Joana Saahirah of Cairo dancing "awadi", baladi in Egypt

Baladi evasion...the style that is becoming more and more talked about, curiously enough! When I was in Merano, Italy, I was asked about some terms related to BALADI. I couldn t answer the questions, even if I ve been performing in Cairo with some of its best musicians for 5 years now. I heard the terms "tet" and "baladi for men"...Never heard of such. "Tet", as a term used by musicians, is applied to the SAIIDI mizmar and its taksim when it creates a sound that it actually translates as "tet" but that has nothing to do with BALADI. Also the fact that there is a baladi only for men was a new information I could never hear about, see or confirm. There is "baladi" and all egyptians know what it means when they hear it. You can see it danced by women and men, as well, in their weddings, street parties or any other happy occasions. There s no such thing as a special baladi for men, at least that I know of. Essencially, BALADI style refers to a kind of PERSONALITY, ATTITUDE, FEELING and SOUL that not everyone can grasp, not even some egyptian dancers. You actually have to belong to the earth and have some "fellaha" muscle in you to UNDERSTAND and PUT INTO PRACTICE what the REAL BALADI is all about.. For me, it has always come as a natural expression of my own roots. No one has ever taught me BALADI or told me what to do because no one can REALLY teach you BALADI. It is born with you, or it is not. A good teacher can ONLY pass you some movementos and simple rules not to go out of the music and style. He/she can even wake your soul for this kind of music, its structure and what is saying but the TRUE FEELING of baladi that makes it ... BALADI is a gift one has inside.