São Paulo – Brazilian dancer Martina Cancio’s career in Dubai began in 2007, when she travelled to the United Arab Emirates to perform for tourists at hotel restaurants. Ever since, she has also danced in other countries in the region, such as Syria, Lebanon, Egypt and Oman. Last year, she established her own company, Art Zone, which offers shows by Latin and Arab dancers at various events.
“I started teaching dance classes at schools and gyms, working with local entertainment companies, doing samba and flamenco. I performed at birthdays and women’s parties until I got a clientele and saw the need to set up a business,” the dancer explains.
Born in Salvador, Cancio studied at the Dance School of the Federal University of Bahia, and did belly dancing and ballroom dancing while living in Brazil.
Working with ten male and female dancers, mostly Brazilian and Colombian, Cancio offers samba, belly dancing, pole dancing, capoeira, flamenco, Latin dance, children’s and themed performances.
She tells that the shows are hired for a bevy of occasions, such as end-of-year corporate parties, parties for employees, weddings, children’s anniversaries and surprise parties. Her clients include Arabs and expatriates living in Dubai.
“Brazilian belly dancers are well respected and highly regarded in the Emirates. Brazil is fond of Arab culture and Brazilians have that swagger, dancing comes easy to them,” Cancio says about how professionals from Brazil are perceived in Dubai. She also remarks that there are many belly dancing schools in Brazil. According to Cancio, there is no competition with Emirati dancers, since local women usually do not dance in public.
Out of the jobs she has done in Dubai, Cancio highlights the shooting of a music video with Ghanaian rapper, which took place in the desert. “A few people from Ghana have told me [the video] was all the hype [in the African country],” she says.
Another highlight job was an internal contest between female employees at energy drink company Red Bull. “I was hired for an annual cheerleading competition. Employees in each country created one choreography and I coached the Dubai team, which was participating for the first time and finished third,” she says.
Cancio sings praise of the entertainment market in the Emirates. “It’s a good, profitable market. People value entertainment, they love to party,” she says.
In addition to performing at parties, Cancio teaches belly dancing classes. “I am sought after by wives who want to dance for their husbands,” she says.
The prices of Art Zone shows vary depending on type. A samba show with five dancers, a standard bearer and typical Carnival attire, for instance may cost as much as US$ 4,000. A solo belly dance performance can cost US$ 816.
Contact
Art Zone
Tel.: +971 50 760-4980
Email: martinacancio@artzone.ae
Website: www.artzone.ae
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
