Safiya Nawaar opened Arabesque World Dance on Chair Avenue in 2013. Photo by Sara Hughes
Creative Types is a new editorial series produced by Smiley Pete Publishing in partnership with Creative Lexington, a local initiative that connects the public with Lexington’s arts community through professionally produced “snapshot bio” videos that highlight local artists and other creative types.
At age 27, Safiya Nawaar was a wife, a mother of two, and had a successful career managing a horse farm in Ocala, Florida. She wasn’t looking for a new line of work, especially when her mother-in-law invited her to a Middle Eastern dance class at the local adult education center. But from her first experience with this traditional type of dance, she was hooked – by the music, the movement, and the connection to other cultures and to herself. She hasn’t stopped dancing since.
What began as a passion for Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) dance evolved into Nawaar’s profession as a performer, choreographer, teacher and business owner. When her husband, who works in the horse industry, took a job in Kentucky, Nawaar saw an opportunity to focus her energy entirely on dance, with a particular interest in bringing her passion for MENA dance to her new community.
“I loved the music from these countries,” said Nawaar, who opened Arabesque World Dance in Lexington in 2013. “That’s what brought out all the emotions in my dance.”
Video produced by Creative Lexington, a partner of Smiley Pete Publishing.
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