Jihye Kim – Korean Dancer in Saudi Arabia

Jihye the Korean Dancer to open New Horizon for the Nation

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When we think of dance, we rarely think of Saudi Arabia or some other Arab country. In every sector of society that we investigated, we found Saudi Arabia to be extremely conservative. However, in the last few years, there have been significant shifts as well as revolutions in all sectors. One of them is dancing. The finest example that we have right now is our dancer Jihye Kim who is from Korea. In the year 2019, she traveled to Saudia and began a career as a dancer there.

Dance was in Jihye’s blood:

Jihye was born to dance. she remembers, her mother has always been a really skilled dancer. Jihye was always amazed by the way she danced. she used to follow her when she was younger. As a result, Jihye had no problems whatsoever when it came to dancing. When she was in kindergarten, Jihye looked forward to dancing class every week. she was getting better as she was growing. Jihye’s trainer suggested that she should learn it in a more professional manner. As a result, she ensured that she remained enrolled in professional dance classes.

Jihye got my certificates there. Then she got a job as a dance teacher. Jihye’s ability to dance was getting better and better every day. After obtaining the certifications, she felt a significant boost in her confidence. After she started working as an instructor, she was more motivated. she was very effective at directing people and providing them with information.

The reason behind moving to KSA:

I have never been to Saudi Arabia in my entire life, and I certainly never imagined that I would one day call this country home and make it my residency. Surely, someone from the same background as me would think the same way. But all of a sudden, my husband was presented with a work opportunity in Saudi Arabia. The job offered was one that we simply could not pass up. After that, I decided not to accompany him at the start.

Family versus passion:

I chose to spend time with my family and do what I was passionate about. At the time, I was living in Korea with my children while my husband began working in Saudi Arabia. Before I came here, I gave it a lot of thought. People have been telling us since the beginning that the people in this area have a strong commitment to their traditional values. I had heard that you don’t have as much freedom in every area like other developed countries. But to my relief, when I arrived in Saudi Arabia in 2019, a lot of things were already in the process of changing.

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Visiting different dance centers in KSA:

But in the depths of my heart, I was burning with passion. At the end of the day, my passion drove me to go out and start taking stock. I went to several dance centers.

I talked to the admins, and I learned that there aren’t many instructors to teach the students. I thought I’d give this a try. I presented them with my certifications and spoke to them about my experience working as a dance instructor in Korea. My brain was processing some very peculiar ideas at the time. I was worried about whether or not people would come to learn how to dance. I had no clue that since it’s an Arab country, they wear different clothes to dance.

Journey as a Saudi dancer:

Working as a dance instructor at KSA is a very interesting and unexpected story. It’s hard to believe that I worked as a dance teacher in Saudi Arabia just a week after I got to Saudi. It occurred so suddenly that even I had trouble believing what I was seeing. The Koreans have a limited understanding of Arab dance. But after I came here and saw different kinds of Arabic dances. I now have a significant amount of knowledge on this topic. Regarding belly dance, I realized that it is actually synchronized with Arabic music. Now that I know how to do this dance I am now confident that my choice to travel to Saudi Arabia was the right one to make.

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Dance is healthy:

The most common benefit of any kind of dancing is that it gives you a way to work out that you enjoy more than regular exercise and workouts, which tend to make you bored. Dancing is a good way for people of all ages, shapes, and sizes to stay in shape. It’s good for your body and mind in many ways, like making your heart and lungs stronger. Strength, stamina, and motor fitness are all improved.

Dance styles:

Most of the time, I teach belly dance and Zumba. I enjoy teaching Zumba dance. I like it more than just dancing. Zumba dancing is made up of steps that have multiple moves. It is usually done in groups. So, we don’t have to remember all of the steps. You just do what the other people in that group do.

Belly dance is more of a type of dance that women do. As the name suggests, this dance is mostly about moving the belly in a certain way. It also helps people express themselves and be creative. Women like belly dancing because it lets them say and show what they want and how they feel. Dance can show all of these things, like happiness, flirting, pride, pain, or jealousy.

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Difference between teaching:

I have both kids and older people as students. I don’t teach the same way. Kids need more fun than older people do. I teach them how to dance and do games and other things to keep them interested. I don’t teach in a conservative way. But when it comes to teaching adults, I just show them the steps.

Most of the people in my dance group are Arabs. But people from other countries are also coming to my dancing center and getting themselves signed up.

Revolutionary measures in KSA:

When I first came to the country in 2019, it was very hard. But slowly, things started to change right in front of my eyes. Once-banned concerts are now put on from time to time as KPOP has performed here already.

People are now getting interested in dance because of the concerts. Men don’t care as much about dancing as women do. They have more potential.

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Dance connects with emotions:

Dance is a way to show how we feel. Dance has had a big effect on my life. This is not only my hobby and my passion, but it is also my support when I’m sad. I can show every feeling I have by dancing. In dance, we want to show how we feel by physically communicating, letting our emotions flow through and out of our bodies, and moving other people in the process. When I’m not in a good mood, dancing makes me feel happy and light, and when I’m tired, dancing makes me feel calm and refreshed.

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Other hobbies:

Other than dancing, one of my favorite things to do is golf. Most weeks, I play three times.

Combining your passion with family:

Because of my passion, my family bonds have grown stronger. We have gotten into a great routine. We are able to spend a lot of good time with our kids. I have more energy because I’m happy with my work. With a clear head and a healthy body, I love spending time with my partner and kids.

Message:

There are obese women here. I want them to understand how important it is to exercise. It makes them happy and gives them a sense of being worthy. It gives them a routine for working out. It is just as important in your life as food.

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