fringing it...

no- this is not a blog entry about making your own costumes....

this week i have been 'doing' the Edinburgh fringe festival.

Every august thousands of people flood to Edinburgh to enjoy and perform the arts. Comedy, theatre, dance music - its all there- non stop every day in almost every venue you can imagine. and this year a fantastic progression is the huge number of free fringe shows! I've been attending quite a few this week! Some ok, some awful and some amazing.

I loved 'The seven deadly sings' on at espionage in victoria street. a musical comedian who was intelligent and funny and talented and he was by far my favourite show of the fringe.

Another show that surprised me was 'the F word' in a venue on the north bridge. It was a group of girls, who sang and danced and mainly acted various stories of feminism. From foot binding to tribal nose cutting off, from domestic violence to mental illness. One actress actually had me in tears ... her acting was amazingly powerful... as was her message. the singing and dancing wasn't strong at all- but there were moments in the show that really blew me away and made it a show i got into for free- but actually if I had paid for it i would have considered it money well spent.

Last night i went to a ceilidh. SO much fun... I even met a couple of people there that i knew! 3 hours of fun jumping about to lively music... ahmed harfoush (the top jazz singer from cairo) was with us and was the star of the night.

today i am off to Dundee to teach a couple of workshops up there. Tomorrow i have my belly on the beach party on portobello prom (all welcome, just come along- 12-3pm by the dalriada), then next weekend i have glasgow workshop and show on the 27th and Edinburgh workshops on sunday the 28th. ( contact me asap if you want to reserve yourself a place on any of those...)

so the holiday was this week and now comes the 'work' - as much as dancing and teaching dance is ever 'work'. I know- I'm lucky!

London's burning.....

My parents have always been worried about my life in Cairo. They worry I will get killed crossing the streets after visiting Cairo a few years ago and being horrified during their numerous taxi rides, or that I’ll be abducted or even worse... that I might fall in love with an Egyptian man, marry him and end up living far away from them forever!

When the Egyptian young people took to the streets in Cairo and around Egypt to protest against police violence and prejudice, nobody thought it would end in a revolution which succeeded in bringing down a president of 30 years.... nobody thought these people would stand and be run over by vans and cars, brought down by tear gas and bullets... all because they truly, rightly believed they deserved better from their country and those who ruled it. Life was so bad that they were actually willing to give up their lives, and sadly many did. Some still are suffering for what they stand for, with many protesters still locked up and being charged by martial law even though they are from a self-appointed civilian ‘army’ rather than the one their government has always forced them into.



When I first heard the news of the current London Riots (which have now unfortunately, spread all across England) I found it really hard to find something in me to criticise them. For so many months now my heart and mind has been behind those who had to protest and were continually pushed back. Who were attacked then given the full blame, called lawless and troublemakers, for the youth on the streets- making their voices heard.

It has taken me all day of reading news and looking into how it all happened... into the ‘reasons’. There are none.......... absolutely none.... These are not protests...

.... these youths are nothing like the men (and women) of Egypt and Syria and Tunisia and Libya to name but a few countries where ‘riots’ have made headline news over the last 7 months. No these young people already have free education, free healthcare, freedom of speech and benefits to save them from the worst of poverty. These rioters of London, and other now ruined cities, know nothing of the extremes of life that are thrown at people who are imprisoned and killed just for attempting to create a political party. Who were tortured for their beliefs and for voicing them. Who have lived their lives in unwarranted fear of the police just going about their daily lives. In fact- I have to quote from twitter to make my point fully,

“ the youths of the Middle East rise up for basic freedoms... the youths of London (Birmingham , Manchester etc ) rise up for a HD ready 42” Plasma TV.”

Political soapbox aside.... my personal feelings have surprised me. I have had flashbacks to the levels of panic I felt throughout the early days in Cairo in the revolution when none of us had any idea how things would work out. I forgot how it felt to have that sort of tightness in the chest and stomach, that degree of uncertainty what will come next for your country and for the future for everyone in it .... At least in Cairo I had sympathy for the youths.... now I just have a fury that I cannot type fast enough about here at Edinburgh airport ...

Have to end this now........

..........” Boarding now at gate 12” .......... London calling.........

Socialising in Scotland and learning how to walk....

It's lovely to be back in Edinburgh to see everyone. So far I've had some time catching up with family and friends and it's been great. Looking forward to a lot more of that.

I have even organised a beach party on portobello promenade on sunday 21st aug (noon- 3pm by the Dalriada bar) to try and round up as many of my scottish friends and fmaily as possible, dancers and non dancers alike. Also attempting an Afridonia reunion ( I used to be a dancer in an African dance group in Edinburgh and I haven't seen all the girlsand guys in the group for ages!) at the same time...

If you can get yourself to portobello on that day- I strongly recommend it. Of course i can't guarentee sunshine, but if it rains I'll still be there, I'm Scottish- brought up on 'Umbrella held over the bbq' summer outings! (but if its wet from 12.30 since thats when the bar actually opens!!!) facebook events page is http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=246783545344958

I'm looking forward to heading down to London this week for a week(arrive last tues night) I have a lot of friends down there I hope to see... workshops which are selling tickets fast.. 2 performance nights (detials will be advertised VERY soon) and private classes too.... not to mention a photoshoot with the fabulous Maani ! I dont know how I am going to fit it all in- but am looking forward to 'doing' London!!! for info on performances and workshops please go to http://saqarah.co.uk/Lorna-Saturday-Workshops-2011


Loving driving.... miss that in Cairo. But also enjoying walking.... it's not somethig thats is easy to do in Cairo. Apart from the heat, the traffic and the comments from the men in the streets, which can be offputting enough- Cairo has dreadful pavements (if there are any at all... when very high curbs) which means you end up looking at your feet all the time to mind your step and to ensure you dont make unwanted eye contact! I was walking down the pavement here in Edinburgh the other day and realsied that I was looking down the whole time and told myself off for it... 'you're in Uk now... enjoy the scenery- look around', I felt free and alive. The sun was shining and people had really made their gardens beautiful. The 'greenness' of everything was a cooling balm to my dust tired cairo eyes. It's true I didn't receive any unwanted attention, nor stumble on any hole in the pavement... but one horrible thing in UK that you DON'T get in Cairo... dogs dirt. I did manage to avoid it, but only just! People in Cairo seldom have dogs as pets, in fact many are very scared of dogs and see them as very unclean animals. If you have washed to say your prayers and a dog licks you, then you have to do the entire cleansing process again before you pray... ... so in the streets of Cairo, although often have a lot of rubbish on them, they are blissfully free from this curse of UK society. So, I'm back to scanning the pavements as I walk.... whichever of my 2 home countries I am in!