they used to be inspired by michaeljackson. so, yeah, i won something, a competition.on't know if we are talking ten, 11 years old, but you are becoming a sort of fusion, in a way, of different influences. i wonder whether, as you progressed through adolescence and you became very keen on different forms of dancing, whether there was a tension in you about which direction to go, to follow? yes, there was, but the tension comes from my community and social construct of my parents' community, because academics was very important for them. you know, they were recently independent as a country, they felt education was the way forward and dance was a hobby. up to this day, my community are great and wonderful and supportive, but i do get the occasional, "what do you do as a realjob?" yes! and that's ok. obviously your parents are from a muslim tradition. yes. was that in any way relevant? was there any religious impulse to go in one particular traditional direction rather than to embrace michaeljackson, for example? no. my mother was really open. she is an extremely open...