Ep 348. Badriyah: When Life Falls Apart, the Dance Remains
Badriyah is a professional oriental dancer based in Belgium, dedicated to Egyptian classical and folkloric styles, modern fusion, and the Golden Age of belly dance. With over a decade of teaching experience, she offers regular classes at Shoonya Dance Centre in Ghent and travels across Europe to teach and lecture. A former lead and troupe member of Jillina’s world-touring company Bellydance Evolution, Badriyah has performed more than 60 shows across 13 countries, from Hollywood to Morocco. Passionate about preserving dance heritage, she is also the founder of the Raqs Sharqi Museum project and a devoted collector of vintage belly dance artifacts dating from the 18th to the 20th century, bridging the past and present of this art form through both performance and research.
In this episode you will learn about:
How becoming a mother and going through a divorce reshaped Badriyah’s life, art, and priorities.
The transformation of her dream of “Raqs Sharqi Museum” from a private project into a global cultural collaboration.
How the war in Gaza profoundly affected her worldview, anxiety levels, and artistic expression.
Practical methods for managing anxiety and creative burnout — from micro-task planning to “first aid for the mind” through movement.
Her unique approach to storytelling in Golden Era acts — blending historical recreation with deeply personal authenticity.
Show Notes to this episode:
Find Badriyah on Instagram, FB, Youtube and website, as well as Raqs Sharqi Museum and Leylet Raqs festival. Find out more info about the T-shirt project mentioned in the interview HERE.
Previous interview with Badriyah:
Ep 147. Badriyah: Dreaming Big, Digging Deep!
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