This week’s talent will shower your feed with some positive energy in these depressing times. It’s also extra special; not because we’re presenting a dancer, but the first Egyptian to introduce dancehall to the Egyptian dance community. Meet Yara Saleh!

You’re now probably wondering what exactly dancehall is. To answer your question, dancehall is a popular music and dance genre that originated in Jamaica. It’s a social dance that is so raw, very authentic, and spreads nothing but good vibes. Yara is the first Egyptian to embark on a journey to explore the world of dancehall, and in the last two years, she quit engineering and made it her mission to introduce the dance style to her people.

 
 
 
 
 
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It all started when she was a kid; every single Egyptian girl’s story about how she fell in love with dance usually starts at her ballet classes. Yara is no different. She grew up as a ballerina and was always the dancer in her group of friends and, just like all of us, never missed an episode of So You Think You Can Dance. However, Yara had strict parents and therefore, never thought she would ever pursue a career in dance. She studied engineering, she was always an outstanding student, and as much as she loved dancing, she also loved her profession. 

“I couldn’t say that I left a job that I hated to follow my passion,” Yara told us. “I wasn’t failing either, I was succeeding, which made it harder for me to quit, but I felt that I’m in a place where there’s no bigger mission or purpose.”

Yara’s travels were the thing that changed her life for good. It started when she worked as a petroleum engineer in Kuwait for four years. There, she looked for the dance community and got introduced to afro-beats, but still, she didn’t dance a lot because her job was too demanding. Fast forward to 2018, Yara went to the US on a 10-day vacation that ended up to be five months long. There, Yara found out about dancehall and fell in love with it. She kept extending her trip to take more classes (for different styles, not just dancehall) and jump from one dance studio to another. Then, she decided to learn from the source. She came back home, saved a bit, quit her job, and travelled to Jamaica for two months and then to New York for two more months as there were a lot of Jamaican instructors there.

 
 
 
 
 
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“They were surprised I’m from Egypt,” Yara said when she told us all about her trip to Jamaica. It turns out that dancehall is big in many countries around the world, but not Egypt. She was thrilled to be the first to introduce this dance style and teach it professionally here. “I felt this is my purpose because Jamaica has a lot of things that are very natural and very similar to Egyptian culture.”

Now, turning 28, Yara is in a completely different place from where she thought she’d be, but she’s happy. “I feel like dancehall is God’s gift to me. It happened so spontaneously, and in that order; it happened for a reason.” Yes, the career shift wasn’t easy, especially financially, but she now feels she’s living with purpose, plus, her choreography will never fail to put you in a good mood; it’s a win-win!

 
 
 
 
 
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Speaking of her choreos, Yara’s pieces are usually inspired by her mental state and the music itself. So, whatever she’s feeling affects the choice of music she listens to. As she listens to a song over and over again, she sees how her body wants to move to it, and lets the beat and lyrics take her from there. What’s happening in the world also affects the dancer’s mental state, that’s why in the time being, Yara is creating dance pieces that are affected by the ongoing violence and the awakening of acknowledging it. She’ll soon be putting out a choreography that reflects feelings of hope and realisation stemming from a world of injustice.

If you’re intrigued and would like to start learning dancehall, Yara suggests that you start with the foundation and history of the dance style. She says that in dancehall, it’s not just important, but essential. For instance, if you don’t know your posture in dancehall, it could easily be confused with hip-hop, and there are also some moves that if you don’t get the right groove, it might look like aerobics! She also honed in on the importance of watching lots of videos and being always informed about the Jamaican culture, because that’s what gives the feeling and vibe.

So, get started by watching videos online and familiarise yourself with the music. One of Yara’s favourite recording artists is Chronixx, so maybe you could give his music a try. And if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to Yara who’s always there for her students. You can even hit her up if you’d like to find out more about her online classes or upcoming workshops when things go back to normal.

Lastly, Yara’s advice to you is to understand your body and see which style fits it the most, be easy on yourself and don’t compare yourself to others, especially if you’re a beginner. And, finally, not to neglect working out; strengthening your body is essential so as not to end up with an injury. Most importantly, it’s important to remember why you’re doing it, so when you ever feel like you’re drifting away, you’d remember why you started.