We had the good fortune of connecting with Shereen Riad and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shereen, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I come from a multicultural background; my mother is French and my father is Egyptian. I was born in Paris, France, but moved to Dubai, UAE at an early age.

Growing up in an international city, I was exposed to diverse cultures and different ways of life. I was also fortunate enough to travel to different parts of the world including France, Egypt, Spain, Philippines, Malaysia, and more. Such opportunities have also allowed me to strengthen my fluency in French, Arabic, and my level of Spanish.

By exploring new cities throughout my childhood, it shaped my cultural competence as I learned about the different social norms and customs across the world. This has especially equipped me when meeting new individuals in and out of the office; I am able to easily form connections and relate to people.

Being a third-culture kid has also influenced the music I create. I draw inspirations from my heritage and my traveling experiences. Being trilingual has also allowed me to sing in other languages. Additionally, relocating has forced me to quickly adapt to new environments and I do not fear change; if anything, I welcome it.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
With good company, anything is fun! However, a perfect day trip would consist of the beach, good food, and music.

A city I love to visit is West Palm Beach; it is only one hour and 30 minutes away from me. Whenever I have family or friends in town, West Palm is always added to the itinerary.

My West Palm Beach checklist includes soaking up sun at the beach and snorkeling until sunset; dining at one of my favourite vegan restaurants, Planta; and topping the night off with either karaoke or dancing at a latin bar.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would not be where I am today without the support of those around me.

Firstly, a massive thank you to my parents for their constant support and love. Growing up, they ensured that my sister and I had fulfilling childhoods by investing in our hobbies. They put us in dance classes, gymnastics, competitive swimming amongst other recreational activities. Sports taught me the importance of patience when pursuing my goals, and not to feel discouraged by failure; as failure, plays an important role in success. This is what I remind myself of when faced with hardships as I continue to chase my dreams.

Furthermore, I owe a special thank you to the owner of Melbourne Ballroom, Barry Johnson, for granting me life-changing opportunities that include training with world-class ballroom champions; dancing with former astronaut Winston E. Scott at the 9th annual Dancing With The Space Coast; and meeting Pasha Pashkov from Dancing With The Stars. Beyond that, I get to teach students that inspire me every week. I feel so grateful for all that has come my way so far and I look forward to the future.

Finally, I have to thank my sister for her patience as she tolerates my belting at 2AM while pursuing my passion for music. She is constantly encouraging me to pursue my interests and is always lending a helping hand when it comes to my art. She is my number one fan and provides feedback on how to reach my fullest potential. She has also taught me a valuable lesson: criticism only allows for growth.

Instagram: business: shereenballroom AND personal/lifestyle/music: shereeninsta

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@shereen4641/featured

Other: Tiktok: shereentings (Please me know when this is to be published that way I can go back and perhaps arrange my socials a little better!)

Image Credits
First image: Space Coast Daily Second image: Yasmine Riad

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