Setting the record straight: criticism towards Egypt.

The subject of the CRITICISM to the current situation of Egypt seems to be hotter than ever.

 More and more women - not only dancers - started to SPEAK UP about all the issues that they used to keep for themselves in the past. It´s not that the situation has only gotten worse but many mouths - finally! - started to be opened and the predictable voices against it did not take a long time to arise.

A lot of egyptians who already live outside of Egypt (and did ALL they could in order to do so) or weak "macho men" who truly believe women are assets they buy and keep for themselves as domestic, sexual and procreative objects yell from their corners: 

SHUT UP or LEAVE EGYPT; 

IF YOU DON´T LOVE IT, LEAVE IT.

I usually do not receive a lot of OPEN criticism because the ones who do it just KNOW that I know too much (therefore I am aware of their glass ceilings and all the dirty laundry of Cairo dance scene) and, deep inside, they also are aware that their critics are not fair. 

After I received a private message from one of these characters - who happened to marry a foreigner in order to get him a way out of Egypt - I HAD TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT. 

He mentioned how "Egypt gave me everything (fame, money, success!) and that I should just shut my mouth" and do not criticize it or refer the bad - TRUE - things that are happening here. 

Now...he messed with the WRONG person. No one could and can EVER tell me to SHUT UP, specially when I´m saying the TRUTH.

*Just for the record: 

Fame is a result of six years of non-stop struggle and deliverance of my BEST on stage (dance and life mixed into one single treasure), here in Egypt and all over the world where I´ve been invited to teach and perform. 

I have no marketing or mafia machine on my back promoting me and the only help I get is from audiences and students that love my work and some dancers who also happen to be my friends and believe in my work.

 I ´ve been performing in Egypt for the last years of my life without a manager, a pimp, a rich or well connected husband and ALL the odds against me. Still: I earned fame from the WONDERFUL audiences that built my name in this market and gave it credibility as an ARTIST.

Money was not of the perks (no honest dancer who ONLY lives from her dance work gets rich in Egypt; the ones who do can only get it through prostitution and/or marriages to highly influential and rich men). In fact, I lost money from thefts I was a victim of, I paied 4 times more taxes than egyptian dancers and I invested all I earned in my own shows and better musicians so no BONUS- AT ALL - on this issue; 

Success was also something that I EARNED with my talent, hard work, personal sacrifices and PASSION to the Art of Oriental Dance (art that their minds consider a simple piece of garbage and "haram"- forbidden by God). 

It was NOT given to me (more details about it will be FULLY shown in my BOOK).

I´ve performed in Egypt for 6 years - non stop - all my myself (no managers, empresarios, any kind of aid and MANY enemies, envies and obstacles on the way trying to cut my legs because it would be easier to simply eliminate me). I could NEVER do it  without intelligence, talent and some herculean strenght! Attributing my achievements ONLY to Egypt is unfair, untrue and even ridiculous (and only the ones who know about the TRUTH of the Cairo dance scene can grasp this FACT). 

Now I can tell you WHAT Egypt gave me, INDEED (see you on my next post).