Organizing a Bellydance festival is undoubtedly an exciting and fulfilling experience but can also represent a huge workload, we met Sharon MESGUICH, Bellydance dancer, teacher, and choreographer but also the initiator of the famous annual Bellydance festival OMF. She shares the secrets and background related to organizing an event of this magnitude with the professional, energetic, combative, and spicy personality she knows for.

You are the organizer of one of the biggest Oriental dance festivals in France today (Oriental Marathon Festival) whose 7th edition will take place from April 25th to April 29th 2019, how was this festival born?

First this Bellydance festival was born because of love and passion! I’ve been in the magical world of Oriental glitter and strass for more than 15 years, I’ve been organizing events since 2005, and slowly, shows turned into more intensive long weekends until 7 years ago where it was a real MARATHON! From now on, more than 2000 people from all over the world come over the 4 days and it’s a great pride: THANK YOU!

In your opinion, what are the secrets of a successful festival and how has your festival managed to become, over the years, one of the biggest French events dedicated to Oriental dance?

Several things: work, seriousness, respect for all, communication and being open to other countries, a good team (Sophie, John, my parents, Amal, Ihlan, both Justine, Miriam, Rebecca, and many others...), and most of all the atmosphere which I thing is unique! Today there are more than 35 nationalities at the festival!
You must also be a tower of strength, know how to renew yourself but the secret, it’s to be a little crazy. Anyway, you have to be a little crazy to organize such an important Bellydance event in a casino!

During this 4-day festival you plan to organize many workshops, shows and especially many other activities just to please all the festival-goers. Can you tell us a little more about the program and the activities?

We have 30 hours of belly dance workshops so 17 different workshops of quality thanks to our choice of teachers.
After, 4 different Bellydance shows:
- Thursday April 25: "World show" opening dinner with sublime artistes from all over the world!
- Friday April 26: The famous OMF competition which reveals new stars! with 4 categories : classic, fusion, folklore, troops but the great novelty for 2019, is the Oriental orchestra category!
- Saturday April 27: the famous "Show of stars" with world-renowned Bellydance superstars: Sahar Samara (Egypt), Mercédès Nieto (Hungary), Khaled Mahmoud (Egypt), Dariya Mitskevich (Ukraine), Waël Mansour (Egypt), Yaël Zarca (France), Hakim (Tunisia & Belgium), Ihlan (France) and the Oriental orchestra conducted by Tarek Bitar (Lebanon). This show is a real delight!
- Sunday April 28: The explosive closing ceremony, a show with tomorrow’s talents, a "galabeya party" dance night with orchestra, the chocolate fountain, and champagne…
In short, 4 crazy evenings with dress code, costume stands (Egypt, Ukraine, France, The USA, Poland, Spain…), professional make-up artists and hairdressers, photographer, cameraman, food truck, and the beach. It’s a real comfort for the festival-goers because everything happens at the same place, a casino in a seaside resort: workshops, shows, stands and the little extra: mapping screens around the stage!

What are the criteria you use to choose the Bellydance artists, teachers, and competitors who attend the festival?

The Bellydance teachers: no diva, help! I usually choose them for their fame and reputation, I like them to be accessible to the festival-goers and I’m lucky to have lots of friends who are world-renowned teachers so it makes the organization easier. The teachers trust me.
The competitors are selected by video and other "guests" for their talent and kindness.

What time and budget investment is required to organize such an event?

Huge! You need to save lots of money! There’s no help or subsidy so that why I remind people to be a tower of strength and brave. The very first festival cost around 7 000 € compare to 45 000 € for the 2019 festival so YOU MUST FIGHT! I’m working on that day and night!

Among the past editions, what’s your best memory… but also the worst?

Each edition has its worst and best!
I particularly love our crazy finals with my teachers who play the game: sumos, rockers, superhero characters, imitations, and disguises, we’ve done lots of stupid things and I love when superstars have fun without taking themselves too seriously!
My worst memory… It took place in 2017 during the 5th edition of the festival when the same evening, there was an avalanche of disasters: my bellydance costume disappeared, the music wasn’t playing 30 minutes before the show of the stars, the diva’s whims (no name hihi) in short I was in tears… but I was lucky to be well-surrounded so everything turned out okay: thanks to Mayodi and Yaël ;-)

What’s your background in Oriental dance?

I’ve had the privilege of making a living dancing since the beginning: with dedication and work. I learned to respect the elders who guided me, I developed my own style (whether you like it or not) without copying, I’ve taught and danced in more than 30 countries all over the world… I’ve made wonderful artistic encounters… I’m thankful for all of it…
We must continue to show that our discipline is strong, rich and most of all and art!