Today we’d like to introduce you to Zuhra Kiya.
Zuhra, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Since before I could walk, I have had a passion for dance. I began studying dance at age 5 in Dallas, TX. I went on to study tap, baton, jazz, gymnastics, and I was a member of my high school drill team. My interest in belly dance started after watching belly dancers perform at a local renaissance festival. In 2008, I began taking classes and dedicated my dance career to belly dance full time. I entertain audiences throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and now the Minneapolis, MN area, with Middle Eastern style belly dance. I use an array of props including: zills (finger cymbals), veil, sword, wings, fire tray, and shamadan. I look forward to sharing my passion for and skills in belly dance with YOU!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
You can’t have a rainbow without a little rain. I’ve logged countless hours of rehearsal time and sacrificed much of my free time to become the entertainer I am today. The show must go on: I have danced on stage with 103 temp, a double ear infection and broken toes. I refuse to allow anything to hold me back. My family has been amazingly supportive every step of this wonderful journey. My husband and son even took drum lessons to drum for me. My mom started off my dance journey as a little girl. I watched her make sacrifices as a single mom that have given me the determination I have today.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Zuhra Kiya Belly Dance story. Tell us more about the business.
I have many things I feel that set me apart from others. However, if you ask those around me they will unanimously say it’s “the swords.” They love the swords. I dance with 2 of them at once balanced on my head. My grandmother is to thank for this. She was bound and determined to make me a lady. She would have me balance books on my head. I wasn’t afraid to drop a book so she put China plates on my head. I didn’t want her wrath for breaking one of those so I learned to balance them. When asked why swords my reply is always my mom told me not to run with scissors, she never said I couldn’t dance with swords.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
You can’t have the light without the dark and with a business it’s the same thing. Through failure we learn. So even though I’ve had some things not go quite the way I would like for them to, I learned “that way didn’t work”. I refused to give up.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.zuhrakiya.com
- Phone: 763 999 0226
- Email: zuhrakiya1@gmail.com
- Instagram: Zuhra Kiya Bellydance
- Facebook: Zuhra Kiya Bellydance
Image Credit:
Dennis Hevia
Addison Carey
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