Dancer @soraya.nmrk
Born in Zurich and raised in the states, Soraya @soraya.nmrk now lives in Berlin pursuing her career and passion, dancing.
Whats your heritage, where are you originally from?
My mom is Iranian and my father is Swiss. I was born in Zurich and grew up in the States.
"Berlin seemed a natural choice. I’ve been living here on and off ever since."
Where are you based now, what brought you there?
When I was 15 I moved to Berlin with my parents. They had wanted to relocate back to Europe for some time and since they both speak German, Berlin seemed a natural choice. I’ve been living here on and off ever since.
What does dinner at your house look like?
It depends if I’m eating alone or having friends over. When it’s just me I tend to keep dinner light and easy to make, if I’m having friends over it’s quite the opposite!
Best recommendations for your city; Favorite dinner/brunch/cocktails/ secret location?
That’s a hard question; Berlin has so much to offer! In terms of food I love Mrs. Robinsons in Prenzlauer Berg and Lila in Kreuzberg. For a drink or a quick bite Prinzessinnengarten, close to Mortizplatz, is my favorite - it feels like entering a secret garden in the middle of the city.
"Looking back, even if there were moments along the way where I felt unsure if things would work out or not, ultimately they always did, as long as I stuck with them until the end."
What are your life essentials - What do you carry with you at all time?
Keys, wallet, phone, airpods and always something to read, be it a book or a magazine. I try to keep my screen time to a minimum, and having options for those in-between moments helps a great deal.
Who was your most previous text/call to and what about?
My last text was to a friend of mine about going for a walk – something that seems to have turned into my main social activity during lockdown.
What are your daily rituals: Weekday vs. weekend?
Weekday I usually get up between 7:30 and 8, have coffee and then sit down to meditate for about 30-40 minutes, depending on how much time I have. After that I eat breakfast and hop in the shower before heading off. Weekends are pretty similar, but the coffee/ breakfast ceremony definitely takes longer and I almost never leave the house before 12 or 1 unless I have to.
"So many people in my life have influenced me in profound ways. Sometimes it’s the people I’m heavily involved with on a day to day basis and sometimes it’s the people with whom I don’t have much direct contact."
What is your plan for today, this week and this year?
For today and this week it would be to make progress with the immediate goals I have in front of me. In terms of year-to-year plans, I find that they usually change as the year progresses, so I’ve let go from making them too concrete or absolute. I have long-term goals (where I would like to be in 10 or 15 years) and I find if I focus on those, the smaller in-between-steps sort themselves out on their own, although not always in the way I expect them to. Looking back, even if there were moments along the way where I felt unsure if things would work out or not, ultimately they always did, as long as I stuck with them until the end.
Most influential person in your life?
That’s a very difficult question to answer and one I would hesitate giving a one-word answer to. So many people in my life have influenced me in profound ways. Sometimes it’s the people I’m heavily involved with on a day to day basis and sometimes it’s the people with whom I don’t have much direct contact, but because of what they represent for me or the place they hold in heart, they end up having an enormous influence on my life.
Textured Linea Ring - Oxidised Silver, Textured c/o Claavi Ring - Rose Gold Vermeil, Textured Claavi Ring - Rose Gold Vermeil
"It’s easy to get into a rut when you stop seeing things “for the first time.”
Tried and true methods against creative block?
I know it sounds cliché but I would say both meditating and trying something new pulls me out pretty quickly. In terms of meditation, I find if I’m feeling creatively blocked it’s usually because I’m preoccupied and not appreciating what I see around me every day. It’s easy to get into a rut when you stop seeing things “for the first time.” Meditation heightens my awareness of the interconnectivity of life, which helps a great deal when feeling stuck. Trying something new has a similar effect. By the sheer act of going beyond what you know, it demands a change in perspective. That shift always initiates inspiration and motivation within me.
Biggest inspiration; in terms of design, art, music, sites that you find yourself re-visiting often?
I love Nowness, Visual Pleasure Magazine and Dezeen, to name a few.
