Today we’d like to introduce you to Virginia Assad.
Hi Virginia, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I was raised in a multicultural Haitian Caribbean home, where dance not only brought family together but it didn’t cost any money to bring joy to those moments. My grandmother is of Arabic descent so I’ve always had a fascination for the Middle Eastern culture. This fascination lead me to learning Middle Eastern dance. Now in my 21st year of Middle Eastern Dance, my focus is not only learning and teaching the dance itself but truly diving into the culture. I want my dance to come from an authentic place and not just a fascination of the culture. I’ve traveled to Egypt and Lebanon to further my training and continue to learn from Egyptian master instructor Ahmed Hussein (and others) both locally here in Florida and over seas.
I am the creative director and founder of Asada Belly Dance Instruction and dance troupe Benat el Fan, which means Daughters of Art in Arabic. I also hosts an annual Dance Showcase, called Benat el Fan and Friends, where dancers from all over the world meet to share their love of dance. I founded the Benat el Fan and Friends Show because dancers spend so much time and money on their love for the cultural arts but don’t always have opportunities to just dance what they’ve learned. In many cases dancers who don’t fit a certain stereotype are not given opportunities because of how they look. The show is a gift from God, who put it in my heart to provide that opportunity to dancers of all shapes, complexions, and languages, so that no dancer feels left out. My family is my support system who help me put this even together.
I am currently teaching Middle Eastern Dance at Bellywood Studios near the attractions which is owned by Annette Evans. I am also in a troupe called Amagi which is founded by one of my mentors, Melanie LaJoie. I am also currently dancing in a few restaurants throughout Central Florida and performing at private events, such as weddings, birthdays, bachelorette parties, small private classes, and more. To book me for an event or take one of my classes, contact me at asadadance@gmail.com
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Interesting questions. I many ways it has been challenging but for the most part pretty smooth. I’ll explain. I’m a wife, a mother of 2 wonderful children, a daughter and I’ve always worked full time. On top of that I struggled with an auto immune disease which landed me with 2 hemi-colectomy surgeries back in 2009. Dance got me through the difficult times when I was in the hospital due to my health and when I face stressful moments in my life. Biggest challenge has been juggling all the different aspects of my life and still making sure I find time for dance and time for my students.
When it comes to dance itself the only challenge I’ve faced is a few times when clients turned me down for an opportunity because I didn’t look the way they were expecting. My skin color wasn’t middle eastern enough (ok what does that mean?), or when I was 32 I was told I was too old to dance at clients 50th birthday party. I never let that bother me thought because I feel if I’m not for them, they are most certainly not for me. God has provided many more opportunities that were better fit for me. So you can see why I started my annual showcase because dancers face ignorance like this all the time.
The dance community if central Florida has been very accepting of me. I consider them all my family, so the network and dance itself has been very smooth since the first day I set foot in a studio.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am the founder of Asada Belly Dance Instruction curriculum. I teach and write choreography for my students and clients. My tag line is find your dance essence and style. This explains my teaching style which is based around building a strong foundation, culture (past and present), and ensuring my students find themselves in the dance. I enjoy being a part of every dancers journey who God places in my life. Each dancer has a different goal and a different story so I listen, and help them along that journey.
When I’m performing, my goal isn’t perfection on the stage. My goal is putting a smile on the audiences face. I do my best to translate the music as I hear it and make sure the audience is engaged from start to finish. I teach my students to do the same but not to copy me, instead once they have a strong foundation, they work on finding themselves on that stage.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
My advice to any new dancer is be consistent and to be loyal to yourself and to your instructors. Not all instructors will be the right fit for you and that’s ok. Once you find that one or two that spark the dancer inside you, even if you have two left feet, stay loyal to those instructor so that you can grow in the foundation. Also, not every instructor can teach everything and that’s ok. So take many workshops with different instructors who can bring a different point of view. And try the dance genres if possible. All of this will help shape you into a well rounded dancer.
If you want to become an instructor, make note of the things that resonate with you while you’re learning. Make note of things that were challenging for you to learn and how did you finally learn them. Include those things into your curriculum. Maintain a relationship with your mentors. Take lesson planning courses. These are only a few things but hang in there. It’ll take time to build a curriculum that works for most but you’ll get there by trial and error and by seeking advice from those mentors. Lastly don’t try to take on everything yourself, find a community of friends, students, and mentors who you trust and who believe in you. I learned that they want to help you so don’t feel like you are burdening them, you’re not.
Pricing:
- $75 for 5 class package
- $150 for 10 class package
- $250 for 20 class package
- email for private event prices
Contact Info:
- Website: https://asadabellydance.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asadabellydance/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AsadaBellyDance/
Image Credits
Grateful Soul Photography by Adriana of Orlando
