Today we’d like to introduce you to Güzel Kandemir.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Güzel. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My journey in the entertainment industry started at a very young age introduced to me by my parents.
My father was a musician and former dancer in Turkey and my mother a well-known dance teacher in Puerto Rico.
Influenced by both their love for performance, art and their cultures Turkish and Puerto Rican, at age 3, I was already learning from them, a very old Turkish traditional dance name Kafkas something I remember vividly. By age 4, I was performing other folk dances like La Bomba y Plena Puertorriqueña, Zeybek even Karachay in small stages or family gatherings. Since then, my dance training never stopped and my love for the art forms just grew. I explored different dance styles from different cultures in my mothers dance academy and belly dancing always stud out to me. Besides that, I joined different team sports were I develop other skills, like a twirling baton, marching bands, cheerleading, among others.
I felt like I never had a break from it, I really loved it and enjoyed it too much! I used to sometimes skip school to go rehearse and belly dance with my friends and sisters. While in school, I looked for every opportunity to incorporate my dancing, I was able to form new dance teams where we had the opportunity to showcase for school plays, field days, other school activities, it was really fun and a great experience. At my teenage years, I joined many competitions as I participated as a soloist, groups shows, musicals and impersonation categories. Competitions were something that used to get me super nervous, especially the soloist category, My training was so extensive, tiring at times used to be very long hours daily. I placed from nothing to 3rd to 1st. I learned so much and trough out the years with much dedication and discipline I was able to reach my first championship in 2007.
In between all of that, I used to design and make my teams costumes something I was very passionate about, also had the chance to be part of other community events, festivals, parades like the Puerto Rican parade in Florida and New York. I felt extra lucky when I got sponsored to compete at the ESPN Twirilmania Championships in Orlando, Florida where I also had the amazing opportunity to be part of the Disney parade. When I reached college, I stopped competing. I went for Fashion and Bussiness Administration after a few months in. I saw a flyer for the Universities Cheerleading, Dance and Flag teams auditions, and I couldn’t resist joining. Performing has always been such a big part of my life, I couldn’t imagine ever stopping I always wonder what would happen later on in my life…
Now, I’m a mom and I feel incredibly blessed to be able to do what I love for a living something that was truly a dream!
My goal is to continue evolving and learning different arts and providing great quality entertainment for everyone and eventually opening my own fashion store and dance studio.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Even though being self-employed is a dream to many it’s very challenging. I do embrace the challenge and I learned a lot along the way.
Please tell us about Güzel Entertainment/ Güzel Belly Dance .
I am a Professional Fire Belly Dancer and Event Entertainer here in Houston, TX. My performances are both Traditional & Modern, with a variety of styles from cabaret, tribal, to fusion and theatrical. My shows are family friendly suitable for all special occasions from weddings, corporate events, to bridal showers, birthdays, and themed events, etc. I offer Fire performances, Polynesian entertainment, Afghani dances, Circus acts, Christmas shows and themed events. Here in Houston, I had the opportunity to collaborate with incredibly talented groups and individuals one of them being Cirque Noir. You can catch my solo acts and performances weekly in local restaurants, festivals, and other public community events.
My goal is to continue evolving and learning different arts and providing great quality entertainment for everyone and eventually opening my own fashion store and dance studio.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.guzelbellydance.com
- Phone: 281-914-8485
- Email: guzelentertainment@gmail.com
- Instagram: Guzel Kandemir
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/guzel.x
Image Credit:
Credits; Mario Almanza, Vu Nguyen, Kristen Gilliam, Gabriel Gallegos
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