The dragon´s tail.

I´ve been often criticized (generally on my back by people who don´t know me) for my personal life "supposed" reality and for speaking up about alarming subjects no one dares to touch. The criticism regarding the current situation in Egypt (regarding politics, security, mentality, etc) has seen its doors opened like never before, though. You start to hear the voice of another dancers and women who used to remain silent, until now.

After living and performing in Egypt for almost seven years, I thought I was the one who got fed up and exhausted from the daily fight against the so called traditions that targeted me as a MARGINAL (or even criminal) for fitting into the dangerous places of a WOMAN, a FOREIGNER, a FREE PERSON and a DANCER.

I found out I am not the only one who has noticed that things have gotten completely out of hand in this country; unfortunately. For all those - egyptians and foreigners - who criticize me for SAYING WHAT I SEE AROUND ME I only have a simple message to deliver:

LOVING EGYPT does not mean pretending everything is great and there are no injustices and dark things to be changed. It´s exactly this attitude (pretending everything is great and hiding the garbage under the carpet) that allowed Egypt to go down the toilet until the current point of desperation. Speaking about unpleasant but TRUE facts we wish to see changed doesn´t mean I don´t love this country which has been my home, the starting point of my career and Great School for the last years; it means I care enough to see the bad things and still feel there´s something we can do to correct them, 

starting with SPEAKING UP.

I´ve also heard the limited - and limiting - phrase: "If you don´t love it, leave it." 

That is extremely simplistic and unfair, mostly because it comes from egyptians who have - indeed- left their country for greener fields of grass in foreign countries.

 If it´s so perfect, then I ask myself - and them -why do they dream about leaving it and reach the point of marrying foreigner women they don´t love (aka prostituting themselves) in order to get a foreigner visa and/nationality?! 

 Sure they say Egypt is the best country in the world when they have done all they could to remain far from it and live in comfort and privileges (they would never enjoy over here) on far away lands. 

I recognize all the POSITIVE things I´ve got from my LIFE-PROFESSIONAL experience in Egypt. Nothing was given to me (no favors, no help, no easy ways to do anything) and a LOT of obstacles were faced by me and me alone. I have paied my taxes (actually 4 times more than egyptians) and EARNED the right to work and be successful. 

Sure there is an emotional debt towards my MUSICIANS and AUDIENCES but the debt ends right there and it is - in fact - more of an EXCHANGE than a debt. I gave my sacrifice, body and soul, energy, talent and hard work to my audiences and they recognize it. I pay my musicians and treat them as artists and they pay me back by doing their job the best they can and contributing to my success with their music. The WHOLE "Egypt gave you this and that" ends there. Period (big time!).

I try as much as possible to keep myself away from political news and such but LIFE itself has become hard over here and I cannot say "don´t come to Egypt"; actually, that was never my message or intention. I still think there are a lot of places in this country where safety and a great cultural experience are provided but Cairo is not one of them anymore, at least not from my direct experience´s point of view.

I also see that I caught the tail of the dragon. Meaning:

 I came here and performed at the end of Oriental Dance in Egypt. 

Thanks God for all the dancers, teachers and Oriental Dance lovers spread around the world: they are keeping it alive and they will be the future of this Art. 

Here in Egypt, the ROOTS and MAGIC* of Oriental Dance have been buried under the desert sand for good and I can only thank God for having caught the last glimpse of it so that now I can share it with others, everywhere I go.