Fire & Icy determination The story of Barefoot
By Moira Tune & Nina Traber – Owner, Dancer and Choreographer of Barefoot Productions
Barefoot Productions is a well-established name in Sharm and has for a long time been associated with quality productions and performances.
When did you first start the company and what was your vision for Barefoot?
Barefoot Productions started about 5 years ago with the vision of bringing more artistic, quality entertainment to
Sharm. I saw the shows in the 5 star hotels and believed that the level needed to be higher to reach the expectations of those guests who visit theatres to watch performances and musical productions in their own country, and that entertainment can be mixed with the arts.
My dream was to create a show with a mix of different types of dance and acts to entertain all nationalities and ages. As an example, I particularly choose instrumental music without lyrics as Sharm has guests from all over the world. ‘Let us take you into another world’ was my guideline and I still follow this way, but now I have more experience and knowledge of what hotels and venues are expecting.
You obviously have a passion for performance. What is your background and how do you select your team and who works with you?
I started my dance study at a very young age and always knew that I wanted to become a dancer. After I got my diploma as a classical/ modern dancer I worked in different companies in Europe and also worked teaching and choreographing.
Coming from an artistic family I think it was in my blood. It is a hard and long journey to become a dancer, but for me the most beautiful job in this world. The best moments are when you see the audience enjoy your show and have a nice evening because of our performance.
In the past years I had performers from all over the world and from many different backgrounds in the company.
Some with more and some with almost no experience. Barefoot should be as well a platform to learn and exchange skills and experiences. At the moment I am working with a small team of Russian, Colombian, Italian and Egyptian Performers. Most of them have been working with me since many years; we are like a family. I select the people of course; primarily by their skills but most importantly for me is that they are creative, versatile, team players and the human part just fits into the company. We spend more time working together than we have for our friends so is important that we trust each other and have good energy between us.
I believe the public feel this as well.
When we come to watch one of your shows we are always impressed but what actually goes on behind the scenes?
How long does it take to put together a new idea and do you always ‘think out of the box’ or sometimes is it easier to just to do the norm?
I always try to mix different styles into my shows.
Currently I have a great fire performer and an amazing classical ballerina. I believe this is what makes the shows more interesting as there is something for all tastes. As we work in different stages it is very important to be fast and adaptable to any situation. I always want to make more than the ‘norm’. Of course we are mainly performing in hotels, so sometimes I have to be realistic as some of my ideas would be suitable for a theatre but not for a small stage in a hotel. However I still like everything what is ‘out of the box’ and has not been seen before.
What is your favourite show at the moment and how many different performances do Barefoot do?
Currently we are performing our show called Fire & Ice.
We are just in the process to do some new acts and are constantly trying to reach the level higher. For three months we have been working every day 7 days per week with 2 to 3 shows per night. It is a lot but if you can make your passion as your job it is great and very rewarding. To be on stage is addictive.
Do you have a favourite place to perform or does it depend on the show? I think your performers have to be very adaptable; one minute you are on a stage the next dancing ‘barefoot’ at the beach – how do you successfully change the ambiance of the show to suit the setting and the people?
There are stages where it is easier to perform. A nice backstage with mirror and enough place to stretch before the show and a nice floor to work on is always great, as we dance almost all of the shows barefoot. However the most important thing is the audience. If we feel they are giving us their full attention and appreciate our show we give them everything. We have one day where we start on the smallest stage in Sharm, then we switch to a huge space and end up in the sand for a beach party. Days like that are normal for us, we adapt; this comes with experience. We have done our show in a parking place, in a lobby of a hotel and next to the swimming pool; nothing can stop us to perform.
It is all about the right attitude, perseverance and love for our job. I always say to my team if you can dance in Sharm you will be able to perform everywhere.
Lastly where can people watch one of your performances?
And finally what’s in store for Barefoot in the future?
I think the list would be too long but people can contact me directly to know the location and times. I am working on a new project something never seen before in Sharm but will keep it as a secret until we are ready. Sharm is an amazing place and has become my second home so I will keep on pushing for artistic shows and believe that arts are very important in this city.
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