ALIA ABDULLA ALI SALEM AL NEYADI

Ballerina, Culture Programming, Abu Dhabi 

Alia first began ballet as a three-year-old in 1996. At the age of five, she started her ballet training in Abu Dhabi at the Cultural Foundation, being one of just five Emirati girls to take up the dance form. She is recognised as the first Emirati ballerina.  

Her repertoire includes classical ballet, classical modern, jazz, Latin, and character/folk dancing. Alia has performed in numerous competitions and festivals in the UAE, the United States, Ukraine and Bulgaria. 

She was honoured in 2009 at L’Officiel Middle East: Arab Woman Awards with ‘Talent of the Year’ and at the GR8 Middle East Awards in 2013 as ‘Best Talent’. In 2018, she won ‘Young Talent’ at the Emirates Woman: Woman of the Year Awards and Grazia Middle East 2018: Generation Z –Influencers under 25.  

Alia has a bachelor’s degree specialising in culture and society affairs from Zayed University in Abu Dhabi and is currently working with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi curating classical dance and music programs for the Abu Dhabi Region.  

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Photo copyright © the Zay Initiative, Photographic editing by Layla al Hamadi

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