8. What is your practice regimen like?
  9. Out of all your dance awards which one is the most important/significant to you
  10. Besides Belly Dance, what other dance styles have you studied?
  11. Share something about yourself that no one knows.

My doctor suggested I find something to make me "happy"; a "thing" of my own.
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Yassmeen Samra based in Palo Alto
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After watching and listening to sooooooo many dancers...........I noticed there was no set in stone "rules". My mentor gave me the basics which included zill patterns, but no one used the veil much or included the audience. I lived a very Gypsy style life with my parents, and learned that if I was serious and put my soul into my dance people would watch me for hours. Dancing truly makes me happy and I love sharing that. I use all the "basics" and trained zills (to make music), veil, attitude, my Latin roots and created the most award-winning style by adding fun.
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I always do what the music asks of me. Improvise.
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Know and remember we all have the same muscles.
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Too many to pick just one, but I might pick belly beads, because I had extensive ab surgeries and was told I would not have control of the muscles. And, I love to hear,"now that's what I call belly dancing!"
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It's a habit. My father taught me my body could withstand anything and I could make it do what I want it to. I have eating habits introduced to me during my body building days and I really enjoy jumping rope and doing push-ups. Plus I act like, and keep up with, the children I Nanny for.
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Shimmies........about six hours a week.
Zills..............six to eight
Veil..............three to four
All out dancing about seven hours a week
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Fave' awards?........Nafisa's Best Belly 1995? ( not sure of the date ).
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Latin/Spanish ,mambo, ballroom, country, a bit of ballet, jazz, hula, won several cash awards for the Twist!
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The person who brought out the best of my "soul" dancing was my late husband, Bobby, my belly dance partner for 19 years.
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