We were lucky to catch up with Farima Berenji recently and have shared our conversation below.

Farima, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

In the early 1980s, travel in Iran was unsafe. The country had gone through a revolution and was in the midst of a bloody war. It was a time no child should experience. But for me, it was an adventure, not chaos! Although many people fled Iran or escaped the war-torn cities for safe refuge in nearby villages, I yearned to visit my grandmother in her city home to hear poetry, music, and see dancing! As my grandmother would gather and entertain us with folk tales and legends, even though the lights would sometimes black out her stories would illuminate the room. When she would sing or read poetry, the magic of a fantasy world would emerge. I would get up and dance and spin as other kids teased and exclaimed, “Oh, she’s gone crazy again!” It was as if I was no longer from this world but from the past! Admiring that these folk tales captured my heart, my grandmother asked me to remember these stories and poems, realizing they would help me create and share dance narratives based on age-old themes and legends. These moments sparked my love and fascination for ancient mystical dance and movement. It exposed the art of the ancients to me and shaped the woman I am today.

Farima, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I have loved dance for as long as I can remember. As a child, I remember dancing to any music, anywhere. My family was very involved in Iranian and Azerbaijani arts, literature, mysticism, music, and dance. Both my mother and grandmother were my primary dance instructors and mentors. They were dancers, musicians, and poets. As a young member of a family of artists, when my family came together it was a sacred gathering with whirling, praying, singing, and chanting. My mother migrated to the United States from Iran when I was just three years old. Although I grew up immersed in the Western way of life, she would push me to preserve my ancient heritage and encourage me to study the history of my home country. As a child, I would always return every summer with her to Iran and be schooled to read and write Farsi and to learn Iranian culture. My mother was determined that her daughter should learn her heritage and mother language. I fell in love with the beauty of Iranian art, culture, and dance. These travels made me a better person and able to meet exceptional people who have profoundly influenced my life.
Today, I am an award winning, internationally acclaimed performing artist, instructor, choreographer, and dance ethnologist. As a master instructor and performer in Persian and Sufi dance, I specialize in ancient, sacred, classical, and folkloric dances of Persia and Central Asia. Recognized as one of the few world scholarly experts of ancient and mystical dance ethnology, I am the founder and artistic director of the Simorgh Dance Collective, a world community of expert and emerging artists devoted to cross-cultural dialogue and artistic collaboration in traditional, classical, and sacred dance styles of Persia and the Silk Road. I am also Assistant Director and Program Director of Eastern Arts, advisory council member of Mosaic America, a member of the International Dance Council (CID-UNESCO), the National Folk Organization, and the first Iranian-American woman TEDx lecturer and performer in the field of dance. I hold MA degrees in Anthropology/Archaeology and in Iranian dance ethnology both from Cal State Hayward, and an M.Msc. and a PhD from the University of Sedona in Iranian metaphysics and mysticism, specializing in Iranian mystic traditions, Sufism, and women’s mystic rituals. I travel worldwide to record, research, lecture, perform, educate, and to inspire dynamic creativity and rejuvenation through dance and movement.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Dance helps us understand and appreciate other cultures; most importantly, it helps us learn about our past. Dance is deep in the heart of every culture throughout history; it is part of the pulse of humanity. It embraces multiple genres, styles and traditions and is constantly evolving. It promotes understanding, tolerance, and friendship among all nations, races, or religious groups and fosters peace. Dance brings people closer together; it creates peace, harmony, and understanding among people. Dance can teach us about our past, about history, and about our own being. It is a beautiful art that can easily take away any pain and put a smile on one’s face.

Creating and sharing dance helps others appreciate and find unity in nature and in humanity. Furthermore, dance empowers women. As women participate in dance projects such as these it encourages a bond, self-discovery and growth, and engages them to share a vibrant and healing dance art with the world.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Throughout my life, I have always sought challenges. As a minority woman, I’ve faced obstacles, ignorance, and sexism yet still pushed forward. All who face an uphill battle must have courage and hope. Throughout my experiences, the best way to help others has been to truly educate myself and gain the knowledge and ability to listen, teach, share, and prevent injustice. It is beneficial to discover the hidden treasures of the elegant and sacred movements of dance and to understand and value when and how these movements came to be. Dance is a journey, originally a spiritual practice not just technique or entertainment. My soul guides me whenever I teach or perform. I open up to the universe and allow my ancestors and spirits to take control. Dance is the joy of the soul and the body; the soul’s entry into the body is dance. Music and dance are the best ways that can unify people and bring the peace, healing, and love we need. Regardless of what you do or what your work is, your soul wants to dance, touch, and kiss the infinite, and that can only happen by trusting, letting go, and listening to your divine essence. If you allow the spirit to live and show itself in your work, your teaching, and performance will become more powerful.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://farimadance.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/farimaberenji
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FarimaDance
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/farima-berenji-persian-dance/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/Farimadance/
• Other: https://vimeo.com/simorghdance https://www.patreon.com/Simorgh

Image Credits
Alreza Sorush Varol Ozkaner Cynthia Photography Christopher Pelham