Joana Saahirah of Cairo dancing Om Kolthoum

Egyptians are divided...

And it is not only by politics, religion, superficial opinions about this and that. Oh no...the divisions are much deeper than that.
It is no surprise than, after so many centuries of oppression, egyptians have developed different faces&personalities in order to survive around masters, dictators, injustice. When it comes to ORIENTAL DANCE, their own Art and a huge part of their identity, the question gets even more messed up and contradictory. Their mind has been fed with lots of prejudices, repression *(sexual, emotional, physical, mental, spiritual...you name it!) but their HEART remains INTACT, still pure and carrying the MEMORY of the true PURPOSE and MEANING of their DANCE.

While dancing in a private party, I observed as an egyptian couple was deeply delighted and following my every movement. Their eyes were filled with tears of joy and recognition, their chests were opened and a beautiful light seemed to come out ot them as if by magic...

As I socialized with the guests after my performance, they came to talk to me and I tried to push the lady to dance with me for a while. This was when her husband ordered her *(???Never got around the notion of a man ORDERING a woman!) to sit still and do not DARE to move.
-"Enti arfa il raks haram!" /You know the dance is forbidden by God - He told me, as apologizing.

Wow...this couple who, moments before, was FEELING how ELEVATED and BEATIFUL dance was to the point of MAKING THEM FEEL THEIR OWN HEARTS AND SOULS was NOW talking from their minds and, therefore, considered the whole deal a plain and caustic "NO-NO".

And this is how most people live around here. Divided. Their minds separated from their hearts. Their bodies as enemies of their souls. When will the REUNION of all these parts happen and people are allowed, once again, to be HUMAN?