Nisma Osama Hamid, a Sudanese student of ballet at the Arabesque Ballet Centre in Abu Dhabi, took a trip of a lifetime to California, USA, to perform at an international dance festival and in Disneyland! She kept a diary of her adventure, and shared a few pages with Tempo…
The minute the plane landed I was dumbstruck as the reality of my situation hit me like a ton of bricks: I was in star studded Los Angeles, The City of Angels, the city of dreams, not to mention home to some of the greatest stars! Those thoughts were interrupted by a tiny voice at the back of my head that reminded me about the purpose of my mission, DANCE. Our studio, Arabesque Ballet Company, Headed by Ms. Samarra Abu Samra, Director, had been chosen to represent the UAE in an international dance festival in California.
Our group of eight dancers, three directors, and nine parents flew 16 hours to reach California. The dancers were Jessica, Louisa, Sherry, Maya, Lou-Jane, Jade, Ella, and I – and we felt totally lucky to be involved in a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
We were all thrilled to perform on the stage of “The happiest place on Earth!” Our day at Disneyland was thrilling and nerve-wracking, as we had been preparing for that performance for two months. We performed a dance routine of Aladdin – a production that reflected the spirit of Disney and the essence of the Middle East. It was incredibly exciting!
We took classes with students from all over the world. Although we came prepared my confidence faltered…adjusting to a completely different environment, other than that of our small Abu Dhabi cocoon, was challenging. Insecurities arose in me, and I think I speak for all my fellow dancers when I say that we all had doubts, but we realised that the only way to overcome them was by facing our fears head on.
The classes were great; most of them were dance styles that I was not acquainted with. Hip-hop was a very popular class – it was a great way to unravel and have fun. Tap was relatively new to me and I tried my best – now I can say I a few tricks up my sleeve. The categories of lyrical, musical theatre, and ballet were my strong suits. I never expected there to be the level of emotion in every routine we learned and every motion we made. One of the greatest surprises of our class schedule was the African dance class. I felt that I got in touch with my heritage in that class, as I danced to the beat of the drums and experienced the authenticity of the artform.
At the end of our festival there was a gala dinner and an awards ceremony. Jessica and I performed one last time in Los Angeles. I was thrilled by the proud smile on my mom’s face and the approving nods from my directors. The after-party was my final chance to bid farewell to some truly amazing people who became my friends: Caitlyn and Katriona from Scotland, Alee and Jackie from the Philippines, Jack and Rachel from Michigan USA, as well as Danie and Hollie from England.
I will miss the ‘smell of money’ that fills the air of Beverly Hills. “Parting is such sweet sorrow that I shall say goodnight till it be morrow,” uttered William Shakespeare. Or in my words “What a thrill!”
By Ajir Shujahi
