BELLY DANCER

BELLY DANCER SELINA

Oriental belly dancer

Selina is a Swedish dance star!
A p rofessional belly dancer.
International Artist & Dance Teacher.
And judge in international dance championships. On this page you will find Selina’s own story about her career as a dancer.
Her dance education, skills and highlights. Selina has been performing belly dancing for over 15 years.
Her shows have gilded castles in Sweden and theaters in China.
Not to mention all the shows at 5-star events in the Middle East with Arab celebrities.
If you are looking for a professional belly dancer to perform at your event, you have come to the right place.
Her dance education and spellbinding charm are an unbeatable combination!

The most booked belly dancer in Sweden

With the curves in the right places.
A deep knowledge of oriental dance.
And an impressive track record.
With teaching and performing around the world.
Swedish-born Selina decided to conquer the oriental dance world.
Her dance is a mix of traditional dance movements from the Middle East.
She wears the latest “haute couture belly dance costumes”.
This, combined with her beauty, makes her performances unforgettable.
She has talent and genuine passion for her art form.
As well as a long track record of appearances for royalty, politicians and celebrities.
Selina has become one of the most recognized and sought-after belly dancers in Scandinavia.

Professional belly dancer

When I grew up in southern Sweden, I had no idea that I would become a professional belly dancer.
Especially not a belly dancer who performed in the Middle East.
I’ve always loved belly dancing and gymnastics.
But like many others, I only saw it as a hobby.
My first contact with oriental dance was when I as a child lived with a family from Palestine.
I fell for the music and the dance movements.
Started collecting songs and dancing in front of the mirror in secret.
If I met someone who could do belly dancing, I asked them to learn movements.
But I never dared to show my “dance skills”.
They were my secret.

First job as a belly dancer

As a child and teenager I performed various dances.
But never oriental dance.
I was too shy.
It wasn’t until I visited a restaurant with an open dance floor.
Like I danced belly dancing in front of people for the first time.
Then I was offered my first dance job.
This led to me spending several summers living in Turkey.
Where I learned Turkish belly dancing.
A manager discovered me.
Shortly after that, I was on stage as a belly dancer.
Every day I danced in several 5-star hotels Turkey.
The interest in belly dancing grew into a passion, a profession and a lifestyle.

Being a belly dancer in Sweden

Soon after I finished my education in design technology, I started traveling to different countries and taking dance lessons.
took lessons from belly dance stars from the Middle East, Europe and the United States.
I still had no idea how important oriental dance would become in my life. If I had known how belly dancing would change my life…. I soon started performing as a belly dancer regularly.
With more than 10 shows a week.
In just a few years, I had more than 1000 performances in restaurants.
And lots of shows at weddings, festivals and other events.
The list of scenes was long and varied from; oriental restaurants to castles.
I even performed for Sweden’s prince, Carl Philip.
And I became Sweden’s representative for belly dancing in China.
Where I got to work with Egypt’s biggest belly dance star Fifi Abdou.
And Turkey’s most famous belly dancer Didem Kinali.

Started teaching belly dancing

At the same time, I fell in love with several other oriental dance styles.
From Egypt, Lebanon and the Arabian Gulf.
Teaching belly dancing was something that came naturally.
In 2007 I had been employed at 7 dance schools.
Then I started my own dance school.
Usually had nine classes a week.
At the same time, I taught abroad at belly dance festivals.
I was invited to teach belly dance festivals in Poland, Denmark, England, Germany, Turkey, Morocco, and China.

At the same time in Sweden

In Sweden, I led a group of belly dancers called Turkish Delight.
And was a mentor to dance teachers and professional belly dancers.
My students usually describe me as inspiring, knowledgeable, humble and a little crazy.
I love teaching belly dancing.
It’s a passion!
I have worked hard to put oriental dance on the map in Sweden.
I have run a dance organization that promotes oriental dance.
Organized several dance trips to Turkey.
Arranged lectures and workshops with famous belly dancers.
One year I taught school children voluntarily.
Grades one to six at almost all of Malmö’s primary schools.

Started dancing abroad

Over the years, I have been interviewed several times in leading Swedish media.
I also created Sweden’s first internet-based belly dance forum.
I founded a webshop with belly dancing clothes called Selina’s Bazaar.
Since 2007 I have also run the largest Swedish blog about belly dancing.
I’ve been busy, but I still have the desire to do more, learn more and dance more.
Constantly looking for new knowledge.
I started a diploma in Egyptian dance and music in England.
The training was given by the world-famous Egyptian musician Hossam and Serena Ramzy.
I was granted (as the first belly dancer in Sweden) a scholarship by the Swedish Arts Grants Committee to research dance from the Gulf.
So far, I have achieved many goals and dreams, which I never thought were possible to achieve.
I feel blessed.
Many times I thought; It just can’t get any better than this.
I was so wrong.

Belly dancer in the Middle East

In 2012, I visited Dubai.
There I got in touch with a manager who offered me a chance to audition.
This audition was for one of the Middle East’s top performing arts agencies for belly dancers.
I was ready to say no.
Because it would mean that I would travel to Lebanon for several months of dance training.
Without guarantees.
I was scared.
Afraid to travel alone to a country.
Especially as insecure as Lebanon was described in the Swedish media.
And…
What if I fail?

The fortune teller

But then something unforeseen happened.
My friends booked me an appointment with a fortune teller on my birthday.
She didn’t know that I was a belly dancer.
Without knowing anything about the agency in Beirut or me (not even my name or my friends’ names), the fortune teller said:

“You’ve been asked to train and perform abroad, don’t say no, you’re going to get a lot of contracts. I see you dancing in a golden palace. And I see you dancing on a big TV screen for a huge audience. You’re a dancer and you have to go.”

Crazy and superstitious

As crazy and superstitious as I was, I traveled to Beirut.
There I was trained by belly dancers for two months.
Auditioned for several managers from the biggest 5-star events in the Middle East.
I got a contract right away.
A month later when the car stopped outside the first hotel I got a contract for in Tunisia.
All the hair on my arms stood straight up.
The name of the hotel was “Le Palace”.
It means the palace in French.
It was decorated entirely in gold.
A few months later, I was on stage in Iraq for 1600 people.
One of the walls of the large ballroom had been built into a huge TV screen.
When I spun on the stage, I saw myself.
Just as the fortune teller had said: “dancing on a big TV in front of a huge audience”.

Career as a belly dancer

Since then, I’ve performed at the most extravagant events in the Middle East.
Opened the stage for Arab megastars.
Like Fares Karam, Cheb Khaled, George Al Rassi, Mohamas Abed Jabbar, Sattar Saed and Hatem Al Iraqi.
I have also performed for royalty, sheikhs and politicians.
With shows every night in different countries.
In Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates, Tunisia, Morocco, Qatar, Oman even Iraq.
Oriental dance my life again.
I was a full-time belly dancer.

Lucky

I’m lucky.
Who gets to see the world and grow as a belly dancer among fantastic artists in the Middle East.
In addition, I have made friends with belly dancers from all over the world.
I’ve got dance colleagues like Sabriye Tekbilek.
Who has been my mentor on my journey towards being a professional belly dancer in the Middle East.
Today I travel around the Middle East and perform.
I teach as much as I can in Sweden and at international festivals.
My bags are packed, who knows where I’ll dance tomorrow.
If you want to follow my dance journey, you can follow my belly dance blog and my INSTAGRAM.
Before I end my story, I would like to mention a few words to all the up-and-coming belly dancers.

“Remember that every professional belly dancer was once a beginner. Don’t be afraid of the future dance can give you. Take chances, travel, evolve, be humble and enjoy the journey.”

/ Belly dancer Selina Sevil

Train to be a belly dancer

To train as a professional belly dancer is a more winding path than to train in many other dance forms.
There are no universities.
Or an obvious path to a complete education.
The dance has many names such as; belly dance, Egyptian dance, Turkish dance, oriental dance, Middle Eastern dance, Arabic dance.
And in Arabic – Raq’s sharqi.

An old dance form

According to experts, the dance form is very old.
In fact, the oldest dance form in the world.
Oriental dance was passed on from the older women in the family to the younger ones and varied in performance from village to village and country to country.
Oriental dance has roots older than the major world religions.
Many historical stories feature a belly dancer.
Oriental dance has a deep history and worldwide popularity.
But unfortunately, it is still not an art form that a dancer can train for at university.
Like a bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree.
Which is possible in classical Western dances such as ballet, or modern dance.

How do you become a belly dancer?

This makes the path to becoming a professional dancer in oriental dance at the corresponding level more difficult.
Every oriental dancer must search for his own path.
To find an oriental dance education.
Every belly dancer has to study more than the movements, such as the history, music, and culture surrounding the dance.
A belly dancer has to travel a lot.
It is important to read a lot and experience the oriental dance in its traditional setting.
And just like any professional dancer, she has to spend many hours on her dance training in the dance studio.
All at your own expense.

A difficult road

That being said, it is understood that finding the right teacher in oriental dance is not always easy.
The level between oriental dance teachers and professional belly dancers varies greatly.
Selina realized the importance of a good dance education at the beginning of her career.
She took pride in working hard year after year.
As well as traveling to different corners of the world to gather knowledge.
Trained by famous belly dancers.
Everything was a must in order to be able to become the belly dancer she is today.

Selina’s training as a belly dancer

On her way to becoming a professional belly dancer, she took lessons from lots of oriental dance teachers.
In addition to these, Selina attended the following trainings.

2010-2012: Drumzy School of Dance in England

Training in oriental dance.
For professional belly dancers, teachers and artists.
A diploma in Egyptian dance and music, in England.
The training was given by the world-famous Egyptian musician Hossam Ramzy.
And belly dancer Serena Ramzy.

2011: Jawaad – Institute of Oriental Dance in England

Course for professional dancers.

2013: Training at an artist agency in Lebanon

Trained in oriental dance by a dance coach.
Coaches who only train professional dancers active in the Middle East.

Highlights as a belly dancer

Performed at a concert with Algerian Cheb Khaled, Denmark
Show with star George Rassi, Tunisia
Dancing at a castle for Sweden’s Prince Carl Philip, Sweden
Participated in a concert with star Fares Karam, Tunisia
Dance show with Turkish star Intizar, Sweden
Appearance for ministers from Armenia in Dubai
Dancing at a concert with Iraqi Shatha Hassoun, Sweden
New Year’s show at the 5-star Rotana hotel in Arbil
Opened concert with Iraqi Hatem-Al Iraqi, Sweden
Participated in a performance with the Malmö Symphony Orchestra, Sweden
Belly dance show for royalty in Oman
Performances with Mohamed Abd Jabbar, Iraq
Saed Sattar concert, Iraq
Daily shows at the 5-star hotel Le Palace, Tunisia
Head dancer at the 5-star hotel Thalasso, Tunisia
Performed several times at Casino Cosmopol, Sweden
Belly dance shows at 5-star Galaxy Hall, Iraq
Daily shows at 5-star Zeus, Iraq
Turkish belly dance show at Kervansaray Marmaris, Turkey
Dancing at the 5-star hotel Marti, Turkey
Appearance at the 5-star hotel Turban Palace, Turkey
Christmas show with Danne Stråhed, Sweden
Shows at the 5-star hotel Mövenpick, Dubai
Performance at the 5-star hotel Crown Plaza, Dubai
Guest performance at Bellydance China Festival, China
Belly dancing performance at the 5-star Shangri-La hotel in Oman

Selection of Selina’s teachers

Selection of the teachers Selina trained with in oriental dance and music.
She has chosen to mention these teachers above others because they left a great impression on her dancing.
And they were teachers who made her grow as a belly dancer, teacher or artist.

Fifi Abdou (Egypt)
Badriyah (Czech Republic)
Aida Nour (Egypt)
Sema Yildiz (Turkey)
Didem Kinali (Turkey)
Hossam Ramzy (Egypt)
Zenne Diva (Turkey)

Suraiya (Poland)
Sadie (America)
Marta Korzun (Ukraine)
Alla Kushnir (Ukraine)
Serena Ramzy (Brazil)
Warda (Brazil – UAE)
Ogun (Turkey)

Aziza (Canada)
Sheeren (Czech Republic)
Nour (Russia – Egypt)
Tito Seif (Egypt)
Ahmed Fekry (Egypt)
Khaled Mahmoud (Egypt)
Randa Kamel (Egypt)

Competence

Sense of rhythm and music
Creative ability to express oneself through movement
Used to working as a belly dancer in a team with other artists
Skilled at improvising body movements
Expressing emotions and stories in dance
Has a good sense of rhythm and timing
Possesses good balance, posture and agility
Performs well-isolated, smooth and sharp movements
High technical dance skills and physical ability
Excellent ability to coordinate body movements
Knowledge of the history and styles of dance
Knowledge of the origin of dance

Can use several types of dance equipment
Understanding of; rhythms, structure and instruments
Can improvise to live music
Choreograph high-standard dance routines
Train professional belly dancers for competitions
Ability to inspire with creativity
Experience of being a belly dancer in film and theatre
Can judge in international championships for belly dancers
Deliver fun, structured dance events
Used to administering a dance organization
Has toured as a belly dancer in the Middle East
Experience in designing dancewear