Cairo, the 11th April, 2010

Last images


People often ask me how is it being a belly dancer (????)in Cairo and how much you DO learn and get from it.
Of course there are the obvious difficulties and benefits I presume everyone knows about: the prostitution and corruptive system on one side, the name you can - eventually! - build in the local and internacional market, etc.

I would add a few mountains to climb and a few more wonderful benefits I, personally, get from the whole experience.
Between the hidden joys of being a professional Oriental Dancer in Egypt I can now easily enumerate these few:

1. Knowing how to deal with the worst kind of people (within musicians, empresarios and all the mafia around this business) and also knowing the pleasure of working with some REAL ARTISTS and GREAT HUMAN BEINGS (both at the same time, which is very rare!);

2. Growing from your egyptian audiences which guide you, like no teacher does, through the alleys and corners of the path to turn yourself into a REAL DANCER;

3. Working with some incredibly talented musicians whom redefine your ideas and knows for sure kind of dogmas related to music and dance.

I just love being challenged and taught by the ones who know more than me and, thankfully, I am humble and wise enough to recognize the ones I should listen to and learn from.

4. Backstage madness between me, my musicians and other artists, staff and such...I was always advised not to mix with the crowds (if you know what I mean...) and, most of all, never to show my teeth to my musicians and give them a hand because, they say, they would rip off my arm as well.
I just can't follow this advice, for as much as I wished I would.
I cannot defend myself from disappointments neither way and, at least, I know - for sure - that I had amazing times off and on stage with all the musicians I've worked with and none of them, until today, lacked the respect towards me.
I am too much of a human being to be able to ignore or be cold to the ones who produce magic with me every night.

5. Those moments of connection between me, orchestra and audience. All egyptian!
Priceless and non attainable in this manner in any other place in the world!

6. The winning feeling of seeing my name growing in the market ONLY and EXCLUSIVELY due to my talent, hard work, persistence and faith. In a business where prostitutes are replacing artists, it's an almost impossible mission to have done what I am doing, my way!
And, by my way, I mean : NOT SLEEPING WITH ANYONE IN ORDER TO GET WORK OPPORTUNITIES.

Since I've arrived to Egypt, I had nothing but difficulties and multiple obstacles and here I am, stronger than ever, proving wrong every one who told me I couldn't do it, unless I sold myself!
Proving that ART is much alive in Egypt and that I CAN DO IT in a honest way has been the biggest pleasure of the whole journey.
I thank God for that.