I fell in love with Belly Dance when I was 16 years old. I was looking for some kind of dance style that I could explore in a different way. I tried my first Belly Dance class in Metepec, Mexico and bingo! I had found it. Once I started learning belly dance I felt more intrigued by it. Later on, I met the amazing dancer, Faten from Argentina!. She was teaching in Toluca and decided to expand my knowledge of this amazing dance with her. Faten taught all her students that Belly Dance has a long history and as dancers, we must honor it and respect it. I learned the different rhythms and melodies that come with the music. She was so passionate that she brought so many talented artists from overseas so we could learn everything about this millennial dance, such as, Fatima, Oswaldo "El Beryewe" Brandan, Salomé Mayo, Mohamed el Sayed, Fadi el Saadi, Roudy Harb, Pablo Acosta, Luciana Acosta, Najua, Corel Cayunao, etc. When I started learning many different styles, I realized that I wanted to become a professional.

 

​I started taking seminars with international dancers such as Petite Jamila (USA), Leyla Jouvana and Roland (Germany), La Beduina Sarat (Argentina), Tamalyn Dallal, Bozenka, Amar Gamal, Sabrina Coleman, Yousry Sharif, Asmahan, Luna (Perú), Vanessa Angulo (RD), Latiffa Layali, Mohamed Shahin, Randa Kamel, Elena Ramazanova, Jehan Kemal, Tito Seif. My studies have continued with the espectacular Ranya Renee, Ava Fleming, Anasma, Oreet, Amir Thaleb, Samir Abut, Mahmoud Fathelbab, Antonia Azahara, Carmen Vargas, Berny Vargas, Antón Sankiem, among others. ​

 

Faten noticed my passion and discipline with Oriental Dance and invited me to be part of her Professional Dance Company called "Harem". We won 1st places in several competitions and were invited to participate in TV Programs such as "Te levanta" at TV Mexiquense and "Por la Mañana" at Televisa. ​

 

In 2010, I got certified by the CIAD (Inter-American Dance Confederation) as a Professional Bellydancer and Teacher.  This has allowed me to find the best way to teach technique and history to my students.

 

​I won the 1st Place and  the Best Soloist Award at the 1st CIAD International Competition in Toluca in 2012.​

 

After being part of Harem Dance Company, some friends and I had the vision to develop our own dance company called "Rakisat min el Alam" meaning "The Dancers of the World". We believed that being a bellydancer shouldn't be a privilege of just a few but every person in the world. This way we honored the name of the group. As Rakisat min el Alam, we won the 1st place at the International Maria Shazadi Competition in 2012 in a group category and we've had the amazing opportunity to dance with Fadi el Saadi in his Tribute in 2013.​

 

In that same year I took the decision to move to Los Angeles to start my career as a professional actor and in 2014 moved to New York City to finally settle down and continue my career as a Professional Bellydancer as well. Using Acting as a tool to move my dance forward, I performed the dance of "The Seven Veils" by Oscar Wilde at The Ansonia Theatre. I've performed at the NYCairo Festival in 2015, House of Duende's launch video in 2016, the Set NYC at the Lovecraft Lounge, The Poet's Den Theatre, The Producer's Club for the Theatrical Bellydance Project in 2016 and I also had the great honor to be invited by Kaeshi Chai and talented musicians to dance at her weekly show in Djam under Jebon in the Lower East Side. I moved back to Los Angeles in 2018 where I started performing live at renowned restaurants such as Cabaret Tehran and Shah Abbas in the same year. My heart is fulfilled when I step on stage and I am able to tell endless stories through dance but most importantly, the truth.​

 

Thank you to all my amazing dance colleagues, dance teachers and school directors who I have collaborated with and have trusted in my professionalism, knowledge and passion for Oriental dance and to continue teaching and sharing the love for this ancient performing art.  All of this has given me the experience to be who I am now as an artist.​

 

Throughout my career in Bellydance I've met several artists who have left a footprint in my career. People who I will never forget; Fadi el Saadi who taught me how to play darbukka and certified me in the first 2 levels to become a percussionist. He taught me how important timing is to perform to the next level. Mohamed el Sayed, who always emphasized that without feeling there is no point in dancing; we have to find ourselves in it, because it is what makes us want to move along and make the audience connect with us. Faten for her passion and support in her classes, my family and my mom who saw something in me and supported my career from the beginning and Luis Salgado, Artistic Director of R.Evolución Latina who taught me a great lesson "Dance and make ART with a purpose otherwise we are just moving puppets". ​

 

by Alejandra Camacho​