Naina Sharma- Tribal Fusion Belly Dance Artist

Hi!

My name is Naina. I'm a tribal fusion belly dance artist from India.

I've been dancing since 8+ years now.

When and how were you first introduced to Belly Dancing?

I was introduced to belly dance in the year 2013 and I think not many people know this, but I was an IT professional for 6 long years before I began dancing full-time. I started my training in 2014, I quit my job in 2017, and a year later I founded my belly dance school. And, I've never looked back ever since

Tell us about Twitchkraft?

Twitchkraft, formerly known as House of Darbouka is a fusion belly dance school which was founded by me in 2018 with the sole purpose of bringing the love of a misunderstood art form to the masses, eradicating the stereotypes and prejudices associated with belly dance.
At Twitchkraft, we believe in exploring different ethnic dance forms from all over the world and fusing its elements with belly dance and creating something unique and beautiful. Currently, Twitchkraft is a team of 5 empowered and amazingly talented women.

How has your journey been from learning the very first steps to teaching?

Oh my journey has been phenomenal! Back in the day when I started my training, I still remember, dance used to be just about learning a set of steps, being on beat and memorizing the choreographies. However, the more I dove deep into dance and with time, with experiences I realized it's much more than a physical phenomena it's actually a medium of coming closer to your inner self and connecting to the divine. I also feel there are a million ways to move and the explorations are endless.

How do you juggle between the many things you're passionate about?

Honestly, I don't really have to juggle between these things. I mean, as far as teaching, training and practicing is concerned of course I follow a strict schedule. But painting and playing ukulele is something that I do for fun.

Your passion is also your work. How do you make sure to maintain balance?

I believe you naturally establish a balance when you are doing what you love and what you're passionate about. I just like to go with the flow.

How would you describe your personal style?

My personal style, I would say, is very casual and comfortable. I love teaming up printed or plain kurtas with jeans with a pair of jhumkis and a bindi and this look is best complemented with a pair of kolhapuri chappals or punjabi juttis.

How do you resonate with Teejh?

I personally resonate a lot with tribal and oxidized jewelry because it's a part of our costume and Teejh, I believe, has the finest collection of jewelry that features unique and handmade pieces and these pieces are super versatile. They can be used alone or to embellish a costume.

What is your advice to budding dancers/ people trying to learn new art forms?

My advice to the people who are trying to learn new art forms would be, delve deep into the roots and history of the art form that you're learning,completely immerse yourself into it, explore as much as you can so that once you know the rules, you can break them responsibly and if you are a fusion artist, if you're fusing more than one style, make sure you're maintaining the aesthetics of the respective art forms and I say this every time, do not clone anyone, find your own style

What does the future look like for Twitchkraft and Naina?

We want to create a space. A safe space for dancers, artists and movers. A space which is free from judgment and prejudices. A space that celebrates sisterhood, love, art and a space where dance is seen as a source of courage and motivation to discover oneself on a deeper level. We want people to fall in love with themselves, with their bodies and embrace their flaws through the art of belly dance.