Getting through gender dance stigma and societal challenges, Sarra Zaltni, at a very young age has passed challenging stereotypes to show up as a dancer in Mareth, a town located in Gabes governorate, Tunisia. Her dance journey started with a poster in her high school where she went for an audition at the cultural center in Mareth and got accepted to keep her passion revived through performing in different local and regional competitions and events in Mareth, Djerba, including Label’Zic in Medenine.
Aged 19 years old and currently preparing for the baccalaureate exam, the young dancer balances her study and her dance passion, through her dance process, Sarra has been experimenting with different styles including Hip Hop, break dance, popping, and Afro to establish herself currently in a mixture between Hip Hop and break dance. Finding her serenity and calm in dancing, “ Dance is my half, I just put music in my ears, walk and I am free,” Sarra Says, Giving her a sense of belonging with no gender and sex discrimination, the hip-hop and break dancer works to break viewers’ and outsiders’ perspectives toward dancers.
Inspired by the Moroccan break dancer Lil Zoo, Tunisian Break dancer Nour Ben Soltan (Bgirl Nour), Tunisian popper Helmi Bouzidi (Funky Mind), the Russian Red Bull athlete Natalia Kiliachikhina, aka B-Girl Kastet, and Tunisian Afro dancer Fatma Hamidi, The young dancer from Mareth works also to turn the audience’s perspective and to encourage local and regional dancers and their opinions toward local and international dance performers.
