From Greek club to Greece. Cruise part 5

My second day in Alex was much more enjoyable than my first because my friend Ellie came up from Cairo to spend the day with me. She was impressed with the train service, and there was only a little panic when I was waiting at one station, and she had left the train at another, but we sorted it out and met outside the fort.

When you are based in Cairo any excuse to get away even for a day and smell the sea air is a blessing. We went to the Greek club and sat with a drink and some nibbles beside a small but beautiful and quiet beach for most of the day catching up. 

That place really is a haven and one of my favourite places in Egypt.

It is always a stunning view walking along the corniche afterwards and photos of pretty boats are going to take up the majority of this blog entry!

We had a wander round town,

 and ended up back on the corniche at a street sheesha cafe just relaxing and watching the world go by.

 The day went too fast and before long I had to rush back to the ship so I could give Ellie some things to take back to Cairo with her on the train and save my weight allowance for the journey back. Unfortunately I didn’t give her enough and still had problems at the airport the following week, but even that turned into a nice evening when I shared out the Italian wine I had brought to take back as presents but which put my grossly over the baggage allowance but made me some new friends!

Returning to the ship there was a lovely sunset and the ship did look impressive.

and huge....

I did feel sad though. I was returning to the ship to head to Crete, so I should have been excited about the next step of my adventure, but I felt that nothing could beat the high of the show the night before and just wanted to leave on a high! The good news is that, fingers crossed, even if I am not crew on future sails, HAL might use me to provide the local entertainment whenever they are in Alex. I really hope so. That would be fabulous for me, and for my band, and I think good for the guests too to hear about the country they are in from someone who really loves it, despite being aware of its failings. I suspect my low mood though was due to the fact that my stomach wasn’t too happy all day (well, for most of the week actually- although generally I had put it down to my self induced over eating due to the stunning food on board the ship!). I have to admit that I went back to the ship, ate some dinner and was in bed by, wait for it, 8.30pm. Not only that, but I slept through until my alarm at 9 the next morning!! 8.30pm- the girl who normally goes to bed at 5am! Guess I was tired. All this excitement!

The longest journey ever between Cairo and Alexandria! -Cruise part 4

So, to recap the cruise story so far.

I flew to Rhodes, via Athens. I joined the ship MS Noordam... and then we promptly sailed directly back to Egypt.

When we did arrive at Alexandria one of the first things for me was the relief that my internet worked again.  Sad, but true. The day at sea was too far away from anywhere to pick up 3G, so I had been a day without internet. No facebook, no connecting with friends, no IMessage. If I had been ready for it, I suspect I would have dealt with it better, but I hadn’t thought about not being able to use my phone on ship at least and felt trapped. It is amazing isn’t it, how in the few years that wide use of the internet has developed our dependency on it has increased so dramatically. You can buy internet cards on the ship, but they are very expensive and the connection very slow. I have to admit- I did panic and buy a card. I think it would be healthy for me to try to go for longer periods of time offline. So as soon as I publish this blog and update my facebook, and check twitter for latest Egypt news, then that’s what I will do... for an hour or so at least!

I digress. So, the ship is in Alex. I plan to meet a friend who is from there for lunch. I walked from the ship to the corniche, though some of the most rubbish strewn streets I have seen for a while which really saddened me. When I walked from the ship to shore I met guests from the ship coming back saying to me- ‘don’t do it... it’s filthy, don’t go there! I laughed, thinking they were just comparing ‘normal Egypt with their spotless clean ship’. No. They were right.

   I know things are tough financially, politically, every which way really, but please- have some pride in your country, even just your little bit of it. Imagine how all these two thousand tourists, getting off their 5 star ship and stepping directly into that view you and your country. And their opinion should count, if you want Egypt to do well the tourist rates need to increase. Unfortunately, our two days docked at Alex made almost everyone on board totally confused as to why I would choose to live in a dump like Egypt. Their words, not mine. I found myself having to defend my chosen home over and over again, although with a lot of it, I unfortunately did agree with them. How much respect would it need to put your rubbish in your pocket until you get home instead of throwing in the street? To smile and welcome people to the country without the hard sell that actually most found aggressive and frightening (and didn’t result in sales?)? Come on Egyptians, I know you can do better than this. Please.

Actually, while I am on my rant, humour me please readers. On my way to the corniche the call to prayer was sounding. It was Friday. One man tried to walk up close to me, making sexual comments. I shouted at him, ‘shame on you, cant you hear the sound from the mosque?’ he looked mortified that I had pulled him up on what he was doing and apologised and ran away. Egypt needs more reminders about the respect involved in following Islam. For yourself and for women. It shouldn’t need the infidel bellydancer to remind a Muslim man that he should be paying attending to the prayer, not to my backside. And while I am on the subject. On the way back to the ship after drinking my fresh juice (lunch got cancelled so had a wander about Alex instead- which totally closes on a Friday- good to know if you ever want to do tourist stuff there- Not on a Friday!!) a man tried to do the usual, ‘hello... whats you name? Where you from?’. I answered him in Arabic asking him to leave me alone, he replied... ‘Ah you are Arab...are you from Syria? Do you think the way you are dressed is appropriate for an Arab?’ It is the first time someone has openly tried to control what I wear in this way, and if my Arabic had been better I would have told him exactly what I thought of him and his attitude. As it was I ignored him and kept walking and felt sorry, yet again for what Egypt is becoming. Alexandria, the ‘European city of the middle east’, yeah right. The next day I saw a much nicer side to the city and I'll show that to you in the next blog entry! It wasn't all disappointing!

I need to balance all the above with a positive, in case people reading this think I am just using it all as an excuse to bash Egypt. I love this country and I see it’s potential. I do see the positives too. The lovely place I had my juice at laid out a tray of juice and a box of oranges and were handing them out to people as they came out of the mosques and to the beggars in the street. The caring and sharing that Islam does preach in action. It was good to see.

OK. So, the surprise I was writing about my blog last time; usually when a ship is in port they contact the port agent who gets them a ‘local band’ to come and entertain them. I got very excited when Margo (Entertainment manager) said this... does this mean I get to dance with them? With a live band? She said yes. Then I told her it was a shame I hadn’t known about this, I could have brought my band up from Cairo. She asked me to quote a price. My band came back with a price, that to be honest I felt was way too expensive, and I told her just to get the Alex band. She however told me the port agent was asking for double what I had quoted! I couldn’t believe it. The amount of money that man must have been pocketing for himself was mammoth! She asked me to bring my band. Yippee. I was getting to dance in this huge theatre, with my own band. I was so excited!

The band arrived late. The port agent created problems because he was so angry at them and me since he lost out on the deal. He told security that they shouldn’t get into the port etc. It took about two hours to clear up. To see their faces when they saw the ship I was working on was worth every second. It didn’t harm that Margo is stunningly beautiful and they all though that a real life Barbie was greeting them! 

Most of the band haven’t been abroad at all. So, to come aboard and find this other world, full of different peoples and luxury and way of talking with each other, It blew their minds a bit! They all commented when Margo bent to pick up some nails that had dropped on the floor in the pools area, amazed that a manager would do that, not just stand and shout loudly for someone else to do it. They wanted her to come and take over the Pharaohs. I have to agree with them! Said, the tannoura when he was checking the stage before our show said,’ I can’t believe we are still in Egypt. I feel like I am abroad’. I felt proud I had been able to bring them this experience.

They played in the gazebo by the pool on top deck while everyone was eating their BBQ. It went well. I of course had been busy organising security clearance etc etc and was needed to translate everything for them, so hadn’t even gotten changed yet. I left them to what I knew they did best, and ran for my 20 minute shower, hair make up costume! It was all very stressful getting them from that stage, via a super fast food and cigarette break down to the main theatre on time. Herding cats might have been easier. We made it 2 minutes before curtain! I of course still hadn’t finished make up or gotten into costume so I told them to play a song before my entrance. It worked well.

The show went really well. I danced. The tannoura span, I took the mic and got everyone doing some audience participation from their seats. I love dancing, I love teaching and I love entertaining. This show combined all three and I felt totally at home. I just wish we had had longer. The hour was possibly the fastest in my life!

Everyone loved it, and Margo told me it was the best local entertainment they had ever had on any ship she had been on. What a relief! We went up to deck again for a cup of tea and relax before getting the band onto their bus and sending them back to Cairo. Oh and the photos.. Everyone was desperate to get a picture beside the beautiful Margo. It was very funny to watch!

And, the good news, the whole show was filmed... so watch this space until I manage to work out how to edit and upload it!!

What a day! I was totally drained, but happy, when I collapsed into bed!

Out at sea – cruise part 3

This was a big day for me; my first day waking up on board the ship, from a deep sleep in a very comfy bed, and my first day of ‘work’.

The days schedule (that was put in the little box outside everybody’s room on a daily basis) told us all that today would be an Arabic class, two bellydance classes and a bellydance performance. Busy Lorna!

So half an hour before the Arabic class was due to start I sat down to work out what I was going to teach. Not exactly a lot of preparation, but I already had a fair idea of what basics we would get through in the half hour I was allocated. If we got past ‘hello’,’ thank you’ and ‘yes and no’ I’d be lucky! I was pretty nervous though- I had a fear that someone who spoke Arabic would come along just to pick me up on something or make fun of my pronunciation. So the beginning of the lesson was a huge disclaimer that I was not a native speaker, but that I had lived there for seven years and had ‘got by’! 

My fears were justified. I had a woman from Iraq come along with her American husband (I presume for him to learn?). Every time I said something I would give a sideways look towards her, which she always caught, but thankfully she would also nod in approval! At the end she said I had done very well. Phew! Our half hour actually stretched to an hour because everyone was so interested and asking questions. There were at least 50 in the class! They liked it so much they all wanted handouts so they could practise. There was yet another thing to add into my day- I did type them up and I actually posted the lesson in this blog in case you missed it... http://bellylorna.blogspot.com/2013/06/basic-egyptian-words-to-use-on-your.html

Then, the bellydance class. I decided since there were only about 15 or so ladies I wouldn’t use the head mic, however, by the time we had finished the introduction I realised I probably should have, since I had nearly 60 people in the class! Great hilarity ensued and we were all shaking it to our hearts delight by the time the lesson was over. After nearly 17 years of teaching experience I still love that first class that people do. Their facial expressions when they are concentrating hard to move their hips in a figure of eight, their joy when they ‘get it’. It is a small scale version of having children for me- experiencing  elements  within the dance anew through their fresh eyes. I should do more teaching. I get so much out of it for me. When I moved to Cairo I decided to do very little teaching and focus on the performance. My thinking was that I could teach when I am 60 – but by then I wouldn’t be able to be performing on a stage in Cairo! Now however, looking back over my over 7 years here, I realise that actually teaching is important to me. To my own dance and development, but also on a psychological level, that interaction with women who want to learn. I plan to teach more from now on....

In the second dance class of the day I was impressed that yet again we had fairly high numbers and that many from the morning had come back for more! So I had to teach a class that was suitable for complete beginners, but also not a repeat of the one earlier- in fact that was the experience for the rest of the cruise. I taught 8 classes over the course of the 2 weeks, and in everyone I had the die hards that come to every class, and I also had total first time beginners too. I don’t know who people who plan their lessons allow for these things? I teach almost every class as I perform every show. Improvised. When I perform it allows me to gauge the audience reaction, to do more of this, less of that, depending on their response. In teaching, exactly the same. If I plan something too much then a lot of the joy goes out of the class for me, the interaction is lost, or at least greatly reduced. It becomes (read with a robot voice)’must teach x,y then z....’  rather than (normal voice!) ‘Oh let’s do x... oh that works well.. but maybe since that was hard we will do j and k, oh and then z and then c and ... ‘ well you get the idea. I end up doing a lot more usually, but it flows, there is reason to it. Not a logical one that I could have planned in advance. But one that organically grows within the class between my students and me. Whether it is a taster session beginner’s class or an advanced professional private one to one class.

Anyway- back to the ship.

My 3 classes of the day over with I had 45 minutes to get to my cabin, shower, dress, make up – AND sync my playlist onto my iPod. This last bit was my downfall. It always is. I can never decide which songs to dance to until the very last minute- which is why working with a talented band in Cairo is my ideal situation since almost always I turn to them after one song and say- oh do you guys know..... and usually they do and we perform it without any rehearsal. I guess I am addicted to the adrenaline! So- the iPod, of course, decides it doesn’t want to sync. No reason (ok, maybe in my time related stress there was a logical reason but I sure as heck couldn’t see it!). What to do?

Ah. IPhone... phew- thank god I have that. Ok- sync done tick... get to the crow’s nest (the bar I was to perform in at the very top of the ship, which is now FULL of people, literally a couple of hundred – let’s just say, most were standing because all the seats were taken!) 5 minutes before I was due to go on. Phew.

Now all I had to worry about was how much they would laugh at my bright pink skin that was clashing beautifully with my lime green costume. Yes I know- stupid stupid me!

Or at least that is all I ‘thought I had to worry about.

I haven’t had an iphone for long. I didn’t even know it had a shuffle option....

Oh yes, I found out the hard way. Tell me I am not the first bellydancer this has ever happened to please?

I spent the entire show (30 minutes and 7 tracks) praying that the next song wasn’t going to the ‘outro’ music!!!! The gods were on my side... every thing else was completely mixed up, but somehow worked anyway, and the outro was the outro! Yippee. My relief was tangible!

It went very well. I had people up dancing and everyone was very receptive and complimentary! A good job well done. Pat on the back for me, Ouch, No... Too much sunburn for that!

I am kicking myself now that I don’t have a single photo of any of the classes or the shows. I was too busy doing them. I am sure there will be photos kicking around facebook and YouTube... and if they ever appear I will attach them!

After I had finished I called Margo about something and she said, 'oh, I am up at the captains champagne meet and greet, come and join us....!' So I threw on a little black dress, as one does, and headed there. 3 glasses of free champagne later I still hadn’t met the captain who was too busy shaking hands with everyone but I had met and chatted with a great number of Dutch guests, who were a lot of fun!

After having responsible for the entertainment so far that day, I then decided to see what the ship had to offer in its own entertainment! After a huge dinner of course. I am lethal at a buffet. Maybe it’s my Scottishness but I want to try everything and end up with way too much food. Everytime. Ah well- to be honest- the food was so good, every meal, every single thing I tried, that it was impossible not to put on weight during this trip! It just had to be done!

That evening I watch Jodie and the Halcats in the ocean bar, Ben and the Halcats (a different band!) do the British Invasion night in the Queens lounge and the amazing full show, Aces High in the vista lounge. Lounge is the wrong word for the last of those venues. It is a full blown theatre. The Show was fabulous. Far better than anything I expected to see on a ship and far better than many things I have seen in actual theatres over the years! The voices were superb and the dancing was wonderfully choreographed and professionally performed. The stage setting and backdrops were impressive. The whole thing beautiful.

Everything on ship seemed to go to sleep about 11pm. I suspect due to the average age of the guests....! The staff bar however partied until 1am. I didn’t go there very often in my time aboard, mainly because you had to go through the bowels of the ship to get there and I could never remember how!

That day I received some wonderful news and did some organising to arrange a special treat. You however, will have to wait until my next blog entry to find out what that was!

Apologies for lack of photos in this entry- more tomorrow I promise!

All aboard at Rhodes - Cruise part 2

What a beautiful Island! I flew into Rhodes in the afternoon. I was collected at the airport and taken to the hotel that HAL (Holland America Line) had booked for me. A lovely hotel right on the beach front. Within minutes of arriving in my room, I had changed into short skirt, strappy top and ship ship, all ready to go explore in the sunshine. It felt rebellious, being able to dress as I like for the weather after living in Cairo all these years where I have to be careful that my top is not too low, my skirt is not too short and that is before you even start with length of sleeve! I forget sometimes how exhausting it is having to dress for the morons who comment on the street rather than for myself!

I then walked for about 3 hours around Rhodes. Photographing the sea:

the boats in the harbour;

The beautiful old city walls,

 and the sunset;

Everything just felt so relaxed. I felt relaxed. It’s been a while....

I felt my apprehension grow every time a man was about to walk by, or a group of kids were standing where I would have to pass. All the fear was for nothing. No-one said a word. It was as it should be, and such a huge relief!

It was only right at the end of the walk that one old man ruined it all, doing the 'I am talking on my phone trick, but really I am talking to you.. 'It was disappointing it happened, but laughable. He was shaking while he was talking, frightened of my reaction. Asking my name and where I came from, not ‘how much for a night ?’ or such like charming comments I have become used to from the aggressive over confident manner of the street dogs (two legged variety not 4) in Cairo. Plus I suspect I may have wandered into a not so nice part of town by then, and he went literally running from the earful I gave him. So thankfully it did not manage to affect my overall mood.

To walk past shops where the shopkeepers are all standing in the doorways, smiling and chatting with each other, not trying to jostle for your custom. 

 Not harassing you to spend your money. To be able to smile at them, male and female alike and have them smile and greet you in return, without any follow through. Oh Egypt, what have you done to me....? Normal behaviour now seems angelic! I understand that times are hard and every pound counts, but Greece are not doing very well right now either. They have 35% unemployment (and that’s the official figures!) and their economy is also in crisis yet they manage to be welcoming and respectful to tourists, understanding how important our role is in their economy. Not bullying and threatening. Sorry to paint such a bad picture of Cairo, and of course it is always the minority that spoils things for the majority, but the fact is that tourists often feel  intimidated when they come to Cairo. We need to change this Ya Masr!

Anyway, back to Rhodes...

The hotel had put a complimentary half bottle of wine in my room and after dinner I sat on my balcony with it, reading my book feeling that maybe this cruise trip would not be so bad, that maybe in fact it was exactly what my soul needed. Some time out from the stresses of my ‘normal’ life. What can I say? It was a nice wine!

But oh the Greek yoghurt... ! So thick and creamy that it would not fall from the serving spoon at breakfast. That topped with honey for breakfast was truly the food of the gods!

A short taxi ride to the port brought me the first glimpse of what was to be my home for the next two weeks. I could not get over the size of it. I’d never seen these huge cruise ships up close before. A floating hotel for sure.

Up the gangway and to the front desk to check in. Seems they had forgotten to book me a crew room. I lucked out, after a short wait the in the stunning atrium by front desk, the perfect backdrop for any bellydancer...

I was awarded a guest stateroom. Huge and spacious and lovely.

In fact, add a kitchenette to it and I could probably live in it quite happily!

Margo was the entertainment manager and she took me around the ship to collect my name badge and staff pass and all such things and then the time for that day was my own.

 So I went up to the top deck of the ship;

 Took numerous photos of Rhodes;

And proceeded to fry myself until I became lobster coloured! That was completely unintentional... but after the heat of Egypt the weather really didn’t feel so hot, maybe being over the water made the difference but I regretted my low factor sun cream for the rest of my trip (and I am still peeling!!!). SO attractive- the pink, day-glo pink, bellydancer. Embarrassing, painful lesson learnt! (and no I am NOT adding a photo of my flourescent skin since I don't want to blind you!)

Finding my way around the ship took most of the day after that. Two pools, a casino, numerous bars and a nightclub and two theatres and a gym and spa. They even had a basketball court on the very top of the ship surrounded by nets so your ball wouldn’t fly out to sea!!

Anyway... bye bye Rhodes... it was lovely getting to know you a little and I really hope sometime I get a week in your company. One of the four locations over the course of my trip that went on the ‘must do again with more time list’!

Word of warning- if you are turning green reading about my lovely cruise already, then don’t read my blog for at least another week..... I have too many photos I want to share! There, I warned you. 

Going Cruising...From River Nile to the Mediterranean Sea..

So, my ‘normal’ job is that of a bellydancer on the Nile, Cairo. Granted there are perhaps few that would call this ‘normal’ but there you go. That’s what I do.

My UK agent, Taste of Cairo, contacted me 4 weeks ago and asked if I would like a wee holiday away from my normal Cairo job. The contract was to be bellydancer on a cruise ship, the MS Noordam, part of the Holland America line for 12 days. Sailing Rhodes, Egypt, Crete, Athens, Santorini, Katakolon and ending my contact in Venice. All I had to do was teach an Arabic lesson, 7 bellydance lessons and perform 4 times total over the 12 days. Ok, the pay wasn’t great, but all the flights food and accommodation (obviously!) was thrown in. A busman's holiday (ok- so more like a boatwoman's holiday!)

I have to admit, it took me a week to decide whether to take the job or not.

I know reading this you are probably surprised that it took so long... a 5 star cruise in Europe...What on earth is there to think about?

The truth is I am a bit of a scaredy cat when it comes to doing new things, meeting new people and travelling alone.

Honest. I am.

I know, I know... I gave up my entire life in Scotland and moved to Egypt over seven years ago to be a bellydancer here, how could I possibly be scared of doing new things. In fact, what could be braver? Truth is, I suspect if I had had the slightest idea of how difficult things were going to be here in Egypt, Getting work and work papers, living through a revolution, just day to day living at times, if I had known all that, I am sure I would not have made that move! Plus of course, in the beginning when I was young and naive, I really thought I was just coming here to Cairo for 6 months and then returning to my friends and family and dance business back in Edinburgh! 6 months, oh how the fates have enjoyed that wee joke. I am glad I did it, of course, but I do sometimes wonder how different my life would have been if I hadn't. It certainly wouldn't have been as interesting or as challenging! Being a Bellydancer in Cairo now defines me.

Anyway, even though I was so scared about doing something new, I decided, after a 'get a grip of yourself woman, its a 5 star cruise on the Med!!!!' talk from my friend Ellie, to bite the bullet and go. 

After all, How bad could it be? The ship had a pool, and a gym and I would have lots of time to catch up on outstanding emails and work I had to do (oh how much I laugh at that idea in hindsight now!!), and it would be nice to get a break from Cairo pollution and chaos for a little while!

I flew to Rhodes (via Athens) 2 weeks ago, and then the adventures began.

You have to excuse me, but the next few blog entries are going to be about my experiences as the Guest entertainer on a cruise ship! Some of you were following me from one port to another via facebook, however here is a little more of the story. Let me take you on a Mediterranean journey on board the MS Noordam.... 

From this;

To this.... 

... and back again! (yes I am back in Cairo now!) 

Thanks to Tracey at www.TasteOfCairo.com for the opportunity!

Basic Egyptian words to use on your holiday in Egypt

I was asked recently to teach a basic Egyptian language class. Just half an hour on some of the main words and phrases that might be useful for a tourist spending a day in Egypt.
I am not a fluent arabic speaker by any means, but have lived in Cairo for 7 years. I thought I would publish this list for any of you who are planning a trip here and might find it useful. If you are an Egyptian arabic speaker and notice any mistakes- please do feel free to advise me! so here goes- some of the basics for a complete beginner!

Egyptian Arabic- just a few basics to help you get by!

Most common greeting- ‘peace be upon you’- is’sallam aleykum

-Answer that with- we aleykum es’sallam

Hello- Ahlan                       Hello and welcome- Ahlan we sahlan

-Answer that with- Ahlan beek (m) / Ahlan beeki (f)

Good Morning- Sabah el kheir,    Good Afternoon (which you use in the evening too!)- Miss a el kheir

Goodbye- ma’asallama (but most people also use is’sallam aleykum to say goodbye too!)

How are you? – Izzayack? (to m)/ Izzayick (to f)

How do you do?- Amal eh? (to m) / Amla eh? (to f)

-I am good- Ana Qwayees (m) / Ana Qwayeesa (f)

-I am not good- ana mish (or mush!) Qwayees/ Qwayeesa

What is your name?- Ismack (m) / Ismick (f)  eh?                                 

 -My name is... – Ismi ....

Where are you from? – inta min ain? (m) / inti min ain?(f)  

 to reply; ana min.......... ‘your country’

Yes- Aywa     No- La’

Thank you- Shukran  (remember La’ shukran with a smile works wonders!!)

Please – Min fadlack (m) / Min fadlick (f)

Excuse me (to get attention) – Lough samaht (m) / lough samahti (f) (both with breathy ‘h’)

Is it possible?- Momkin?  

Eg Momkin shey? To order tea in cafe!

Also momkin da? (pointing at something) - is it possible to have ‘that’

Tea- shey,    Turkish coffee- ahwa,    ‘normal’ coffee- Nescafe,    water- maya

Sorry- asif (m) / asfa (f)

I don’t understand Arabic- ana mish fahim arabee. (m) / ana mish fahma arabee (f)

How much? – be kam?                

Too much! – Kateer

The word you will hear most often – Inshallah – it mean ‘god willing’ !

Inshallah that will be of help to you if you are planning to travel to Egypt soon... have fun, and enjoy my chosen homeland!

Has the Egyptian Government made things difficult for their country's bellydancers?

People are always asking me this question- so I thought I would give you my viewpoint!

As far as I know, no legislation has been brought out against bellydance or anything of that ilk since the Muslim brotherhood came into power last summer in Egypt.  Thankfully!

However, work for dancers is down over all.

Partly due to the still very low numbers of tourists, both Western and Arab. This affects all the hotels and boats and cabarets that have dancers. The competition is high and it’s harder now for even Egyptian girls to get work, never mind for us foreigners! For new dancers starting out or coming to Cairo hoping to live their dream of being a dancer here it is near impossible.

The other thing which has lowered the amount of work available, and has affected me personally in recent months is the attitudes within some of the audiences.

I am really lucky to say that the vast majority of audiences I perform for have been fabulous. Mostly Egyptians, but a handful of tourists too. However, I have had two shows cancelled within the last two weeks because there were members of the Muslim Brotherhood in the audience and they didn’t want the bellydance to go ahead. The rest of the music program, fine, but no bellydance, because it is Haram (forbidden!).

In the seven years since I have been dancing at the Nile Pharaoh this has always happened from time to time. Usually because the entire deck on the boat has been booked for a corporate event and they want to do a speech or something instead of having the dancer. Fine. That’s work and I understand that.  Other times, it would just be one table perhaps, or a couple would leave when I started to dance and go outside while the dancing was on if they didn’t want to watch. That’s fine too. I do understand. It is not for everyone. 

However, I get annoyed when the entire deck has been booked for a wedding and because one man creates a big fuss, I don’t dance. We get paid per show, so that means no money for me or my band. It also means all the other guests, who do want to see the dance, miss out.

This week I had a lovely old lady, a professor at Cairo University seemingly, who was with a group that had declared me ‘Haram’ so, ‘no bellydancers today please’. She was really upset not to see me dance and she was embarrassed by her colleagues’ decision to cancel that part of the entertainment. It was quite sweet really. I felt for her. As I always do when some people decide what is right and wrong for others. You don’t like dance, for whatever reason, you leave the room or just don’t watch, but don’t take away the opportunity for others to enjoy.

This is what I see as the real danger to bellydance in Egypt these days. Not that the government will stop us working (although of course, it is a possibility I won’t deny that) but that the general public will start changing their behaviours and attitudes just to fit in with what they are told is ‘right’ and ‘wrong’. If it becomes ‘wrong’ in general public opinion, then there wouldn’t be a big fight if one day it was banned, would there?

Thankfully, I have also seen the opposite too. The attitudes of the Egyptian people are being polarised. There are those who are happy for it to become a more Islamist country and those who feel very strongly that it shouldn’t. Many of those that are against this are making sure that they partake of their freedoms as much as they possibly can. Those who drink, are drinking, those who like dance, are dancing and going to watch dance. I’ve even seen a few new venues that never used to have bellydance as part of their entertainment introducing it to their venues. This is the good news, but it always feels like there is an element of desperation in the air too.

It is almost though they fear that if they don’t use it, they will lose it.

I hope they don’t.

I hope I don’t. Bellydancing in Cairo is my life, and I love it. I would hate to lose it.

I hope that because of these people, and for these people, who really do love their cultural heritage, Cairo will continue to be the heart of bellydance in the world. 

D-CAF ( I am not talking coffee! )

Last night I went to an event organised by D-Caf (downtown contemporary arts festival) www.d-caf.org. It's a great idea for a festival and good to have an excuse to venture back downtown at night... something i have usually avoided doing in the past two years since the revolution. 

I didn’t know what the event was – only that it was in the venue Sherazade club, which usually is one of Cairo’s seedy cabaret nightclubs with bad bellydance, cheap beer and money showers. OK, so I am aware that doesn’t sell it much. However, it is the most amazing place with murals painted on all the walls of oriental dreams and images of bellydancers. The stage has the red velvet curtains with gold braiding within a gold archway. The lighting fixtures (not the fairy lights hanging from everything but the actual fitted fixtures!) are art deco. It is just a fabulous venue. And it was perfect for this event too.

The place was packed... a LOT of people, mainly young, many foreign and all there for the music.

First up was a Syrian hip hop group who had a lot of potential. They mixed Arabic and English and I believe they could go far... I liked most of the tracks... I got a little frustrated though because the mics weren’t balanced correctly so a lot of what was being said/sung which wasn’t audible. Also I got the impression they were not used to being on stage and in fact only after when I read the program did I see that this was in fact their debut. Like I said- potential to go far. Was enjoyable!

The next act had the stage skills down to a tee. Khadafi Dub is from USA and even if his music wasn’t to your taste (dub/electronic) you had to appreciate he had stage presence and was entertaining! I loved the music and was dancing like a nutter most of the night!

In fact, I really appreciated the fact that I was there with a group of friends, who were mainly standing behind me, which meant I could dance my heart out, as if no one was watching, without the fear of anyone trying anything on.... I felt safe and free. It was a much needed night.

I wish that club would be a regular weekly club. I think it has massive potential as a club night, whatever style of music they choose to play there. And it was a lot busier than it usually is as a cabaret! Of course- what I would dearly love to see there is a club night that was Egyptian music; with bellydance... it would be the perfect setting for it!

Afterwards, because one club night in a Cairo evening is never enough... I went to Outdoors at the maxim boat to see the end of Ellie of London’s set there. It was a completely different vibe..... but also a lot of fun. A much older crowd than had been at sherazade, and very different music. I had felt I had used all my energy up in the 1^st place- but then the Syrian musicians they have there (wonder violin and keyboards combo who play the music every bellydancer dreams about) played Enta Omri and there was me- up and going for it as though I hadn’t already been boogieing the night away! In fact- I enjoyed it so much that I plan to go back again tonight, after I finish work.  I love dancing with Egyptian women who aren’t dancers.... I learn so much about the attitude and feel of the dance from them!

On being a lazy bellydancer!

Working as a dancer in Cairo is a lot like waiting on buses these days. There can be literally weeks without any work at all... and then once your body has relaxed, the muscles have stopped responding as they should and your mood as dropped to an all time low because you are depressed from the lack of movement... then and only then do you suddenly get flooded with work day after day so that your muscles ache and your friends think you have dropped off the side of a cliff!

I am not complaining. Honest. 11 days in a row, performing anything between 1 and 6 shows in a day, is what I moved to Cairo to do!

I am pointing out my failures again. Why oh why when I get days off do I not do more exercise so that my ‘on’ days are less of a surprise to my poor muscles?!!! I never used to have to worry about these things. When I lived in Scotland I was teaching 25 classes per week on top of performing and going out salsa dancing!

Now... now I have become so lazy. I know what I ‘should’ do. I should be drilling moves at home. I should be doing my press ups and sit ups, my stair climbing. I should make a point of going out to salsa. Yes I should.

I think too much. I do too little. I bring myself down.

I rest and then my mood slumps and it is near impossible to move to do the basic stuff of life, never mind ‘extra’ exercise!

I guess routine is the answer to this issue. Push myself to do something every morning when I wake up........ but there is always an excuse; My back is sore from work last night- I should rest, I am late for meeting someone I need to leave house, I need to save my energy for work later on tonight... you name it. I am the world’s best at procrastination!

The only thing I seem good at now is always preferring to climb the stairs to the flat rather than taking the lift (11 floors). However, I don’t leave the house enough to make much of a difference!

I am so bad at pushing myself to exercise alone that I wish social fitness wasn’t so expensive. Gyms in Cairo are very expensive. Pools to go just for a swim are rare and also expensive. Fitness classes, Pilates, yoga etc are available... but again highly priced. I need to exercise because there isn’t enough regular daily work to keep my body strong for the times that there is, but without the work I don’t have the funds to pay for a gym!

See.... always an excuse.

Truth is I am a lazy bellydancer.

I have always been blessed in dance. I learn quickly without having to actually put in a lot of mental or physical work. I know many people who profess to hate me because of this! (I hope they are joking!) The idea of drilling moves fills me with such a dread that it takes away the joy I get from the dance.

So what to do......... This is the point in this blog entry when I say 'Yalla- I am going to do X, Y and Z. Everyday'. I am going to get super fit and strong again (like I used to be).

But I won’t.

I know myself too well.

I will start it. Whatever the ‘regime’ of the moment it. The after a day or two, sometimes even a week or two... that’s it. I am sitting about doing nothing and getting weak and depressed again.

When I analyse my character, look at my good and bad points, this laziness always comes out as the thing I hate most about myself and one of the major things that stops me ‘going further’ in life.

Do I just need to get a grip? Get tougher on myself? Or do I accept that sometimes I will be crazy active and nonstop dancing, and other times I just won’t be?

They say that realising your issues is the first step to dealing with them... I am hoping now I have written this and shamed myself in public that somehow I will just magically turn into some highly motivated being. That would be nice. Maybe.

Maybe I'll think more about that tomorrow....

The 'real me' gives you- Tour spring 2013 feedback

This blog entry is a bit of an ego fest I am afraid.... the thing is – I have received so much lovely feedback on my performances, workshops and private classes across the UK over the last 4 weeks, that I wanted to show them off, I mean erm, share them with you!! Hehe.

That first paragraph is from the public 'fun' Lorna... Here is a little bit of the real me;

My previous blog was all about the insecurities I know that I share with many other dancers all over the world. How life as a dancer can be difficult at times. Many people came back to me about that entry and said how much it spoke to them. That it helped them to know they weren't the only one to feel that way. That blog entry has so many heartfelt comments attached to it now. Thank you for taking the time to share your feelings and wishing you all the happiness in your world of dance.

One of my biggest failings in life, not just dance, is focusing on the negative. I do it a lot. Too much. Ironically, only my own failings, or perceived failings. With other people, and especially my students I can only ever see the positives and potentials. So why can I never seem to do that for myself? I know it's not healthy but I haven't worked out a way round it yet.

 For example; I might get 5 compliments after a show, but one tiny 'look' the wrong way (never mind a comment) will be the one thing I see and feel. A whole good show will get thrown away as rubbish in my head because I feel someone 'hinted' that it could have been better. I might have a full class, but then take it to heart if someone leaves early (even if they have given me a perfectly good reason why they would have to!!!!) Over sensitive and over self critical. Not exactly a positive place to grow from.

Also, because of the afore mentioned insecurities, often when I get feedback on my work I brush it off as 'they are just being nice', or 'they don't know any better',  anything really so as not to listen to it. I am not really sure where this urge to punish myself comes from... but I have been told recently by a close friend that if I spoke to her the way I speak to myself then our friendship would have ended a long time ago! I hear her, and I understand what she is saying, but find it so very hard to be kind to myself. 


This blog entry is a bit of therapy for me... you don't have to read it... but I had to write it. 


I have gone through my emails and facebook over the last month and picked out all the lovely, positive things people have said about me and my work during this past tour. I hope they will be ok with me sharing them. I haven't asked permission to share because there are just so many! These lovely comments are part of what keeps me going at times I might be tempted to give it all up.

 I need to listen to them a little more and perhaps even believe a couple of them from time to time! Wish me luck....!

And a huge thanks to Karen Price for these lovely photos of some of my new costumes! 

Here goes... 'the Lorna love fest' ;



“Wow!!!!! Today has been awesome. I learnt so many things today....... 1. Be yourself. 2. There are no rules. 3. If you don't know what to do with your arms take them up and then use them to have a conversation with the audience 4. That a stick can be used for something other than Saaidi dancing - it looks amazing when performed slowly Baladi style 5. Some useful tips on how to transition from one move to another 6. How to dance to the whole audience at the same time. Not to mention our evening out .....Ladies, if you missed out on tonight - you really missed a treat! Lorna was amazing not just with her dancing but with her insight into life in Cairo as a dancer. A huge thank you to Lorna.” Karen 



“If I learned anything today it's that British ladies CAN! Thank you Lorna xxx “ Angela 

Happy? who...? Me? whatever gave you that idea?

“Lorna of Cairo is a wonderful teacher and dancer x” Vanessa 



"Fantastic workshops with Lorna of Cairo today! Really inspired by her warm and generous teaching style and having had a day of eureka moments, lots of quiet reflection will follow. Really affirming day. Thank you so much for giving me the courage and the permission to start putting together my own sentences - I’ve got the words, I can now put them together, hopefully to create something wonderful! Excellent workshops - fulfilled me in so many ways and still have the heady feeling of a great days dancing. It was so good to know that it was ok to try out new moves, to play around and not have so much verbatim technique. So it is with great delight that my limited rule book was officially binned. For me, it's all about permission to dance, keeping the integrity, whilst maintaining a healthy respect for the dance and its culture. Once we allow ourselves that, we can fly as dancers. I need to have that message regularly drummed into me which is why I loved the workshops so much. Lorna is a wonderful teacher and dancer. "Abi 

“the Eureka moment only came to me at the very end when I danced like a lunatic to the last song and then I realised what Lorna meant and I knew I had to dance like that to Baladi - now my challenge is to find some Egyptian music which really makes me wants to dance like that. “ 
Karen 

“Had fantastic workshop today with Lorna of Cairo, loved every minute (I can feel my legs until now). You are a star xxxxx “ Sarasvati

Insecurity

I have decided to write this blog entry because I have a feeling it might help other dancers to feel less ‘alone’.

We live in a highly competitive world. I feel like professional artists (and I will talk about dancers specifically since that is what I really know about) have pressures seldom found in other work places. For example:

-We, dancers are rarely seen as having a ‘proper’ job.

-We, dancers are often expected to dance for very little money or sometimes invited along to places to dance for fun (i.e. for free!).

-We, dancers are judged on our age, looks and figure, our ability as teachers and performers as well as on our dance skills.

All of these things, and this list is by no means exclusive, make things hard when we are trying to make a living in an already competitive field. Bellydance especially is a field where you find many women who will happily dance for free or for cheap rates because dance is not their main source of income, therefore they can afford to, and do, without considering the effect that has on ‘the market’ for those of us for whom dance is our sole income.

All these points and many more like them are often the bulk of discussion forums and articles.

This is not however the main topic of my blog today.

What gets me the most is the self doubt, insecurity, feelings of being a fraud, feelings of inadequacy that I get as a dancer and I hear from other dancers time and time again. ‘I am stuck in a rut’; ‘no matter what I do my dancing doesn’t seem to improve’, ‘what’s the point? I’m never going to be x,y,z’.

The problem in art is that you are only a good artist if people ‘like’ your work. And what people like is guided by so many factors. Their personal artistic likes and dislikes, cultural awareness, their experiences, what the people around them are saying, reviews, their own insecurities and jealousies etc etc.

So yes, we get through this by dancing for ourselves- to be as good as we can be.

But, let’s be honest, this only really works as long as dance is your hobby i.e. you are not trying to earn your living by dancing in front of an audience.

As soon as an audience becomes involved the stakes get raised. We want the people we are dancing for to like us, to appreciate us, to rate us. That is human nature.  We get stage fright. Some get so scared they don’t even perform or they don’t perform to the level they feel they should or could.

That’s when the beatings start.

Beating yourself up that is! (Not some kind of S & M thing!!!)

I cannot count how many times I have come off stage so upset and angry at myself because I feel I have let myself down. It doesn’t matter what people say after a show like that. I wave away their compliments. I focus on anything and everything negative (usually exaggerating it way out of proportion). The people who are saying nice things are just saying that because they are my friend, or people they don’t know any better, or because they feel they ‘should’ say something, not because they really feel it.

I can’t count how many times in the years I have danced I have been in tears when I come off stage. Angry at myself for having, in my eyes, let the audience, and myself down. Of course, that is never what anyone ever says to me... but I feel it. And it burns.

Usually, when these attacks of insecurity hit, I feel what I did was ‘boring’. That I repeated the same move over and over again. In the past, when I have felt this on stage, I push myself to do more and more technique. To show off moves to ‘prove’ to the audience and myself that I CAN do this. Unfortunately that is the very thing that comes back to bite me. By trying so hard, I start thinking and stop feeling. When I stop feeling, I stop enjoying. If I am not enjoying my dance how can I expect anyone in my audience to enjoy it too? Then if I suddenly panic on stage that the audience are not enjoying it I try harder and fail more. See the problem? Of course, my friends would say that I am over exaggerating the problem, that my dancing is never boring etc. Bless them. They might even be right. But when you work yourself up into in insecure state like that it is hard to listen.

So, I am aware of it now... aware of the spiral I follow when I get myself into a state and I guess that is the main part of the battle.

Now, if I start to feel a little wobbly mid show, and it still happens, on a more often than I care to admit frequency, I am able to see what is happening and stop the descent into hysteria.

Nothing worse than a hysterical bellydancer!

So... what I do is I stop. Literally. I stop on stage... and do the most basic of moves.. Very concentrated and slow. Even if the music is fast, I find something in the music that is slower and I circle or figure 8 that ‘thing’ until I am breathing more normally again. I also force myself to look into the eyes of my audience and smile. A smile that says I am really happy I am here dancing for you and isn’t this music amazing? Not a smile that begs ‘like me like me like me’. A smile that connects with someone and says to them ‘isn’t this figure 8 just the most perfect thing to do to this music?!! It feels fantastic’.

It works every single time. I make eye contact, I connect with someone and instantly I am like Popeye after some spinach. I feel recharged and confident and all because I took it down a notch (ok- sometimes a LOT of notches). From then on I feel that at least one person in the audience is with me and already thinks I am good so I am dancing for them!

Often in class I ask people to think of a family party or wedding. Imagine everyone up on the dancefloor, after a few glasses. Do you watch the younger pretty girls who are self-conscious and doing pretty but ‘safe’ moves? or do you watch mad Uncle Albert who is being silly and having a wild time to himself? The uncle, right? Why? Because it makes us happy to watch people having a good time. It is really difficult not to smile if someone is so obviously happy. Even more so if they are smiling at you. Especially when you feel that smile is heartfelt. If you smile, even if you don’t feel happy at the time, just the act of smiling can make you happier. So if you feel like that when you are watching uncle Albert, why wouldn’t other people feel like that watching you, doing the thing you love more than anything else (dance!!!) ? Share with them how happy it makes you.

It works for me.

That’s how I do it on stage...........

Off stage is harder. All those times you question your own ability. Especially when you are home, having a fat day (we ALL have them!), in pain, and/or feeling that there just isn’t any point to it all. Believe it or not, almost every time the answer to this dilemma is DANCE. It often helps me to go out clubbing or salsa dancing... so I am dancing and getting my endorphins flowing again but without the stresses involved in practising ‘moves’ and ‘trying’ to get them right. That trying thing again, see?

It is good to doubt yourself from time to time. If you think you have reached the top, achieved perfection... then you never will. You stop learning. You stop pushing yourself.

Each time I have a big bout of self doubt it is ALWAYS followed with a Eureka moment about my dance and another step up on that every expanding ladder I am climbing in my head. It is hard to remember that at the time of course.... at the time I just want to crawl into a dark space and hide, make it all go away. Yet every time I do come out the other side having ‘realised’ something that helps me progress. It might be a tiny thing, or it might be a complete mental turnaround, but almost always it is something from inside of me. Nothing to do with ‘technique’ or ‘steps’. Yet often the blackness has been caused by worry about just those things!

I am sharing all this, because I know I am not alone in these fears... and I hope that if you are reading this and relating to any of it then maybe some of my experiences can help you get a little hope.

I’d love to be confident in life, and in dance. I’d love to really feel I was the ‘best’ at something. The thing is... I don’t actually believe such a thing exists. (Which is why I can never really get behind the concept of bellydance competitions- but that is a whole other can of worms I don’t want to get into here). I remember being at a salsa convention and one of my friends asking a stunning young Cuban girl ‘isn’t it difficult being so beautiful?’ she was of course being flippant, however the girl actually stopped and turned and thought and said, ‘yes, sometimes it is’. She had a sad look on her face at the time. We put ourselves down so much, all the time, sometimes we need to step back and accept the true level of things, without pushing ourselves up, or down... and wondering from there how we can improve how we feel about our level. Because it’s the happiness, contentedness, acceptance of who we are and why we love dance that counts.

Every single person who started to learn bellydance did it because music made them happy. Music made them want to move. Why when we get caught up into the ‘hows and whys’ do we lose that joy?

So, next time you are feeling a bellydance block, just do whatever you need to do to get that Joy back....... and everyone will stop and watch you dance. I promise. 

My first week of UK tour...

What a wonderful welcome back to UK.

Exeter was SO much fun!

I have to admit- that even now, after all these years teaching and performing (professionally for 16 years!) I still get a bit nervous going to a new area where people don't know me. Will they 'get me'? Will they like me? What level should I be pitching the workshops at?


Thankfully Judith, the woman that organised the weekend is a fantastic organiser and everything ran very smoothly (despite one band in the evening having to cancel on the same day due to a family bereavement; Love to you and yours Maren!).


The ladies in the workshops (which had been sold out for at least 3 weeks before the event!!!) were so attentive and responsive that I felt like I was teaching a room full of sponges, so fast was my information being soaked up! The realisation moments occurring around the room were like Christmas tree lights around the room as they were sparkling so brightly!

It was amazing spending the weekend with my good friend, and one of my first students, Hannah. A lovely dancer herself she was the one who suggested that Judith host me and seemingly they want me back every year now!

I had so many ladies telling me how much I had inspired them and changed the way they would dance that I could barely get my head out the double doors at the end of the evening show!


Some reviews from last weekend;

“I had so many eureka moments in the w/s and private class. Some really really useful feedback on my performance. Wowser moments watching Lorna perform”

Another; “I’m still mesmerised”

One woman told me that I had “changed her life”. Before the workshop she would never have gotten up at a hafla just to bop about at the end because she could never think what to do, but on the night I was in town, after the workshops she not only got up out her seat dancing, but joined the other girls in her class on stage! She was very proud of herself!”


This weekend I will be teaching in EDINBURGH on Saturday 3rd March – I believe there are a couple of spaces left... contact elspethalexandra@hotmail.com 

I will be performing in an exclusive Edinburgh performance on Tuesday 5th March. Please also contact Elsepth if you wish to know details and to book!

Next weekend my workshops in Wolverhampton are sold out on the 10th, However there are still spaces available in LONDON on Saturday 9th March. These are aimed at ALL levels (apart from complete beginners!) and even if you haven’t even performed yet, in fact, perhaps especially if you haven’t performed yet! these workshops will be very useful to you! For details and to book; www.saqarah.co.uk

 That is my reporting in and PR done. It’s a beautiful sunny clear day in Scotland today even if it is a chilly 3degrees right now! I’m off for a swim before nephew’s birthday party round 2. Yesterday I went with him to his ‘party’ with his friends at Time Twisters at sighthill, Edinburgh and they did soft play and then Laser quest.

It was amazing. The whole venue was designed like ancient Egypt! I felt I had left home and come back home!!! So much fun!

My little Pharaoh, not so little now that he is 7!






(Yes that means I have been living in Cairo for 7 years now. I only went for 6 months!!!)