Anahid Sofian was my teacher in the 70's in NYC, and I was honored to conduct this interview and touch base with the woman who did more to influence my dancing and love of Oriental Dance than any other person. Anahid and I shared several conversations this past week wherein we explored many issues. The result of the interview is presented in narrative form, but was in response to many questions including: How do you view the dance scene today? What would you like to see more of in dancers? What advice can you give dancers? What is your view on dancer associations? How do you reconcile interpretive and innovative dance with extremely technical and choreographed dance? What spurred you on to establish your own dance company?

I am very happy to see a tremendous interest… the dance did die out in the 80's and 90's, but there is a viable scene today. What I'm not happy to see is a less individualistic and creative approach to the dance. The modern Egyptian style that is in vogue and popular now (referred to as Raqs Sharki) is very beautiful and exciting, but it is limited. It does not fully express and utilize the marvelous range in the dance. When I was learning the dance in the Sixties from the Turkish and Arabic dancers in New York City, I learned Oriental Dance as a suite of dances, with numerous rhythms and mood changes. And ultimately, very individualistic, which is one of its great beauties.

I miss the musicianship of the dancer through the use of her zills, the lyrical beauty and mystery of the veil, and the power and drama of floorwork. The modern Egyptian style (and I am delineating from the "Arabic" style) uses only Egyptian rhythms. Oriental Dance can also draw from other Arabic, Turkish, Persian, Greek and Armenian music - a much wider range. There are some practitioners in the modern Egyptian style who say it is the only "authentic" one. I appreciate the purism of the modern Egyptian style, and believe in preserving traditional forms, but Oriental Dance is certainly authentic! The dance exists throughout the Near and Middle East on so many different levels, from the street to the concert stage, from Morocco to Turkey. It is authentic to use finger cymbals, it is authentic to use many different rhythms. Regarding the "authenticity" of the veil, I can't imagine anything being more authentically middle eastern than a veil!

Another beauty of Oriental Dance is its improvisational nature. It is not strictly structured or choreographed, although the dancer certainly needs to know the music and have good technique. When choreographed, the dance loses something in spontaneity and spirit. Frankly, I get bored after a while watching a routine that I can count out and predict, although I do appreciate good technique and skill.

Choreography is good and necessary in the classroom or if setting a group piece, but you can use moments of improvisation even within choreography. Improvisation, though, does not mean doing whatever you want. You can't go out there being interpretive without a technical base. Technique gives you freedom. It gives you control. Jazz musicians continue to play Bach and Mozart. A jazz musician's saying is: "You have to know the rules before you can break them."

Technical skill is important, and musicality is extremely important. You must know your music. We used to call it "having an oriental head," which meant understanding the phrasing and feeling of the music. This is something that's hard to impart to a student. It comes from listening to music constantly, all music: Folk, Sufi, Persian, Armenian, Turkish, etc. A dancer should also go to all kinds of events, not just to see dancers. One gets knowledge and inspiration from many sources.

As an aspiring artist, a student must explore and develop her spiritual authenticity. She must have a direct connection of doing everything with complete heart and soul. Dancers who affect me the most have a total involvement and commitment ¾ they give each movement and each moment its due. Nothing is thrown away. They are also completely honest and completely themselves. I don't want to watch a wind-up doll, no matter how technically proficient or how prettily she smiles.I want to watch a dancer with this spiritual authenticity. Developing this takes a very very long time.

I think that, overall, the standard of performance today is lower than in the 60's. A lot of dancers are out there too soon. They get a costume and learn a routine and then out they go. In New York City in the 60's there were a dozen flourishing nightclubs. In any one nightclub you could see three different dancers with live music. The standards had to be high to get and keep a job. Today there are no venues or standard setters. There are no clubs or places open offering live music and dancing on a full time basis. It makes it difficult for new dancers to get experience or to see the stars so they know what they are striving for.

I think an association is an excellent idea ¾ a workshop I did recently in Baton Rouge was sponsored by a dancers' association. The field is highly competitive because there just aren't enough outlets for dancers. But cooperatives and associations can work well. Dancers need to create their own venues. Today there is a tremendous interest in study but a lack of performance opportunities. In my case, I didn't want to be at the mercy of the clubs - I was determined to create my own situations. I also wanted to take this dance out of the nightclub and into the mainstream. I pursued museums, rented halls, booked my own bands, and was even willing to go into debt. With an association or cooperative, dancers can develop these venues more effectively as a group. They might also be able to get funding as a sponsor organization.

Regarding my interest in a dance company, I had this inclination early on. In my youth I studied ballet and modern dance. At 13 years old, after four months of ballet, I choreographed a dance for four of my friends. Our mothers made us crepe paper costumes … it was rather a rip off of Swan Lake. As I developed as a dancer, I wanted to share and see my ideas beyond a solo. I needed more bodies moving in space. After my trip to Morocco to film the folkloric festival in Marrakesh, I came home inspired, picked my best students, and we had the debut of the Anahid Sofian Dance Company in 1979. Performance is my first love, but teaching and developing choreography for a group is an outgrowth of this love and expands my creativity.

What is the one thing you know for sure? I have to dance. I've always had to dance. I know that one way or another I have to have dance in my life.