Alia Al Neyadi has been lighting up the stage from a young age; She found her passion in ballet when she was only three years old. Her mother, Svetlana Al Neyadi, was a successful Ukrainian ballet dancer-turned-teacher, then teaching in New Orleans. Following a 20-year career as a ballerina, and having moved from the States to the UAE after she married, Svetlana was invited in 1997 to teach ballet courses to children at the former Cultural Foundation in Abu Dhabi. Classes of five quickly turned into classes of 25, and soon she’d created the region’s first ballet course at the children’s centre at the Cultural Foundation. It was here, amid frothy tutus and the sound of en pointe shoes clacking across the dance floor, that Alia was given her first real insight into the world of performance art. And now, she has been bestowed with the title of the 'First Emirati Ballerina', but her journey doesn't end here. Alia will move forward on her quest to open people’s eyes to the beauty of ballet and transform the perception of performing arts here, in our homeland, for generations to come.
Interview with Alia Al Neyadi
1. What inspired you to pursue your career?
My inspiration came from what was initially a hobby and then turned into a commitment during high school years. I realized that a profession in dancing wasn’t realistic at the time that’s why I decided to work in a place (department of culture and tourism-Abu Dhabi) that supported Emirati talent and promote the performing arts which will hopefully open a fully operated arts center with an in-house orchestra, ballet academy and opera.
2) What is the best part about your job?
The people I meet! It’s always interesting to see how different people with different paths of life have one thing in common, and that’s culture, that’s art, performing arts which is more important than any differences we may have as individuals. I love how I get to curate events and help expose more of the performing arts in the capital because without the governments support it’s always hard to make a change and our government is like a family, without them and their support it’s impossible to feel complete.
3) What difficulties have you endured to get to where you are today?
I think that the most difficult thing would be time. I always knew and that’s how I was taught that no matter what we do if it’s new then people will judge, question and definitely talk about how strange it is. Time for me was the only thing that made it difficult because we know for change to happen we need time however in order to get through everything you feel the judgments and talks so much and sometimes give in to them because everything takes time before it gets better.
I also received many backlashes regarding my religion and my commitment to the Emirati community but I always found that interesting that a girl at 14-15 who was raised as a Muslim would ever offend her own religion. I tend to not include religion and political views in any topic as culture and art are supposed to bring people together no matter who they are or what’s their background and I think that is what people are missing.
4) What do you aspire for the future?
I have many dreams for the art scene so I’m working on some things that I can’t reveal till later so make sure to stay tuned and follow my work!
5) What advice do you have for women across Dubai who are in pursuit of their dreams?
No matter how grand or impossible your dreams sound, believe me you can do it! At 9 I was declared first Emirati ballerina with no one in my time or my age doing anything similar or first in anything and I had many critics who were over 30 which was tough but now we have so many bright young women who are aspiring to be great and unique! The leaders of uae support talent and growth and individuality so follow your dreams and dedicate hard work because nothing worth fighting for comes easy, I can assure you!
6) If you were stranded on a desert island for a week, what (or who) would you want to take along with you?
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I’d definitely take my sister! She’s the calm one when there’s a crisis!