HAYAL Oriental Moves

After our oriental dance class we caught up with Amira and Shalymar, founders of Berlin’s HAYAL Oriental Moves dance studio, to find out a little more about the exotic sport and the story behind their stunning studio…  

USC: What led you to open up HAYAL Oriental Moves?

Amira: Shalymar and I met when we were training to become belly dance teachers. Shalymar wasn’t living in Berlin at the time, but as we’d just finished our training we thought “why not start teaching?” So we looked around for rooms – but instead of rooms we found a completely equipped studio. So suddenly in 2007 we had our own dance studio.  

USC: What’s your dancing background?

Amira: I started with belly dancing. I worked with other dance forms later to expand my repertoire of expressions and movements but my main training is in belly dance.

Shalymar: I started with ballet as a child and did this for a long time. Then I started doing jazz and aerobics, and later some modern dance. In between all this I started belly dancing.  

USC: And what does “Hayal” mean?

Shalymar: Hayal is a Turkish word, it means ‘day dream’. For us it was a dream to have a dance studio. It didn’t seem realistic but then it suddenly just happened. And meanwhile we expanded and moved in to this larger studio with two rooms in 2013.  

USC: There are lots of pictures of you on the walls. Do you perform a lot?

Shalymar: Yes. We perform a lot at festivals and at private events. We also organise our own shows once or twice a year. There are many belly dance festivals; once you get into a scene and specialise in something you realise there’s a huge community behind it. There are also lots of competitions all over the world. The world championships are held in Russia every year.  

USC: What kind of competitions are you involved in?

Amira: I competed in the German Championships once. We also have students who take part in competitions, and if they need extra training then we give them private classes and provide choreography.

Shalymar: My group, Hayalina, will compete in the German championships this year and then in the World Championships if we qualify. There are 10 people in our group and I founded it six years ago. We practise at least once a week and perform at festivals.  

USC: What can USC members expect from Oriental Dance?

Amira: In the basic class you’ll learn how to move and isolate the different parts of your body. Isolation is the main component of belly dance, so you’ll learn how to move just your pelvis or your rib cage or your shoulders. Of course there will be a wide range of steps and turns, too. As the level increases the movements become more complex. The first lesson teaches simple movements, but they’re still challenging and can be exhausting – when you practise and repeat one movement for a while you really feel it.  

USC: What do you enjoy about belly dancing?

Amira: I like that there are so many styles. Belly dance and oriental dance embody many different places and cultures – North Africa, Central Asia and the Middle East. There’s the authentic Egyptian style, or European or American style. You can also use your imagination and create your own movements and style. You can do anything you like. It never gets boring. I also love belly dancing because I don’t need a partner.

Shalymar: I love it because I can use my imagination and creativity and most of all it allows me to feel, enjoy and celebrate my femininity more than any other dance form.  

USC: What advice would you give to someone new to belly dancing?

Amira: The only advice I can give is to have fun and be open because everything will build up. You will grow with practise. I think the biggest misunderstanding is that belly dancing is just shaking your butt. There is a sports component; we warm up with yoga and pilates and we work all of your muscles – it’s a great workout.

Shalymar: Yes open your heart and mind. We, too, are still learning. It’s a never-ending process of development and improvement.  

USC: What inspires you in terms of your creativity? Is there a specific culture or community that influences you?

Shalymar: Egyptian culture definitely influences us, but my main inspiration comes from the music. When I find music that inspires me everything else follows.  

USC: Have you had any moments that have stood out that have made you feel very proud or happy?

Amira: It just makes us so happy when we see our students growing. Some have said that dancing has helped with their mental health. When we see our students enjoying themselves, that’s the most beautiful thing.

Shalymar: I have to admit that we both are proud when we hear that international colleagues recommend our studio. In these moments we become aware of our progress and achievements.  

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And have a look at similar USC dance partners across Germany.