chargement...
Barefoot and facing a humble phone camera on the rooftop of her parents’ house, Hajar dances. With the red bricks of neighboring buildings and a rusty satellite dish as her backdrop, she records and shares self-taught choreographies online, unfazed by judgment.
In the comment section, many are struck by her moves and technique, others by her physical strength and condition. Some, however, fixate on her appearance, question why she dances on a rooftop, or critique her clothing. But for Hajar, what matters most is progress, years of hard work and a deep passion for dance and sport.
Only 19 years old, Hajar Ameziane, also known as Serena lmk, has always loved to move. Long before discovering her talent for dance, the Tifelt native was immersed in sports. «As a kid, I was shy, quiet, and fearful, so my mother chose martial arts for me», Hajar told Yabiladi. «She wanted me to build a strong personality and learn to stand up for myself, especially as a girl. I was only eight».
She began with five years of Taekwondo, transitioned to two years of Kickboxing, and has now practiced Kung Fu for four years, winning 20 medals.
Dancing on the rooftop
Yet dancing remained a constant. In her room, she would watch YouTube videos, teach herself choreographies, and perform in front of her mirror, or her phone. It was during the 2020 lockdown that her passion took a more serious turn. «I haven’t stopped since. I’ve been learning completely on my own», she said proudly.
Her first video came after mastering a viral K-pop choreography. «I was too shy to show my face, so I wore a mask in the video», she recalled. But that changed in 2021, when one of her videos went viral on TikTok, pushing her to keep going.
Many comments, however, weren’t kind. «This isn’t for Morocco», some said. Others criticized her looks, her outfit, or the setting. «But I keep going», she said. And about dancing on her rooftop, she laughed: «If there were dance studios in Tifelt, I’d be the first one there».
Despite criticism, online and offline, Hajar remains determined. «At first, my family didn’t take it seriously. I heard a lot of negative comments. In Morocco, and especially in my city, people don’t see entertainment as a real career», she lamented.
But this past April, Hajar danced far from her rooftop. She collaborated with Moroccan influencer Lamia El Hari in a professionally shot video featuring Indian dance, her favorite genre. «It was an amazing experience», she said. «The choreography was from an Indian film. I learned it and taught it to Lamia, who was dancing for the first time. The video is just a few seconds long, but it took us four months to prepare».
Hajar has big dreams, ones that go far beyond her small town. «I want to build a career in the entertainment industry, as a professional dancer in music videos, films, and ads», she said. In martial arts, she aspires to join the Moroccan national team and compete in international events like the World Championship in Vietnam.
And through her social media, Hajar hopes to inspire other girls to embrace movement, whether through dance or sport. «I get messages from girls who say I inspired them to go to the gym—and that makes me so happy», she smiled.
