Cairo, the 16th November, 2010

Honouring my masters

In Classical Indian dance there is a beautiful tradition from dancers that always left me delighted.

Before and after a performing - the DANCER offers her/his blessings, thanksgiving and humble recognition to the ground where the dance will take place, the masters who taugh her/him and, ultimately, GOD.

I usually thank my ground and God but, sadly, seem to forget my masters whose teachings remain with me until today, helping me to be who I became.

I often see a lot of ungratitude from current professionals of Dance towards their teachers.

May I say I am not one of them?!

There are a few essencial things I have learnt from myself, from watching reality pass by, from observing regular egyptian people interacting and dancing in relaxed occasions, by paying attention to wild animals and the general movement of Nature.

My feeling, my soul, my taste and all the creativity I put in my dance comes from me and it was not taught by any teacher as it wasn't taught how to struggle and persevere in an extremely hard path I chose: performing in Egypt!

Yet there were a few teachers (from the many I met) that were essential to me in different ways and opened my universe in a way I could have never done by myself.

The knowledge that is passed from master to student is sacred itself and something we should, as professional dancers, honour, remember and cherish.

A great teacher does not tell you what to do and how to do it but awakens in yourself that ability to RE-INVENT movement and make it your own. A teacher is someone who awakens you like a huge " knock-knock" at your soul's door.

From the teachers I learnt from, I have to point out a few of them to whom I have eternal gratitude:

1. Prisca Diedrich

German teacher who gave me my first Oriental Dance lesson when I didn't even know what Oriental Dance meant. Her natural, spiritual, wise approach to this dance has drawn a pure love in my heart ever since and it often makes me remember that the true impact of DANCE (though seen as a physical art) is always SPIRITUAL.

I have met her in Portugal.

2. Shokry Mohamed

Then again...another suprising master (sadly, not between us anymore) who showed me that Oriental Dance was, indeed, my path. I remember as if it was yesterday, when Shokry called me apart from the class, sat down with me in his lobby entrance and whispered in my ear: "You will be a great professional dancer."

I didn't believe him at the time - I was heading to be an actress, not an Oriental Dancer! - but this episode only shows how little I knew of my future...(still don't know a thing).

His beautiful, nubian hands and the divine expression on his face when he danced reminded me that SIMPLICITY and TRUE FEELING are stronger than the STRONGEST technique.

The odour of the incense he used to burn in his class is still lounging around my heart and I will never forget him.

I have met him in Spain, Madrid where I was studying Acting.

3. Mahmoud Reda.

Ohhhhh....what to say???

Mahmoud taught me all he knows - and more! - with total generosity, patience and love.

No other teacher has had so much faith in me and in my talent as Mahmoud and I love him dearly.

I learnt all the egyptian folclore from Mahmoud and the art of choreography which he still manages to do brilliantly. My life would have been a much poorer one if I didn't meet him.

My dear friend, Gene Kelly watching buddy, teacher, companion of so many laughs...

I met him in Egypt.

4. Souhair Zaki

Watching Souhair Zaki - around 6,7 years ago- dancing ENTA OMRI during a workshop organized by the also magnificent Md. Raqia Hassan was my Number 1 wake-up call that made me fully understand what ORIENTAL DANCE means.

It was like a strike of a lightning bolt in my heart, mind and soul. Everything was made clear and the accessory disappeared in front of the ESSENTIAL.

After that, I had the luxury to have a few private lessons with her and she always left me floating with divine joy. The pure feeling, soul, TRUE LOVE that poured from every movement were AMAZING! The question is not how many movements you can make but how much can you communicate with a few, truly felt movements that come from your soul.

I cried and cried all over again watching her dance. So vulnerable, simple and , at the same time, as POWERFUL as they come!

Magical...

I met her in Egypt.

5. Mad. Raqia Hassan

A big one in my life for different reasons she doesn't even suspect about.

Besides the incredible workshops I took with her in all the editions of her

AHLAN WA SAHLAN FESTIVAL ( the biggest event of the area in the whole world!), she also represented the beginning of my dream to work and succeed as a dancer in Egypt.

She didn't actually encouraged me to do it but she pointed out paths to me in a way she cannot suspect and brought all these incredible teachers into the Light so that dancers like me could learn, grow and dream bigger!

I also met her in Egypt and thank her so much.