AMIRA PARAGON

What is the story behind your stage name?

Amira means “princess” in Arabic and pays tribute to my Syrian heritage, while Paragon evokes a model of excellence, the ultimate embodiment of the showgirl.

What is your history with dance?

I am Argentinian and was born in Patagonia. I began dancing at the age of three to Portuguese folk music, as my grandparents came from Portugal and I was fascinated by the dancers’ dresses.

At nine, I discovered Argentine tango, and by the age of twelve, I had decided to make dance my profession. Tango became my backbone. Later, I also studied Argentine folk dance, blended with jazz and contemporary dance. These styles enriched my foundations as a tanguera and taught me how to adapt my body to other choreographic languages.

At seventeen, I left southern Argentina for Buenos Aires to begin my career as a tango dancer. I joined Señor Tango, a dinner-show renowned for its quality. The venue’s director was a great admirer of Crazy Horse Paris and suggested that I draw inspiration from it, particularly in terms of attitude and stage presence.

I then created a show with my tango partner. We toured Europe and Asia for several months before I moved to Dubai, a city offering a wealth of opportunities for dancers. It was there that I realized how much I enjoyed exploring new dance styles, new characters and new artistic worlds.

Through these experiences, I developed a new perception of myself as both a dancer and an artist. I no longer wanted to hide behind my tango costume. Opening myself up to the infinite possibilities of dance, questioning what I thought I knew in order to evolve, and giving the very best of myself in every new experience became a philosophy of life. It was in this frame of mind that I auditioned for Crazy Horse Paris.

How did your Crazy Horse Paris audition go?

I signed up for the Crazy Horse Paris audition on the advice of my former tango partner. In his opinion, it was the best show in the world, and that was where I belonged.

On the day of the audition, I was terrified because I had never seen the show, I had no experience on that kind of stage, and improvisation had never been my strongest suit. But I have always forged my path by exploring the opportunities that came my way, and I felt that this was one I had to seize.

I was selected. I was happy but also stunned by the prospect of the life-changing journey ahead of me. I went to sit at a café terrace on the corner of the street, overlooking the Eiffel Tower, and I cried.

I called my former tango partner to tell him the news, and his reaction made me realize, for the first time, the significance of what I had just achieved.

Coming from the very distinctive world of tango, how did you transition into the world of Crazy Horse Paris?

As surprising as it may sound, I did not see the Crazy Horse Paris show until several weeks after beginning my training. I did not want to rush the process or risk being influenced.

I am someone who takes the time to explore things in depth, and I wanted to work step by step with Svetlana, our Stage and Production Director, to find the right balance between my own identity and that of Crazy Horse Paris.

Since then, every time I see the show, I tell myself the same thing: I was meant to be here, I need to be here, and I want to be here.

What have you discovered about yourself since becoming a Crazy Horse Paris dancer?

Less is more: that is the essential lesson I have learned since becoming a Crazy Horse Paris dancer.

All my life, I had been a rather explosive dancer. At Crazy Horse Paris, I learned that a single detail can completely transform the audience’s perception. This demand for precision has changed the way I dance, and it has also enriched my tango.

What kind of woman are you when you are on the Crazy Horse Paris stage?

On stage, I am one hundred per cent myself. I work on the connection between the music, the lyrics and what I want to express to captivate the audience.

Not through excess, not through noise, but through presence. I want people to remember that I was there.

What would you like to convey to the audience when you dance on the Crazy Horse Paris stage?

I want everything to stop. I want the noise of the world to fall silent and for people to be captivated, body and soul, by the moment we are sharing together.

When something is truly beautiful, you are drawn in and mesmerized. You no longer even think about applauding. That is the feeling I am trying to create.

In your opinion, what creates the magic of Crazy Horse Paris?

What strikes me about Crazy Horse Paris is the care. The care given to the artists and the care devoted to every single detail of the show.

Everything is conceived with rigor and clarity, without ever becoming rigid. As a dancer, you feel both supported and free.

Crazy Horse Paris represents, for me, the freedom to dream bigger.

How would you define femininity?

Strength and courage are my definitions of femininity.

From childhood onwards, as women, we carry many expectations that do not truly belong to us. This can make it difficult to understand who we are or to feel proud of ourselves.

For me, the power of femininity is expressed when a woman succeeds in discovering who she is at the deepest level and fights for her ideals. It takes courage because the journey is long.

And it is okay to be afraid. But you still have to take the leap. Then all your dreams can become reality.

For me, being on stage at Crazy Horse Paris allows me to express who I am, both as a woman and as an artist.

Which act in The Dubai Edition amazes you the most?

Lay Laser Lay gives me that feeling of the suspended moment I was describing. It is so intense that I stop thinking about anything else and simply contemplate the dancer.

Rougir de Désir also gives me that sense of surrendering to the present moment, leaving me in an altered state once the act is over.

Every time I watch it, it reminds me why I am here.