Irena Sertić
Episode · #334
POSLOVNA ŽENA Irena Sertić
Guest Irena SertićHosted by Marijana MatkovićMay 3, 2026
Irena Sertić
About this episode
What you'll hear in this conversation
Irena Sertić lives a split professional life. By day, she holds a steady job that pays the bills. By night, she is the force behind Shirin, an oriental dance studio, and the founder of the Oriental Fusion Stars Festival — a platform she built to legitimize a dance form many dismissed. Her story isn't just about balancing two careers; it's about the grit required to build a market for an art form that lacks formal recognition and funding. She explains how passion projects truly get off the ground: not by waiting for perfect conditions, but by carving out space where none existed, one evening at a time.
Insights from the conversation
What to take from this episode
01
Irena Sertić maintains a day job because, as she puts it, the work she truly loves "is not a job one can live from." Many passion projects don't immediately sustain you; the discipline is in building them alongside a necessity, not waiting until they're fully formed.
02
The studio Shirin avoids the term "belly dance," preferring "oriental dance" because the former is a narrow, 19th-century European interpretation. The broader term, she explains, captures the art's true depth, clarifying its scope and potential.
03
Her journey into professional oriental dance began as personal recreation, evolving through a first course, then a dedicated school, and finally a festival. A significant business can grow organically from a personal pursuit, but it requires a deliberate, step-by-step shift from hobbyist to professional at each stage.
04
Irena co-founded the Oriental Fusion Stars festival because "fusion" dancers were often marginalized and lacked a dedicated platform. When a segment of your field is dismissed or overlooked, creating a dedicated platform isn't just about showcasing talent; it's about legitimizing and expanding the category itself.
05
The festival's name, "Stars," came from a moment of reflection when other names were taken, and Irena realized it represented the "rising stars" in a lesser-known art form. A name can serve as a declaration of intent, signaling aspiration and future recognition for a niche that is still establishing itself and its value.
06
Despite initial fears about introducing a "new current" that challenged established norms, the festival consistently drew "full halls." Don't let established gatekeepers define the value of your niche; market validation through enthusiastic audience engagement often proves their assumptions wrong and builds your own legitimacy.
07
The festival struggles with funding because oriental fusion dance isn't a "recognized dance discipline," leaving it in a "gray zone." Building a market in an unrecognized category means confronting a double challenge: not only proving its commercial demand but also establishing the very legitimacy of the category within existing cultural or industry frameworks.