Joana of Cairo, of Portugal, of Never Land, of Kualalampur, of, of...

Lately, the question has revisited me VERY often: how do we cal you; how do I present you; what name would you like me to use when introducing you to our country?
Fair enough: there are many "this and that OF CAIRO" ("Of Cairo" seems to mean - for a lot of people - a kind of magical seal that assures you instante knowledge of Oriental Dance, Fantastic Talent and a Super Woman Cape - kind of Batman cape but with coins attached to it).

There are also many "fake" OF CAIRO cases. Dancers who try their luck in Egypt and never quite make it in the market - even reaching the point of paying to perform in parties and hotels so that they can show the world how "they are performing in Cairo".
Many others live in the country for years without ever signing a legal work contract, hanging around to see if the country rubbs off its magic on their skin and they, suddenly, become "Madame OF CAIRO".

Sure: everyone has the right to their own dellusions, illusions and little theatre acts but it´s just sad that so many dancers worry about being - fairly or unfairly - called "THIS OF CAIRO" and seem to have no interest in DOING THE REAL WORK. The name "of Cairo" seems to be more relevant than actually discovering what Egypt or Egyptian Dance is all about - beyond the common superficial conception of it. I would say: drop the names and be curious to go deep into the subject of egyptian dance: the ride is so worth a 1000 names! Believe me.

As far as I´m concerned, almost 8 years of daily shows with some of the best musicians in Egypt and a career made exclusively out of my TALENT and SKILLS (no convenient "relationships" attached) has earned me the name of Joana OF CAIRO: not because I need this seal "of quality" but because it was in Egypt that I REDISCOVERED MYSELF and MY DANCE; it was in Egypt that my career kicked off his shoes and started to REALLY fly; finally because I OWE Egypt (and my guts to face it) a lot of the knowledge and treasures I can NOW share with the world.

Above all this marketing schemes, notice that what defines the QUALITY of a Dancer-Person is what she/he does and not her/his name. There are many Amazing Dancers who have never worked in Egypt and others who have done so and, in the end, have not learnt a single thing about AUTHENTIC egyptian dance.
 So: open you eyes and mind, please. A NAME - of Cairo, of La La Land, of whatever - does not define what that person has to offer.


Oh, yes: I´ve earned that name with my blood - literally. And yet it´s quite indiferent what name you may call me. In the end, call me whatever you like: Joana of Cairo, of Zimbabwe, of Kualalampur ("JOANA OF KUALALAMPUR" sounds pretty good...exotic...hmmm...crazy ideas swimming in my mind right now...), of this or that.
Saahirah or just Joana; Joujou or Madame; everything and nothing: I WILL STILL BE ME and you will know who I am by WHAT I DO and HOW I DO IT***.

 I am not defined by any NAME and CATHALOGUES are too small for me: I´m way more interested in the contents that a name carries and I do agree with Master Shakespeare: a rose would still smell as sweetly if it was called by any other name.

Get my point?