We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Anastasia Kakias a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Anastasia , thank you so much for joining us. You are such a positive person and it’s something we really admire and so we wanted to start by asking you where you think your optimism comes from?
My optimism comes from witnessing the joy that comes from bellydance. Whether it be classes, performance or costuming. It is joyous to dance and it is fun to see and wear the costumes that adorn the dance.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am a professional bellydance artist from Ohio. I enjoy all bellydance has to offer, from classes to performance and every little thing in between. I offer classes online through patreon, and I have packages for the serious bellydance enthusiast in “the learning tier” as well as for those who just want to enjoy the creative movements of bellydance, using a dance along formated tier. I teach weekly classes at Village Creative Dance, in Newark OH where we gather together and have a lot of fun together each week. I am hosting a workshop March 1st, at Bennett Hall at the Ohio University Chillicothe Branch, in Chillicothe, OH. The workshop is designed for all levels of bellydance, including those who have never tried before! For more details, please email me about the “Diamonds on the Acropolis” seminar anastasiathebellydancer@gmail.com. You can also find an event page on Facebook.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
The most important things I’d like to acknowledge in my dance journey have come through many experiences.
It is important for me to learn as much about bellydance as possible, because this dance is extremely broad. It is a prominent dance in many cultures, but with very different styles and nuances. In order to be a respectful, professional bellydancer, you have to know the appropriate culture you’re representing in order to respectfully depict the dance form the audience is looking for.
Musicality is very important to this dance. Knowing the culturally appropriate music for the performance is important. For example, If you are performing for a birthday party with an East Indian audience, you’ll want to use East Indian music and perform accordingly which is usually pretty fast paced, As opposed to dancing an Egyptian wedding with slow, a little more sensual music. Separately, the different rhythms have certain movements, feelings, and notations that the songs are used for. For each use of song, there is a timing and a place for it within performance.
Specifically for professional performers, I would advise having a decently versatile costume collection. If you intend on turning this passion into a dedicated hobby, a profession, or anything that will put you in the public eye, I would suggest having a wardrobe that can be interchangeable and effective in a variety of circumstances. There will be events where the customer wants to have a very modest performance, meaning very little skin showing, and also performances where customer is looking for a more traditional, Cabaret style as they show in the movies. There will also be fancier events! Just like you’d dress more casual for a festival than for a wedding, you’ll want to do the same for costuming your dance.
Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
My mother has helped me every step of the way in my dance journey. She is a professional bellydancer as well, and has guided me and helped me find my own path. She’s been my costume designer, my cheerleader and my role model. I couldn’t have kept going without her having my back.
I am also lucky enough to have the full support of my husband. He allows and encourages me to involve my passion with every trip we take and finds a way to make it happen, no matter how far, or impossible it may seem, he helps me get there.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://anastasiathebellydancer.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anastasiabellydancecolumbus/profilecard/?igsh=c2Zodnp6NTN4dXpt
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anastasiabellydancecolumbus?mibextid=ZbWKwL
- Twitter: @anastasia_fotia
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@anastasiausakakias675?si=oFQ5xjiQqWhZeIsw
- Other: https://patreon.com/AnastasiaBellydanceColumbus?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink
Image Credits
Paulette Kakias
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
