Exclusive interview with Artist of Cirque Du Soleil - Jorge Safer Hammad

Jorge Safer Hammad(28) is an artist of Cirque Du Soleil, who has been dancing for 13 years! He has been a dancer of Brucee lee Biography in NYC, finalist of the best Tv Show Dancing in Spain "Fama Revolution", has won different National and International Competitions and has been travelling all around the world: Usa, China, Japan, Hong Kong, Sweden, Italy, Finland, France, Maroc, Germany, Luxembourg, Denmark, Norway, etc. i- Marbella brings you an exclusive interview with the talented guy who trains 5-6 hours a day!!!

1. How and when did you start dancing?

I started to dance when I was 15 years old, in the year 2000. I was watching a music video and that was the first time I saw someone break dancing, so that really impressed me. Also my best friend at that time, Samuel, knew something about dance so he introduced me to the world of Hip-Hop.

2. Where were you educated? 

I have been educated in Malaga, where I finished my High School and then my superior grade, also can speak four languages - English, Spanish, Arabic and French.

3. What do you consider your biggest accomplishment as a dancer? 

For me the biggest accomplishment as a dancer and a person is be happy in life,  do what I really love to do every day and fight for it, even if i don't have the support from other people - friends, family, producers, sponsors, etc.

4. What are your ambitions?

My ambitions never die... because I am a person who have really curiosity to learn every day different things and focus them into my life, be the best on what I am doing, and always wanna win. 

5. How did you become the member of Cirque de Soleil? 

I am an Artist of Cirque Du Soleil since 2008. It was really hard but at the same time really beautiful. One friend of mine called me to go with him to the auditions for Cirque Du Soleil between thousands of people from all around the world. I thought that was very difficult, but not impossible so we went!

When I auditioned, one of the chiefs said that there were not only one audition, they were 6 auditions, and the three first ones we have to go through at the same day. Then if you got selected you had to go back home and in some weeks have to come again for the next three auditions. So i did the three first one auditions really good, it was really really hard, but i go it in the end. I went back home and some weeks later received a call from the office, telling me that I dont need to travel to do the next three auditions beucase I got selected directly for the new Show!

So that was one of the best days in my life knowing than I always have to keep fighting for my dreams and objetives.

6. How much do you train in a week?

Im not counting it per week, I'm counting it daily, from Monday to Friday, because normally I'm travelling on the weekends for shows, competitions, teaching, tv Shows, judging etc. I'm training every day around 5-6 hours, wake up early in the morning doing some stretching, some physical exercise, small practice and also after that some days I go swimming. In the Afternoon its my main practice from 19:00 to 23:00.

But normally I'm training all my day, just there is a diference between a physical training and mental training. So when im not training physically, I'm training my mind all day to be better, think about when I'm going to training, creating own moves, thinking about my travels, my projects, my editions etc.

Hip-Hop is Peace, Love, Unity & Having Fun!

7. Have you danced with any celebrities? With who would you want to dance to?

Yes i have been dancing with some celebrities most of them singers, but also in music videos, biographies, films etc.

One of my dreams is to dance with Kylie Minogue & Madonna. But I'm open to work with other artists.

Here some summary of the artists i have been dancing with: 

- Dancer for Biography of Bruce Lee in New York City. "History Channel"

- Dancer for a music-video Chemical Brothers & Q-Tip.

- Dancer for artists such as:

- Selena Gomez

- Oceana.

- Alesha Dixon.

- Juanes.

- Marta Sanchez.

- Luis Fonsi.

- Soraya.

- Antonio Orozco.

- Ana Torroja.

- Nena Daconte.

- Merche.

- Salmah etc.

8. What do you love most about your job? What is the downside of a dancer's life?

I love many many things about my job, really hard to explain it all. The most I love is to feel free and happy every day of my life doing exactly what I wanna do right now. Living my own life and feel the freedom I have.

I am a professional Break-Dancer and its really hard to became something in this world and to be more than a Bboy from the Hip-Hop culture. Because its a poor culture and not many people support that. I grew up in this culture and I'm always going to represent it. I dont care if some people look bad about the Hip-Hop because it doesnt matter from where you came, it matter how you are. Hip-Hop is, Peace, Love, Unity & Having Fun. 

- Thanks to my work I've been travelling for all around the world: New York, Tokyo, Miami, Hong Kong, Maroc, Shangai, Beijing, England, Italy, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Norway, Spain, Luxembourg, Sweden, France, Finland, Etc.. 

- I've got to know people of other countries, shared experiences, learned other cultures and have opened my mind.

- I've worked with one of the best Shows in the world, got to participate in the final of the best Tv Show Dancing in Spain, Working on a Tour with a Musical, Doing Music-Videos, Series, Films, Etc...

What is the downside of a dancer's life?

There are many many downsides of a dancer's life, I'm speaking about what I have been going through as a dancer.

- One of the most important about them is that people don't always appreciate your work. You're training every day, you sacrifice many things in life, when you get hurt or don't get paid, and then later they just wanna give you 20 euros for a professional show... 

- Every dancer works really hard every day, without almost any support of nobody...

- Our body is our tool of work so thats why we really have to take care of us, so sometimes we cant do other good things because we need to keep fit and we can't get hurt.

- Dance is a professional art, but why most of people think that this is not like other jobs? Like being a carpenter, bricklayer, plumber, judge, doctor etc.

9. What else do you do besides dancing? How do you spend your free time?

- Besides dancing I'm working on many projects and one of the most important projects is what im going to work on my future from my education. 

- Work with poor people, marginal children, boys from ghettos, people who need help, who need to know that know themselves and allways figth for dreams.

- I am creating a show of Dance-Theater. 

- Also working recording videos and editing them.

- Organizing spectacles, Promoter of dance competitions, Events, Private Party's, etc...

- Creating new concepts visual, Art Director, etc..

- Influence myself from everything I see, learn, hear and feel.

to the area where I grew up and of course going out to party always when I can. 

10. How often do you visit Marbella? What do you like here the most?

I visit Marbella sometimes, because I have some good friends there and some dancers of my crew, they're like a new generation. I really like Marbella - it has class and looks really international. Love to go out out there, to the clubs, parties, chill out places etc.

Here my information if someone is interested to work with me. 

Email: big_george_usf@hotmail.com 

Website: www.bboybiggeorge.com