The other side of the coin: Why I LOVE Egypt.

It is a very complex question but I´ll try to answer it.

 Fellow dancers, journalists and critics often asked me "if there are so many bad things in Egypt, then why you went there and insist on living and performing there?

 - What´s there to LOVE, so?!"

The answer can be divided in two different parts:

1. Why I came here in the first place?

2. Why, after seeing and living so many negative things, I remained here and pursued my dancing career in Cairo when I could have gone anywhere else?

***

Briefly put:

1. I came here, in the first place, because I wanted to LEARN egyptian oriental and folkloric dance from a DEEP, ORIGINAL ROOT and from the point of view of egyptians, its supposed creators;

I also had the desire to write a BOOK about the REAL Oriental Dance and what it means to be a DANCER in Egypt from a direct experience and not based on the theory of others;

Finally - and the most difficult to understand for skeptics - I was called to come here and cross a long, challenging DESERT in order to RESCUE a past (my own past and the Dance´s past, both interconnected) and be able to RECREATE it and SHARE it with the WORLD.

I KNEW that I had to come here all by myself and GROW as a person/dancer, drinking from the roots (pure water and poisoned water included), understanding the BIG picture, knowing my craft as deeply as possible.

I thought I would stay only for one year, maximum two; then LIFE took over and my plans went berserk (for the better and the worst).

2. Why I remained here after I saw and dealt with ALL the negative things that surround the daily LIFE and DANCE career of a dancer in Cairo?

The answer is also complex and has many sides:

I am a challenge person, first of all. I do not turn my back on a DREAM when things get rough (and, believe me, they have gotten as rough as they get!);

I felt I had a lot to learn - from the good and the bad - and that the ROOTS of this Dance were still here, even if almost forgotten by egyptians. 

After I struggled against unfair laws, ex-boyfriends who hated my work and tried to stop me from doing it, sexual harassment from all men in the business and finally got 

 an HONEST opportunity to perform with my own orchestra over here, I started to taste the adrenaline of SUCCESS and SOUL RECOGNITION from egyptian audiences (the BEST in the world, in my opinion). The addiction to this adrenaline kept me going and growing like a maniac in love;

I saw how much I learnt from my own musicians and how many wonderful pearls they gave me on a daily basis;

The interaction between me, my musicians and our egyptian audiences is - by far - the BIGGEST PLEASURE and JOY I´ve experienced in my LIFE so those moments on stage COMPENSATED for all the shocks, disappointments, sadness and hard realities that surround me. 

I also noticed how much I could learn from WHAT I DIDN´T UNDERSTAND (at least, for a while). Mentality, the so called "religion" , cruelty and lack of Humanity disguised as "traditions" and so forth. The constant SHOCK between my VALUES and the values of the ones around me revealed itself as a GROWTH tool that I cherished, no matter how hard it can be.

Then you have to understand that Egypt is a country of CONTRASTS and Cairo is, in particular, a jungle a part from the rest of the country. People come here to struggle, achieve or just survive - in most cases. 

The corruption, oppression and many other difficult conditions we all have heard about have taken away the HEART and SOUL of people so it´s not THAT surprising that their thoughts and behaviors reflect it.

I´ve always seen it as a COMPENSATION matter because I am TOTALLY in LOVE with ORIENTAL DANCE. Only a true LOVER of this Dance could face so many obstacles and keep going like a warrior defending her own heart*.

Oriental Dance is not a hobby or an ego trip for me. It´s my soul, my work, religion,  love of my life, mission, path, EVERYTHING. I could be whatever I wish and still I remain faithful to my biggest Love.

Somehow, the learning processes, the well earned success with egyptian audiences (who still carry the genetic code that CREATED this Art long, long ago...), the absolute JOY of being on stage with my musicians COMPENSATED for all the negative stuff.

If it wasn´t for my CAREER, I would not live here (that is true) because I don´t identify myself with the current life style, laws and mentality. 

Even though, there are subtle - yet miraculous - QUALITIES I do recognize in this country. If you are a constant reader of my blogs, you must have read about the sunny side of this particular street, that´s for sure.

Here we go for a joyful ride:

*You find individuals - rare but precious - of EXTREME generosity and with a heart of gold. They are almost invisible in the middle of all the dirt but, if you open your EYES*, then you will find them. 

*Talent and creativity is EVERYWHERE, as well as BEAUTY. No other country in the world - as far as I know - has this amount of creative and talented people in so many areas.

*Sense of humor. Egyptians have it BIG time and that assures you a smile everywhere you may go.

* The History of the country, of course. If you dig into Faraonic Egypt, you discover one of the most fascinating and rich cultures of all times. 

*The Nile; still magical, after all this time and pollution.

*Om Kolthoum, of course. Simply, the BEST singer of all times (in my opinion); no further comments on this one.

*Naguib Mahfouz (Nobel Prize of Literature) and his sarcastic, poetic, genius observation of the Old Cairo and the whole complexity of egyptian mind and heart.

* The way egyptians receive you at their homes (offering you the best they have with full generosity).

* Hatchepsut temple, in Luxor  and the island of Philae (my two favorite places in Egypt).

*Fellucas with wide wings, floating on an egyptian sunset.

*Magic everywhere (even in demons).

***

Most of all, you have to understand that LOVING a place (or person, subject,etc) does NOT mean you don´t see the negative in it.

 I LOVE EGYPT simply because it´s part of me, my body and my soul. I always say - and will always do - that I am divided in two parts (one portuguese, the other egyptian). It is so, no matter how deep is the valley I see in front of my eyes or how dark are the current times in this country. 

You cannot explain LOVE, after all. You never will (neither Egypt).