Portugal, the 27th April, 2011

Strange challenges...

For most dancers around the world, the bare idea of performing on stage in the centre of Oriental Dance - Cairo, still! - with the best live musicians and for an egyptian audience is enough to bring them a hard heart attack or a tantrum difficult to control. This is seen as a major challenge and, if I look at it at a distance, I can understand why it is so.

Yet, for me, a REAL challenge right now is to deliver a QUALITY dance performance WITHOUT my live orchestra, the excellent top musicians who work for/with me and my usual egyptian/arab crowd.

A challenge, for me (and a scary one, I must admit) is to dance with a cd music on the background. Do I still know how to do that?

For the last five years I have been performing with my orchestra daily, often several times per night. I got used to the humanity, criativity, energy, improvisation, LIFE they bring to the stage. I got used to their respect, protection, tenderness, admiration that goes to really strange extents and silent (or not so silent) applauses. My musicians are my background in any way a background can sustain an artist. They are the frame of the painting I create on every single dance. They inspire me, surround me with their empathy and love.

How on earth will I be able to perform tomorrow night without them?!

Now...this is the REAL challenge of the moment for me.

And Life flows, bringing these humbling experiences to all of us and making me jump out of my comfort zone which is never quite comfort, anyways...

Hope "my men" will be with me in spirit. Miss them soooooooooooooooooooo much!