Cairo, the 23rd July, 2009


"Videos from my show...growing and growing with God's help and blessings"


I woke up totally messed up!
Besides the demanding new work with all its excitement, responsability and constant stress, I dared to spend the night at Salsa with friends right after work.
It was salsa night in Veranda (glued to my new "home"), dear fellows! How could I resist?!
I had been in almost total reclusion creating my new show for about 15 days. Research, coreographies with the dancers, new cloths for everyone, the "singing" part (I am daring to sing in arabic...and yes - sure - I am crazy!), rehearsals with the orchestra who seems to presume that, if I am on stage, they don't need to worry a bit and they can even sleep in their pajamas because the audience will be happy. Simply because I am there. Well...how flattering and, I must add, how lazzy and stupid this kind of theory is.Fighting against general laziness and lack of motivation. Also fighting against a mentality - very common in egyptians and arabs - that says that success and any kind of appreciation from others gives us the right to be arrogant and take everything - and everyone- for granted.

I say : Success brings responsability and the more people appreciate you, the more you have to give them and keep exceeding their expectations.
My musicians seem to say: Success brings comfort and flattering compliments which fill my ego to such an extent that I can do whatever my mind conceives - sleep, fart, eat on stage...you name it! - and people will love me, anyway... (Oh, GOOOOOOODDDDDD............)
Returning to my classical role of headmistress of the nursery giving lectures to a group of men who are old enough to be my father or even grandfather on a daily basis(Holly, Macaroni...Give me strenght!)...
Coming out of my creative retreat after so much brainstorming and hard work was something I absolutely needed.Salsa, here we go...

Great food, some close friends I didn't see for a long while (some russian spies checking on me as if we were in the heat of 2nd World War, how ridiculous!!!) and SALSA! I forgot how tired I am these days and just threw myself on the dance floor.GREAT!
Downside of the whole night: waking up like I've been beaten by a truck or as if an elephant had run over me back and forth for a long time...(well, the night was so amazing that it was worth it!)
Current victories that I'm so proud of:
1. Winning a dream opportunity for my career due to my own merits and talent. Escaping the prostitution circuit and growing in my work without compromising my own values and dignity as a woman. This is the thing I am most proud of.
2. Showing the ones who gave me this opportunity that they couldn't have made a better choice than me (yes, I am feeling quite cocky right now! I have reasons for that!).
3. Watching myself expanding artistically, personaly, energetically.
4. Working on new songs, "tableaus" and musical/dance material that is so daring and exciting that no one - except me!- believes it can be done on stage.I prove them wrong, thanks God!
5. Having good people around me pulling me up and not the opposite (as it happened for such a long time).
6. Being respected as a person and as an artist in a new place where nothing is given to me. Every night of work has to be conquered. I am up and running for it!
7. Facing the best crowds ever...being happy and not excusing myself for it cause I finally recognize that I deserve it.
Now some sweets for all my students, secret readers (not so secret cause I know who ALL of you are!I feel flattered for your "underground" attention).

Two videos of my show.Follow the links and enjoy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioSkYXn6PSc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poHOLkfCLi4