Hymm Melodies performs Mother and Dancing Sorry on the 2018 TEDxYYC stage. Accompanying Hymm is renowned Sufi Whirler Farima Berenji for a mesmerizing whirling dance performance. HYMM Melodies combines traditional melodies from around the world with modern composition to create music that appeals to a wide audience. Based in Calgary, these musicians come from diverse backgrounds to combine the musical traditions of the Middle East with influences of jazz, blues klezmer, and western pop music.

Farima Berenji is an award winning, internationally acclaimed performing artist with a lifelong passion for dance and its ability to bring meaning and spirituality to our lives. She is also a deeply talented dance ethnologist and archaeologist. A third generation artist, she travels worldwide to record, research, lecture, perform, educate, and to inspire creativity through dance and movement.

Berenji is the founder and artistic director of the Farima Dance Company and the worldwide Simorgh Dance Collective. She has spent her life studying, researching, and performing with master teachers and performing artists throughout the world, including her home countries of Iran and Azerbaijan, as well as other Silk Road countries. Her passion for dance in general, and more specifically the sacred, classical, and folk dances of the Silk Road have led her on a stunning journey learning, teaching, promoting, and performing for audiences all over the world. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx