

From her early years as a dancer in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Serena Ramzy has crossed five continents to become one of the leading exponents of Egyptian belly dance in Europe today. Her repertoire embraces classical and traditional folkloric dance, Baladi improvisation and contemporary dance. Serena is renowned for her individual form of dance expression and engaging presence on stage.
Hossam Ramzy is world's leading Egyptian dance teacher, percussionist, composer and world music artist. His musical career started in his early age playing the Egyptian tabla, continued with jazz drumming in England in middle 1970s and brought him back to his first love, the Egyptian drums, and the dance rhythms of the Middle East. His extensive discography includes Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, Luciano Pavarotti, Gypsy Kings, Rolling Stones, Tarkan and the list goes on…
Working together, this dynamic duo have toured the world performing and teaching. One of the following stations on their tour is our neighboring Slovenia, where they will hold workshops and show in December. So, lets meet Serena!
Orijentalni-ples.com: Serena, I can not help and I have to immediately ask you: you were only 15 years old when u become a professional dancer. Most of your peers at that age were just started high school, and you were already dancing in top clubs and restaurants and on weddings. The question imposes itself: how did it look, your unusual growing up in a multicultural megalopolis?
Serena: It seemed and looked very normal from where I was looking. It was what I wanted to do as a career so I had no hesitation in going for it. I was very much involved with the belly dance community since the age of 8, so it seemed very natural to be performing and practicing most of my time, when not in school. My sister has been a professional Belly Dancer since an early age, so I grew up watching her, learning fro her it and just absorbing it all. I can't imagine having has any other way. My friends were in the dance too.
Orijentalni-ples.com: In the homeland of samba and carnival, what was that X factor that attracted you to Egyptian belly dance?
Serena: The music, the subtlety of the movements of the Egyptian style and the way it portrays feminity in a very personal and delicate way. Also, if you look at the history of Brasil, we were a Portuguese colony for many years and the Arabian Moorish influence is clearly demonstrable in our music, rhythms and art. No wonder I fell in love with this side of my roots.
Orijentalni-ples.com: Superb dancer like you learned from many masters of trade, and certainly every one of them integrated a part of their expression in your dance. But, I'm interested in who had a biggest influence on your understanding of music and dance?
Serena: Hossam. I have been studying with him for 14 years now and I have so much more to learn. My knowlwdge of music comes from waht he has taught me and also, just leaving with him ans seeing him produce the most wonderful pieces of music is a enormous lesson on it's own. As for dancers, my biggest influence is Naima Akef. Watching her dancing and studying it from a musical and rhythmic point of view has taught a lot through her musical interpretations. She was and continues to be an incredible artist.
Orijentalni-ples.com: After so many years in dance, traveling 5 continents, numerous workshops and performances, your enthusiasm and love for dance is not looming, but growing exponentially. Where it comes from, all that inspiration?
Serena: You don't know half of it…. As a matter of fact, I am more excited about it than ever. I love my work…. it is my art, it is my life…, I love to dance , and I love to share it with others. The more I do the more inspired I feel about doing more. The goal of spreading the dance to the world in its most respected and aestehic form , is our goal and the more we do it , the more artistically rewarding it becomes. Creating a new genaration of dancers who can take the dance to a higher level of acceptance amongst the cultures of art and artists of the globe is a mission that Hossam and I took upon ourselves and we are succeeding through our Dance School here in the UK. And now, we are travelling all over the world teaching and instructing other dancers, helping them understand how to become one with the music they adore.
Orijentalni-ples.com: Your perception of dance is certainly changed over the years. Can you describe your current understanding of this ancient art of dancing and the interaction with different musical styles?
Serena: Yes, you are right. My perception of the dance has changed along the years and the more I study and learn about it, the more I find I need to study and learn more. I take each musical composition as an individual work of art and i study it to full perception and conceptial understanding. I do this with egyptian music, same as i do with indian , flamenco or brazilian music. Howver my guide lien is always the translation of the music, accordig to Hossam's article: 'Drumming 4 Dancers', published on www.hossamramzy.com.
Orijentalni-ples.com: Regarding my previous question, the music you dance to really covers a wide repertoire: classical, Baladi, folklore and popular music, sometimes recorded music, sometimes pure improvisation to the music of the band of your husband. What would be your favorite?
Serena: I love the music whether live or recorded. However, there is a special magic to the live music. When you work with the best musicians creating the most beautiful sounds, you know that it is a unique moment that has to be cherished as it is a breath in the wind that won't be repeated the same again. It is spontaneous and inspires me to be on a plane that I can't describe in words. Only in motion.
Orijentalni-ples.com: Egyptian folk dances, such as Bedouin tribal dance and Saidi with stick, have great influence on your dance technique. What about other dance styles that at first glance have no connection with the belly dance?
Serena: I draw from all dance styles. All dance inspire me. I have a childhood love, which is Ballet. I dance it til today. It will never stop for me. There is so much one can learn from other forms of dance. There is a lot if Brazilian influence in my soul, being a hip dance too. Many of our moves are quite similar to those from the Middle East. I beleive that it is important to respect and understand as much of each style of dance that I approach, be it for learning or for fusing with. I believe in learning about the people, about their culture about their way of expressing what is their day to day way of life. In Brazil, we would do it in one way, in Egypt, we would do it in another as I am sure that in Croatia and in Eastern Europe, you will find the same thing done with your own colour and spices.
Orijentalni-ples.com: In the past few decades developed new styles of belly dance that are combining movements from the Egyptian and Turkish style with other dance styles (ATS, tribal fusion…). Your view on these new arrivals?

Serena: I like ATS. I thik it's original and it does not claim to be what it is not. I appreciate originality, but not so much when someone brings out any mix just to be different. I also find that Egyptian dance sufficient enough by itself it is done well and done well to the music. Only when it is not done in this fashion you will find that it is in need of extras In order to justify this departure from what dance is about… which is the physical portrayal of the music. We are creating a Renaissance of the dance by helping the dancers understand their form of art and become masters of their tool of their trade. We need to understand our roots before moving on, so we know how and where to move on to. So, for those other additions that you may call as arrivals, as they arrive, they will soon depart…. I have no opinion on them.
Orijentalni-ples.com: Your background in belly dance is so rich that its really hard to extract the most interesting moments. But this will not leave anyone indifferent: you and Hossam spearheaded the very first national dance performance by women in the history of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,on celebration of the 100th anniversary of their independence day!
Serena: Yes, that was an incredible experience!
Orijentalni-ples.com: Our web site visitors are certainly very curious and would like you to share with us a brief preview of the workshops and show that you and your husband will hold in Slovenia in December.
Serena: We will bring our philosophy of the dance. This is how to interpret the music. Couple with a two day workshop where we will be teaching various aspects of classicality and rhythmic understanding. It will be more than just fun… it will be like water to a thirsty flower in the desert. We will explain a lot of techniques, much about rhythms and how to be one with the music. How to gain knowledge that you can use not only in one choreography, but that which gives you the key and password to DANCING TO THE MUSIC. As for the concert… Hmmmmmmmmm, you will just have to come and see it for yourself…. It will be like a feast for your eyes, ears, hearts and souls… Have you ever seen Hossam drumming live? You will be amazed.
Orijentalni-ples.com: And finally, is there anything you would like to say to the dancers and lovers of Oriental dance in this region and to those who are about to become fans?
Serena: I look forwad to seeing you all at the concert and workshops. We want to share our time in Slovenia with you, and invite you to join us in creating 'The Belly Dance Renaissance ' .
Orijentalni-ples.com: Thank you very much for your time and hope to see you in Croatia one day!
Serena: You are more than welcome. I too, look forward to meeting you in Croatia. We would love to visit your country.

Authory: Marina Flamaceta for www.orijentalni-ples.com
November 17th 2010
photos: private archive Hossam and Serena Ramzy
Special thanks to Ksenija Visket of Plesna delavnica Zahir who made this interview possible.