Today we’d like to introduce you to Amar Gamal.
Amar, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I started Belly dancing at the age of 13 in Miami Beach. I immediately loved how I felt. The satisfaction of mastering movements and being able to express how you were feeling through these movements gave me pure happiness. I was born in Cuba and my family and I came to Miami during the Mariel Boat lift (a mass emigration of Cubans to the US in 1980). During this time Miami was a very racially charged city and everyone wanted to place you in a category. The common question from kids was “What are you?” I’m mixed race black and white and my ethnicity is Cuban, but there was no box for me to check making me feel like an outsider. In the Belly dance circle we were all so busy learning someone else’s cultural dance and trying to perfect it and represent it as best we could, that there was no focus on race and categories. Belly dancing is one of the many types of dances of the Middle East. Belly dance known as “Raks Beledi” in its purest form is a social and celebratory dance done all over Arab countries by women, men and children. Cabaret belly dance known as “Raks Sharqi” is the modern-style created in the clubs of Egypt in the 1930’s and became the staple reference to describe the more entertainment based style.
Through this dance I was able to experience cultural diversity and the power of the female body. Which was a very important and valuable experience that help shape me, in a time where racists and misogynistic views where the norm. Learning to belly dance peeked my interest to learn other dances and I became an intense student of various dance forms as well as theater. Belly dancing opened the door for the artistic side I never knew I possessed. That’s the beauty of the arts it gives you the opportunity for self-expression and discipline. Which are tools that are essential in life.
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?
Well, like all journeys in life nothing is smooth and bumps are always present and you deal with them but, there will always be more so, you’re always prepared for the next one. Road blocks were all I knew throughout my life. The bumpy roads have been filled with struggles and frustration. However, they have been fascinating and ultimately, leading to astonishing accomplishments. The word “Belly dancing” evokes a lot of misconceptions and stereotypes. Part of the mission has been to reclaim the word “Belly dance” and drain it of its negative and demeaning powers. Reappropriating it to mean celebration of femininity and sisterhood. Teaching belly dance has helped me bring awareness of the beauty of this dance not just as a cultural dance but, also as a women’s empowering dance. It’s a continuous battle of trying to legitimize the dance as a true art form that reflects self-expression and artistry; While, challenging the idea that the sensuality behind the movements are in fact a reflection of empowerment that celebrate femininity and not for the sole purpose of the male gaze and seduction.
At the beginning women are apprehensive to try belly dance, even though they’ve been curious about it; because they think they have to show their stomach or feel they have to be a certain shape or think it’s a seduction dance. But when they finally try it they end up loving it and some even become hard core fanatics, which is always fun to witness.
My continuous goal is to share this beautiful yet, powerful art form with women around the globe. I want to empower women through dance and create a sisterhood where we support and nourish our female energy. Help them find and strengthen self-confidence, self-esteem and self-worth; helping them achieve success and happiness in whatever they set out to accomplish. Belly dancing is an expressive art form and a celebration of the feminine body. It helps women learn to embrace their bodies that come in all shapes, and sizes and represent an array of ages and cultural backgrounds. This dance revels your spirit letting the moves transport you to a deeper self. We learn to smile, laugh and enjoy the moment.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Amar Gamal Belly dance story. Tell us more about the business.
I am a professional belly dance instructor and performer. I’ve been in the industry for 28 years. I specialize in Belly dance but I’ve been trained in classical ballet and many other dance forms. I travel the world as a professional dancer teaching and performing belly dance giving me the opportunity to share this dance with a variety of different cultures and ethnicities. I’ve been a part of many dance companies so I am very experienced with working in groups and a collective.
One of my biggest accomplishments has been the ability to share this dance with a vast array of women from different cultures and ethnicities around the globe. As a professional dancers I’ve had the opportunity to travel to more than 30 countries teaching and performing this dance. Being around so many different women and men (yes you read correct men also belly dance) has given me a special window of knowledge.
I’m known for my ability to give students a great workout and at the same time teach technique, foundation and history. I love enjoying the moment and having fun in class. I give all my energy to my students during their time with me for every class. It’s extremely important to me that students enjoy their time in class and not waste energy feeling frustrated. So, I developed clever ways of distracting them of the challenging dance materials they are learning. Belly dance is a low-impact workout and I plan my classes to feature strength training, cardio and stretch. I’m trained in classical ballet so, I incorporate a lot of its concepts into belly dance to help promote awareness of posture, lines and the overall use for your entire body.
I teach on-going group classes and workshops for all levels, mostly in Bridgewater and Somerville. One of my favorite workshops is “Belly dance Mom & Me” were the focus is to empower girls and women to embrace their bodies, help build a bond, strengthen relationships with parents (any family member) and help promote cultural awareness and acceptance. I originally started this workshop as a way to bond with my 6 year old daughter and introduce her to the world of belly dance in a supportive and fun way.
Contact Info:
- Address: Arts at the Armory
191 Highland Ave,
Somerville, MA 02143
Maha Yoga Center
992 Bedford Street
Bridgewater, MA 02324 - Website: Www.amargamal.com
- Email: amar@amargamal.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/amargamalproductions/
- Facebook: Facebook.com/amar.gamal.3348
Image Credit:
Erik Dong, Cathy Drake Photography
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