Gemma Asfour About Dance Fusion, Photography, And Her ‘Society Inspired’ Campaign

This dancer is amazing!

At just 16 years old, Gemma Asfour is becoming a name to know! Aside from her dancing career, she is also an advocate and founded her own campaign to combat social issues.

We had the amazing honor of talking with Gemma about her choreography, dream campaign interviews, and more!

What inspired you to become a dancer? 

G: “There wasn’t one specific thing that made me start dancing. I’ve literally been dancing for as long as I can remember. It’s always just been a part of me. I would always move to the music my parents had on, and that has carried with me throughout my entire life. Dance has been the thing that has healed me, the thing that has brought me joy, the thing that takes my mind off of the daily world. Overall, being a dancer has just always been who I am.”

If you could do choreography for any musician, who would it be and why?

G: “If I could do choreography for any musician, I would choose someone like Mitski or Clairo. Those are a few of my favorite Indie artists, and I love the sound of their music. But I would love to do choreography for any artist because I enjoy all types of music, and I love exploring how movement can add to the artist’s vision. Of course, artists like Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake, Madonna, Beyonce, etc. The OG artists that truly appreciate dance would be amazing.”

If you could take a picture of your life right now, how would you describe it?

G: “If I could take a picture of my life right now, I would describe it as active and healing. I am doing so many things in my life, and they all are helping me grow while I achieve my goals for my future career/self. This year, I wanted to focus more on what I need for myself to grow & learn as an artist and human rather than doing multiple random things that, little by little, add to what I need to grow. So the picture of my life currently is growing while I am healing.”

If you had to choose, what is your favorite style of dance?

G: “If I had to choose my favorite style of dance, I would choose a fusion of hip-hop and contemporary. Fusing those two styles has always been something that really connects to me. I love creating within them. I also love underground styles like Chicago Footwork, house, and Lite Feet. It’s difficult to choose because I love all styles of dance and use them interchangeably depending on the project & what is being created.”

Tell us more about ‘Society Inspired’.

G: “Society Inspired is a social activism campaign I started in June 2021 that aims to create a safe space to have conversations and ask questions about the world. Being half Palestinian, I have learned that speaking out and having conversations in the activism space can be difficult and nuanced. I wanted to create a safe space and bring in various activists that strive to better the world and have that conversation with me. I upload a new episode every month, with the social issue topics changing every three months so we can create discussions and explore the nuanced & often misunderstood nature of the topics.”

Who are the next activists and artists you’d love to interview for your Society Inspired campaign?

G: “I am open to having conversations with any artist/activist that is pushing to make a change in the world and create conversation. Some people I would love to interview are Greta Thunburg, Fredwreck, AOC, Elizabeth Warren, Allison Stoner, and many more! There are so many amazing people trying to make a difference. I want to learn and contribute to that as much as possible.”

What projects can we expect from you in the future? 

G: “I have many exciting projects coming up that I am so hyped about! I am currently in the process of bringing some of my own creative visions to life through dance, videos, and photography. I recently created a photography account @snapsby_gem so I can explore and grow my love of photography. There are many inspiring conversations ahead for Society Inspired as well, so stay tuned!”

Where can we follow your amazing journey? 

G: “You can follow my journey on Instagram and Tik Tok @gemma.asfour. You can also find me on YouTube by searching Gemma Asfour. Then you can find my social activism campaign on Instagram and Tik Tok @society_inspired. You can listen to the full episode by searching Society Inspired on either Youtube or your preferred podcast platform! Lastly, my photography account is @snapsby_gem.”

Je’Kayla Crawford– Founder and Director– Je’Kayla has been a journalist for years and decided to start a publication of her own, New Scene. When not helping her team and working on the monthly issues, you can find her watching a movie on Netflix or baking using a viral Tasty recipe.