Not many can say that they’ve made the monumental shift from working on an oil rig to becoming a professional dancer, yet Yara Saleh has done exactly that. What’s more, she’s introducing the genre of ‘Dancehall’ to Egypt through her electric choreography and infectious teaching spirit. Dancehall is a genre of music and dance that originated in Jamaica in the 1970s and 80s. The style was named after dance halls where people would gather and dance together, and is heavily influenced by the African diaspora. Each move has a specific cultural context and meaning, which Yara is always keen to delve into in her classes. The 28-year-old dancer and choreographer is a firm believer that Dancehall has the power to truly unite people, a lesson she’s learnt from her journey of discovering the genre, which took her across the world – from America to Jamaica, and back to Egypt. FOR THOSE WHO DON’T KNOW, WHAT IS DANCEHALL? It’s a street style of dance from the Caribbean island of Jamaica – it’s raw, authentic and encourages expression and flow. It’s a social style, one that brings people together, and anyone can…
