Weekly Bellydance classes in Edinburgh

 Coming home..

Well… it’s been so long since I wrote in my blog that I’ve almost forgotten how.. and 6 years since I left Egypt... I need to update the header for the blog too!!

Hello again!

Guess what? I’ve been back in Edinburgh after my 10 years in Cairo for quite some years now.. but it’s only now that I feel I’ve truly come home. The reason? 

I’m setting up new weekly classes!  

For the past 16 years I’ve been an international performer and have been teaching workshops around the world as well as teaching some online private classes. Before all that I used to teach 25 classes per week, and I did it for years. I had over 400 students every week around Scotland! 

Heres a couple of photos of me, taken by a local newspaper, on Portobello beach, just before I headed off 16 years ago to live in Cairo!

How young and slim I was back then with my hair dyed black to 'look more Egyptian'!

I loved those pyramids made from sandbags on the beach, such a great idea. 

Although I don’t intent to work those crazy hours again (and of course I will continue to travel to perform and teach workshops) I have decided that what I am REALLY missing are those regular human connections that I made during all those classes with my students. 

So, new weekly classes in Portobello, Edinburgh, Scotland, start next week.. 27th October 2022

Rather than teach in a swanky mirrored dance studio, for these classes, I’ve decided to keep it local and am using an amazing building close to my home. It’s a beautiful old church, Bellfield, which was set to be redeveloped into houses, but the people of Portobello objected and won their case, and it has became a community hub, run by and for our local community! I decided that ‘it’s the people that count’ is the premise for how I want my classes to run! 

Yes, I’ll miss having mirrors it’s true, but I’ve always found deep friendships and connections blossom every more in classes where we are not all staring at ourselves in the mirror! I’m looking forward to not only teaching people to dance, but to facilitating the forming of new friendships and allowing freedom of self expression through dance. I know the vast majority of my friends have been made through bellydance, so I’m pretty evangelist about this!!! 

As well as introducing new beginners to this wonderful world of bellydance, I also want to gather in a lot of the dancers who have gotten lost along the way, who haven’t been to classes for years, who have lost their dance mojo, for various reasons, and feel shy about coming back. Let’s rebuild this wonderful supportive dance community! 

Please do come along if you can, and even if you can’t, feel free to spread the word for me! 

Thursday night weekly classes commence 27th Oct 2022 at Bellfield, 16b Bellfield street, Portobello, Edinburgh, EH15 2BP

Beginners Bellydance 

Thurs 18.15-19.15 

Small hall 

A fun, low impact, stress relieving way to exercise at the same time as meeting new friends and learning about a different dance form , music and culture. Great for all ages and levels of fitness and ability. NOT required to bare your belly, but of course you can if you want to! We dance barefoot, but you can wear soft shoes or grippy socks if you prefer. Wear loose comfortable clothing and bring water and a scarf you can tie round your hips. Prepare to have fun! Beginners only! 

Next Level Bellydance

19.30-20.30 

Big hall

A class for anyone who has bellydanced before, either recently or some time ago, to whatever level. Not suitable for complete beginners. We will refresh basics of course but this class hopes to develop dance skills and the large hall allows for us working on props and travelling moves too! A suitable class for Bellydance improvers, intermediate and advanced alike. 

Payment can be made on a drop in basis (I’m aware no everyone’s lives allow them to be in the same place every week!) which is £10 per class or the 8 week term can be block booked which makes it more affordable at £68 for the term. 

Payments can be made in cash, BACS or PayPal (contact me directly for details for those) 

I am so looking forward to this ‘coming home’ to being a regular teacher again. I’ve missed you all!! 

For those who live a bit further away and can’t attend a weekly class, I’m also going to be teaching a 2hr monthly workshop, here in Edinburgh at a different community centre in Portobello, The Washhouse, 3 Adelphi Place, Portobello, Edinburgh, EH15 1AP

These workshops will run in symbiotic style alongside the amazing monthly Rose halfa that my good friend and fellow dancer, Natalie Borg organises. Each month the halfa has a theme… and the next one, on 12th Nov will be “All that Jazz” so I have decided to create a workshop topic to fit with her theme! 

Jazz Hands!

4-6pm Sat 12th Nov. 

Washhouse community centre, Portobello. 

Two hours focusing on something most of us find most challenging within bellydance, arms! We will work out some fun a new ways to use our upperbody, hands and arms and hopefully take away those droopy arms and unnecessarily twirly hands!! Elegance, power and connection are the keys! Mixed level workshop. Must have basic bellydance technique. 

for the workshop, Payment of £20 can be made to me by cash, BACS or PayPal. Please whichever method you choose, contact me in advance to reserve your spot! 

So… it’s all going on! If you are only following this blog and haven’t yet followed me on social media, please do so since I post much more frequently there!

Instagram- LornaofCairo

Facebook- Lorna of Cairo (aka Bellylorna!)

Facebook group- Bellfield Bellydance classes

If you aren’t on the socials, you can email me directly at bellylorna@hotmail.com

If you’d like to know more about the monthly haflas (arabic for for a party!), to book a slot to perform or a ticket to attend, please check out Natalie’s website… 

www.rosesunderthemoon.com/haflas

See you on the dancefloor! 

(if you are interested in classes but live further afield, I am still teaching online one to one coaching sessions... feel free to contact me about those!)

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

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!!!)

Lorna’s Spring UK tour 2013 - diary dates!

I am going to be back in the UK for a month and plan to be doing a series of workshops and private classes and performances while I am in the country. If you are interested in attending the workshops and/or performances please contact each of the organisers listed below. I am going to be in Exeter, Edinburgh, London, Wolverhampton and Lincoln on this tour!

If you are interested in having a private class with me, at very reasonable rates I might add... then please contact me directly on bellylorna@hotmail.com.

 Last time I came to London I taught a few girls, some of whom had never had a private class before, and all the feedback I received was really lovely. So if you have never had a private bellydance class before- maybe now is the time to try! (In fact- maybe you could persuade your ‘other half’ that this would make a much appreciated valentines gift!!!)

Sat 23^rd Feb – Exeter Workshops and performance.

Maximising your assets – Taking movements and showing how to make many variations on them so they suit your body shape, the audience, the music, the stage set up. This workshop will also incorporate performance skills.

Improvisation – Getting rid of that fear – This workshop will help you overcome your fear of improvisation allowing you to explore emotions and also the importance of musicality.

Contact Judith on ysondedancer@aol.com to book places and reserve your ticket for the evening performance!

Sun 24^th Feb- Private classes in Exeter-  I will be in Exeter on this day and available if anyone wants to book a private class with me email me now! Bellylorna@hotmail.com

Thurs 28^th Feb- Thurs 7^th March – Available for Private classes in Edinburgh . Email me to book yours asap bellylorna@hotmail.com

Sat 2^nd  March – Edinburgh Workshops

Workshops held at Edinburgh Studios, 21 Arthur Street Upper, Edinburgh, Scotland.

12.15-14.15 Technique - Lorna’s Cairo modern style
How we are taught technique compared with how Egyptians actually dance the moves! Learn moves to use in all styles of Egyptian music, brand new, fresh and direct from the Cairo stage. 

14.45-16.45 Putting Emotions into your Dance
The biggest criticism foreign dancers get is that their technique is good but they don't have that Egyptian 'feeling'. In this workshop we will explore what this mystical feeling is, and look at practical ways to demonstrate it within your dance.

Both workshops are for dancers of all levels, but are not suitable for absolute beginners.
Each workshop costs £25. 

Please contact Elspeth Swishandhips if you want to attend. 
Bookings are only confirmed when you’ve paid, so to book your place:
• Post a cheque made payable to Lorna Gow Dance to E. Alexandra, 32 Claremont Road, Edinburgh EH6 7NH
• Paypal to swishandhips@hotmail.co.uk , sorry but to cover Paypal administration there’s an extra £1.50 on paypal payments – which means £26.50 per workshop or £51.50 for both.
• If you need another way to pay, please contact Elspeth elspethalexandra@hotmail.com 

Tues 5^th March – Edinburgh Performance

Details TBC

contact elspethalexandra@hotmail.com  for more info

Sat 9^th March – London workshops

Workshop 1
12:30-14:30 – details TBC

Workshop 2
15:30-17:30 – details TBC

The venue 
Jackson's Lane Studio 1, 269a Archway Road, London, N6 5AA
The venue is right next to Highgate Tube (Northern Line) and is just 15 minutes from Euston/Kings Cross. See details in facebook http://www.facebook.com/events/390022727746507/418527478229365/?ref=notif&notif_t=plan_mall_activity#!/events/464060796976731/?notif_t=plan_user_invited  .

 For more info and to book your workshop place please Contact Nafiseh on www.saqarah.co.ukwww.saqarah.co.ukwww.saqarah.co.uk

Sun 10^th March- Wolverhampton – Workshops and Evening performance

1230-1430 - Organic Dance Concepts – How to move between moves to create a seem-less performance. This workshop focuses on technique SOLD OUT

1500-1700 - The different Baladi styles- Baladi means my country. Dancers tend to use it to mean a specific type of music and dance style. This workshop however will explore all the different styles that an Egyptian dancer might class as ‘baladi’/ (bring a light stick with you) SOLD OUT

Exclusive Evening with Lorna at Tiffus restaurant. This is going to be a really special night. We will take over the top floor of Tiffus restaurant, enjoy a 2 course meal and be entertained by Lorna. She will talk about her life in Cairo as a dancer and then perform just for us. The numbers for this event are strictly limited. The cost is £25 however the food at Tiffus is a cut above your normal Indian food and you can take your own booze so there will be nothing extra to pay on the night. You can pay via paypal by visiting my website www.raqswombourne.vpweb.co.uk

Contact Karen at www.raqswombourne.vpweb.co.uk  to book tickets for evening meal – workshops have sold out! 

Or see fb events http://www.facebook.com/events/390022727746507/418527478229365/?ref=notif&notif_t=plan_mall_activity#!/events/390022727746507/?fref=ts and http://www.facebook.com/events/390022727746507/418527478229365/?ref=notif&notif_t=plan_mall_activity#!/events/395748173834267/?fref=ts

Mon 11^th March- Friday 15^th March - Private classes in London. Email me now to book yours! bellylorna@hotmail.com

Sat 16^th March - Lincoln - Raqs Helwa - Workshops and Performance

There will be many fabulous teachers doing both workshops and performances at this fabulous festival! I am looking forward to being one of them...

11.30-1.30 -Cairo technique - Lorna brings us an unimaginable insight to the technique of oriental dancing and uses her fun and personable style to add depth and knowledge to each dancer’s repertoire

4-6pm -  Cairo Style – Lorna will teach you the tricks to make your dancing more Egyptian! Lorna will share with us the current trends in Cairo style and incorporating all the elements from the street, the countryside and the cabaret scene, show us how we can adapt our dance to be genuinely egyptian. 

Evening Performance - The evening performance will consist of 3 sections.  The first section will be a montage of some of our workshop teachers performing, second up is professional troupe The Tarab Dance Company  and finally we have our star performer LORNA of CAIRO performing a complete set from her cairo show. If you have booked a Raqs Helwa day ticket your evening ticket is INCLUDED so please do not purchase it again.  If however you wish to bring friends with you, then these tickets can be booked as EXTRA places.

For full festival info (including workshops with other teachers too) and to book, please go to www.egyptiandancer.co.uk

Tues 19th March- I will be back in Cairo, teaching private classes there and performing at the Pharoahs boat, Giza! see you there maybe if i miss you on this trip?!!! 

August memories...

I had some really lovely times when i was home in UK this trip.

One of those was the Belly on the Beach day. (Thanks to the Dalriada for allowing us the use of their changing facilities and power point- not to mention the bar!)
 I invited my friends and family, students and other teachers along with their students and we had Egyptian music blasting out over the promenade and beach at Portobello, Edinburgh for the afternoon.

Here's the family....

and a fellow Scottish dancer who now lives in Egypt too, Sarannah....

and of course the lovely Eleanor Keen (also now a Cairo inhabitant!)  came up North to join us in some fun..... In this photo we are demonstrating Stacey's 'clubby book pose'. Some fabulous fife dancers are relaxing on the wall behind us enjoying the sunshine....

some of the top Scottsh dancers were there;
 Elspeth who brought along some of her students and lead a few dances....

......  Natalie....

... and Dawn.... to name but a few....



oh and the Tribal girls turned up too.............

and the girls, Isla and Mara, I used to dance with in the African dance group Afridonia way back when i first started to dance also joined in the fun with their kids too.....



 It was fabulous fun and the sun even came out to join us for most of it! It was such a luxury to be able to wear costume in public and dance outside without a single rude or sexual comment. Lots of smiles and lots of people joining in and enjoying the day. How dance is supposed to be. Friendly and fun!

and then- just in case you were thinking this couldn't have been Scotland..... it doesn't get much more Scottish than this, the dinner...... reduced and everything!!!!..............

Memorable moments.....

It seems my beloved blog has been used mainly as a marketing tool as of late. Hmm- that's not what it was set up for....!!!

so here's some waffle!

So far i have danced my way around England.... London (with live band), Leeds (with live drummer) and Birmingham (with live.... IPOD player!).

Its been fun and exhausting. I always get super nervous every time I come back to UK in case i don't live up to people expectations of me. I guess maybe there are some cases where i don't- but thankfully in the vast majority of cases, everyone seems to be wow'd and happy. Phew... not really sure what I am doing right... but something anyway it would seem. You'd think after dancing professionally for 13 years, not to mention in Cairo for the last 4 and half, all this stupid nerves stuff would just stop- well, it hasn't. I guess the higher I climb, then further there is to fall!

Highlights for me of my UK trip so far (in the order i think of them, not in order of preference!):

- Landing in Edinburgh to sunshine (it didn't last long- but it lifted my spirits after flying in from Hot and sunny Cairo)

- That drum solo in Leeds- where Rhythmic Ginger and i had such a laugh and really connected well on stage... as if we had rehearsed it all- but actually i had told him we'll start with a roll and just play from then on... poor boy- he did comment on my 'Egyptian' attitude to it all and compare to his more British one of wanting a little planning. Anyway- It was so much fun i did encore after encore....

- Talking of Leeds- the Enta Omri- where, mid dance, i found tears running down my cheeks! I wasn't the only sap in the crowd... and I got hugged by a few tearful women that night... It was incrediably powerful, all that emotion!

- A day spent with my little nephew (now 4 and a half!) born just a couple of weeks before i moved to Cairo I hardly get any quality time with him... that whole day: seeing shrek, going to soft play, reading stories..a special day in my life. just fabulous.

- Shopping in Primark in Birmingham. Why oh why do i love that place so much???? fab stuff dirt cheap!

- and on the shopping topic- Buying a new hair piece, also in Birmingham.... i sweat so much when i dance that although my hair is long enough without anything added... i tend to look like I have just stepped out the shower after a couple of songs unless i use extensions to bulk up the volume!

- fasting for Ramadan... ok so it was only 2 days... but I made the effort. Going without water all those hours was VERY difficult- i cannot even begin to imagine what it must be like in Cairo just now in 45 deg temperatures!!! Breaking the fast with muslims in UK, for the 1st time in my life... felt strange listening to the call to prayer played over the TV, in Birmingham!

- A bottle of Crabbies ginger ale in the sunshine in clapham common. Followed by a chicken shawerma from local kebab place!!!

- Missing the London flight (not a highlight of the trip!) but then getting out the bad mood by driving around the lovely countryside with fabulous tunes pumping out loud (including 'Mr Bombastic' and' i like to move it move it! )!!!!!!

- A comedy show in the fringe, with a good friend, where we saw 7, i think it was, stand up comedians in an hour.

- salsa with old friends... even it is have bruises and cuts on my feet to prove it!

- long phone calls with old friends- normally it's too expensive to catch up properly from Egypt!

- The feeling of power on stage in London... not for every song- but by the end it was feeling really good. I felt like I was really in 'my place' !!

- walking along portobello beach, in the sunshine!

- being the cause of burnt chickpeas..then being thanked for it!!!...... the chef was trying on costumes at the time!

- driving in my car , with my music blarring...

- time with good friends, and their families.... so many children growing up so fast!

...................... I think this is going to be a long list... I'll save some for another blog!

Ramadan Revelry Tour- dates and contacts for workshops and performances

I feel like i haven't been blogging for ages- i miss it! This entry is going to be all about my Ramadan Revelry tour of UK and Ireland 2010.. since I have been receiving emails from people asking how to go about booking their place... and right enough- time is running out... ramadan is nearly here (you can tell because all the shops in Cairo have mountains of dried fruit and nuts piled outside their doors!).. but I promise soon I'll write more about life in Cairo!!!

So far... all the dates confirmed and contact details for booking are as follows......... If you are already friends with me on my 'Lorna of Cairo facebook page then you will be awware of all these events... but if not then here's the links so you can check them out!!!!

London- Sat 14th Aug- Workshops and Performance

performance info- http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=100782573311918&index=1

Workshop info- http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=100782573311918&index=1#!/event.php?eid=122324481131478&ref=ts

Contact- http://www.saqarah.co.uk/Lorna-Saturday-Workshops.html


Leeds- Sat 21st Aug- Workshops and Performance and Private classes


info on - http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=129992913680043&ref=ts#!/event.php?eid=129997457019477&ref=ts

contact- Sabrina on banateshorouk@leedsbellydance.co.uk


Birmingham- Sun 22nd Aug- Performance

Hafla featuring Lorna and some of the Midlands best dancers
Sunday 22nd Aug, 7pm.
Erdington Conservative Club, Orphanage Road, Erdington
Tickets £10pp (£5pp performers) ...Includes Buffet at 6.15pm

contact- Lisa on lisamckain@hotmail.com

Glasgow- Sat 28th Aug- Workshops

for info- http://www.facebook.com/?sk=messages&tid=1428678272040#!/event.php?eid=146738692007638&ref=mf

to contact- Imman on bellystylin@gmail.com or Suraya on suraya1@hotmail.co.uk

Edinburgh- Sat 4th Sept- Workshops and Private classes

for info- http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=100782573311918&index=1#!/event.php?eid=141426359220178&ref=ts

to contact- Elspeth on swishandhips@hotmail.co.uk
For private classes contact me direct!

Dublin- Sun 5th Sept- Workshops

for info- http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=125627300812527

to contact- Ciara on shahiradance@gmail.com or adele on adele.glenn@bt.com

Thats all for now.... althought there are a couple of potential things too to add- but will publish those detials if and when they happen!!!!

Dancing with 'my gals' !

Miss Jean Brodie herself couldn't have been more proud of her 'gals' as i was today dancing with the Edinburgh dancers (and a few very welcome dancers came through from Glasgow too!). They were fabulous. "The creme de la creme"... as Jean would say!

We had a lot of fun, and the dance studio at Telford College is just lovely. Adam drummed for us- and we sweated a LOT- ok, I shouldn't speak for others- I sweated a lot!!! It felt great to be just going for it with the music! I never really realise how much my dancing has improved and changed until i get back to the homeland and dance with my old collegues and students in Scotland again. It's nice to seem them grow and improve in dance too. I feel very proud to know i have been one of the teachers who have helped Scotland to have such a high standards of dancers!

The workshop was a sell out.. and we had to turn so many people away.. that Elspeth (the organiser) and myself have decided to run a second Edinburgh workshop on Saturday 20th March (times TBC) !!!! so......... if you couldn't make today, or if there wasn't space for you today, or if you were there and fancy MORE of Lorna then contact Elspeth to get your name on her list ASAP. We'll be doing a lot of technique, and some musical interpretation, and generally dancing Cairo style! Theme being 'Less is more, Sassy and sexy!' Hope you can join us!

so- my diary for the rest of the Scottish tour;

Dundee Workshop- Sat 13th March

Edinburgh Hafla- Thurs 18th March

Edinburgh back by popular demand Workshop- NEW!- Sat 20th March

Glasgow Workshop- Sun 21st March


It might be cold, well, it IS cold, never mind the 'might'!!! but It's good to be back!

The rest of the week is going to be spent with mum... and i am hoping for sunshine so we can get lots of fresh air. After getting used to the pollution of Cairo I can literally feel my lungs expand with oxygen here!!! The smell of woodland and burning pine.. ah.. bliss!

All that fresh air and exercise today however has worn me out.. so I plan to try to sleep before 11.30pm (the time i usually only finish work and go out in Cairo- but it's a different life here).

.... and so ,

" To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub;
For in that sleep "..... ..... I'll probably even dream of dance!!!


(wow- a literary blog from me today! both Muriel Spark and Shakespeare quoted in one entry!!!)

and... since the workshop went so well today i guess i can quote;

"I am a teacher! First, last, always! "

and the fact that it went SO well that we are organising a follow up one I think I'll even add....

"I am truly in my Prime"

Lorna Performing in Edinburgh!

Its official..................

*I'm* having a hafla........... well, the Bellydance Diva's of Scotland are throwing a Hafla in my honour- I am so chuffed!

'Lorna of Cairo Hafla' !

Date: Thursday, 18 March 2010
Time: 19:00 - 22:00
Location: Teviot Underground, Bristo Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9AJ

Tickets are £8 advance/£10 on the door. Advance tickets can be purchased from;

Shelley Skipper (shelleyskipper@googlemail.com),
Elspeth Alexandra (swishandhips@hotmail.co.uk) or
Caroline Evans (bellydancedivas@hotmail.com).

The venue requires photographic ID for everyone (no under 18s)

Back in the days when I used to teach all the Edinburgh University dance classes (Arabic and African dance society was set up to accomodate the classes i taught in fact!!!) I used to hold Hafla's here- so it will be a trip down memory lane too.......... I've been a professional dancer now for over 12 years!!!!!!!! Now THAT is scary!

Now I need to think what new costumes to wear at the hafla!!!!! Hope to see you all there...... This is my ONLY UK performance this year, until I perform in London in August!!!

Workshops in Glasgow

Well its just been confirmed- I will be teaching in Glasgow, Scotland on Sunday 21st March. It's been a while since i taught in the west coast of Scotland and I am really looking forward to seeing everyone there again!

Lorna of Cairo- Dance workshops in Glasgow

Sunday 21st March 2010.

12-1.15 - Latest moves from Cairo

1.30 - 3.15 - Dance like an Egyptian!

venue - western baths club, cranworth st, hillhead

open level workshops - no beginners

each workshop £15 or 2 for £25

To book, contact Joannie Ward on bellydancerjoanie@hotmail.com
or call her on 0141 427 9261 or 07878 732429



I'll be advertising the Dundee workshop information very soon too!

Lorna's Scottish tour!

Voodoo rooms Edinburgh hafla

.....since putting up the photos from London- the Edinburgh photographers have started suppling their pics of our hafla up here now too from the weekend before!

This one I love because my hair looks great in it!!! ....

here's another fabulous shot by my friend Violet Shears .... she's a talented photographer!

And a little Scotland 'v' Egypt story. I had a cup of tea this morning with my mother is a teashop (cafe) in Edinburgh. The shop was called 'Loopy Lornas' .... guess why we decided we had to try it out!!!! Anyway- the point is this - it was fairly busy... and ALL the customers were women. Not one man there AT ALL. Now, western readers, you might say 'so what?' However.... In Egypt... it is very rare to see ANY women in a cafe- it's ALL men !!! Just another observation about our vastly different cultures ( oh- and I went to dentist this morning- she's a woman- thats also rare in Egypt- female dentists I mean- not women- there are a lot of women in Egypot although granted you don't see a lot of them out and about!!!!!) .

Oh and another thing- I LOVE charity shops!!!! THAT is another thing about UK I miss when I am in Egypt! I bought lots of lovely things today for very little and feel good about the spending cos it all goes to worthy causes!!!

Saqarah Performance night

Just to continue the London theme........ on the saturday night, after the workshops, there was a performance night (hafla!). There were lots of lovely dancers from all over, there and I danced twice.

Maani (http://www.maaniphoto.com/) took some fabulous shots of me on stage... so i thought I'd let you enjoy seeing 2 of my new Eman Costumes!

Bellymob!

On sunday a group of about 15 of us dressed up in our bellydance costumes and went down to the South Bank in London and had a wee dance. We had 3 drummers (very good) joined us too and you should have seen the crowd that gathered! Dancing in my shoes made me feel like Suraya... but now looking at the photo of said shoes i realise hers are still much much higher!!!

People were lovely and appreciative and some even joined in... one guy using his jacket like a veil, another 2 Egyptian men joined me from the audience and used their umbrella's as sticks while we did some saaidi together!!! Thankfully the rain stayed away too! Oh and for those of you reading this in Egypt- yes it is possible to do this sort of thing in UK without ANY abuse... no names being called out, no one trying to touch, no rude comments. All there was was just appreciation for dance and everyone having fun. The way it should be!!!

It was such a lovely thing to do- for NO reason. we weren't promoting anything or anyone or busking ... we were just having fun.

It reminded me of my many fringe festival show years... wandering about Edinburgh in full bellydance costume, handing out flyers. That and dancing along Princes st with 40 other dancers as part of the fringe cavalcade. In fact- South Bank really reminded me of Edinburgh at festival time. I loved it!!!

Unfortunatly, we didn't have a performers permit for the drummers - so the security guards moved us on after about half and hour- and the crowd all 'boo-d' because we were being stopped!!!! It was a great feeling. We had gathered so many people to watch us that the whole route was blocked! We were all buzzing when we went for some refreshments, in the National Theatre afterwards!

A great day out- dance for the sake of fun!

(Photo Credit: Kristina West)

London Workshops

This weekend I taught 2 workshop in London in a little dance studio called Dance Attic. I had some girls there who had attended previous workshops in London- and some who were checking me out for the 1st time.

In the 'Vintage v Modern' workshop we talked about the simlarities and differences between the golden era dancers like Samia Gamal and Naima Akef compared with maodern cairo dancers like Randa Kamel and Dina. I love teaching that one- i feel that even I learn something everytime (!) and the feedback was great- lots of people said they had things that they suddenly now understood that they hadn't before- that ideas 'clicked'.

In 'Cairo moves' we talked about sooo many things- from musical interpretation to improvisation to adapting the moves you already know to nubian and saaidi! I loved it... and think they did too!!!

I love teaching.

Thanks to all who attended and made it such a joy for me!

Looking forward to next time ( sorry not sure when that will be yet in London- will post it here as soon as we know!!!- but Dundee this coming weekend!!!)

(Photo Credit; Kristina West)

Lorna's Hafla and Workshops in Edinburgh Sept 09!

I'm going to be dancing for my home crowd! SO excited about it! here's the 'flyer' Elspeth has put together for it all........ hope to see you there...

LORNA OF CAIRO
in Edinburgh

4th & 5th September 2009

Hafla

Friday 4th September , 8pm

The Voodoo Rooms, 19a West Register Street, Edinburgh (2 minutes walk from Waverley Station)

Your only chance to see the fabulous Lorna of Cairo perform in Scotland this year. Also featuring some brilliant Scottish talent.

All tickets £10 (includes a £2 donation to Just Because...)

Workshops

Saturday 5th September

Edinburgh's Telford College, 350 West Granton Road, in the fantastic purpose-built dance studios.

12.15 - 2.15 Lorna's Cairo Moves

Learn some of Lorna's top technique and combinations.

2.45 - 4.45 Moving to the Music

Work with Lorna on your interpretation of Egyptian music and how to Respond to the music like Egyptians do.

Each Workshop £20

Both workshops are open level - not suitable for absolute beginners.

How to book

Places are allocated on a first come, first served basis.

• By Cheque: Fill in the order form and send it, with a cheque to Elspeth Alexandra, 32 Claremont Road, Edinburgh EH6 7NH

• By PayPal: send the appropriate amount to elspethalexandra@hotmail.com

For more information contact Elspeth at elspethalexandra@hotmail.com

About Lorna

Before Lorna left native Edinburgh to become a professional belly dancer in Cairo, she was teaching 27 hours of belly dance classes each week, across Scotland. A hugely successful teacher and performer for almost a decade, Lorna enjoyed Edinburgh fringe sucesses and was resident dancer at Morocco Walima restaurant. Lorna is now the first Scottish dancer to work professionally in Cairo.She has been performing in Cairo for the last three years and is currently a star of the Pharaoh Nile cruisers. Lorna records her adventures in a captivating blog that has a worldwide following, www.bellylorna.com

"As a performer, Lorna epitomises the cheeky sassiness of modern Cairo, and is a very giving and lively entertainer. As a teacher and as an individual, Lorna is witty, engaging, highly knowledgeable and passionate about sharing her knowledge gained from first-hand experience." http://www.saqarah.co.uk

Just Because...

Just Because... is a registered charity aiming to raise funds and promote awareness, prevention and early detection of breast cancer for women in Egypt. www.justbecause.org.uk

It's all go.......

THE KITTEN
well- the main news is that Tux is gone to his new mummy. Thankfully (with the aid of facebook and good friends passing on the link!) we managed to find a teacher in Maadi who had been looking for a kitten to play with her kitten when she was out at work during the day. So little Tux has a big sister 'Mumkin' now and is seemingly VERY happy. We are very relieved to have found him such a perfect home ( although my house is now clean and too quiet without him scarpering around).

THE COMPUTER
What else? oh- my computer 'went' this week ( fixed now- obviously- since I am writing this!) and had to take it to 'compu me' in Lebanon square and they fixed it in a couple of hours and reinstalled windows etc etc for only 110le and were wonderful. I am no longer scared of computer problems knowing that they are a short taxi drive away! Although maybe I shouldn't speak too soon!!!!

ME
Count down is on til I go to UK for a month, this week in fact. My next blog will be details of my grand tour.... so far workshops are confirmed in London, Edinburgh and Dundee! so more to come shortly on those!!!!

THE YEAR
The bizarre thing with Ramadan moving forward 2 weeks every year is that it makes the years seen to go by faster and faster....... or is that just what happens as you get older anyway?!!!

MY COSTUMES
I plan to be selling a lot of my costumes and cds and various related bellydance items this ramadan in Edinburgh- so if you feel like sparkly things... I'll add info of how and where you get to see what I have got. It's all gotta go.

so there you go............. it's all go !!!!!!

Photos from JoY

One of my friends, Violet Shears, from Scotland took these pics at the JoY festival in Yorkshire at the start of this month.

The 1st one I think really expresses feeling..........

the 2nd one- demonstrates why shorts under a costume are essential!!!

JoY was a joy!

I have just come back from the Jewel of Yorkshire Bellydance festival in a lovely wee place called Saltaire near Leeds.

It was Fabulous. What a lovely , friendly, relaxed but still ultra-professional weekender.

I taught 4 workshops ( all of which had been sold out for ages.... very flattering!) and they went very well. My favourite was my 'Performance Punch' one- where we basically explored the physicology of performance and how to get your head round it. Bringing out the best in what people already had!
I loved teaching again, I learn so much from it- especially my 'golden oldies revisited and revived' where I was looking at the dance styes of the old greats such as samia and soheir and fifi etc etc and compared the technique and style with todays modern style. Modern versus vintage we called it. It was an interesting experience for me to really study the technique from these old greats- usually when I look at their films I just soak in the feeling... but I feel I have learned a lot just comparing now to then technically too.

The performance night at the fesitval was awesome....

what can I say... Lulu from Brazil blew everyone away- it was hard to even breath while she was dancing! Khaled was fun and technically fantastic as always. Fereshteh really impressed me with a very relaxed fun stick dance. I saw my teacher Sara Farouk perform for the 1st time ever... emotions ouzing out of her. Bollywood/ Bhangra ( not sure of the defination of each) by a dancer from switzerland was totally engaging and entertaining. A fun reggaton/belly fusion by the leeds girls had me desperate to join in. Oh- just too much good stuff to mention really............ inspirational.

Joy is held every April and October... a weekend WELL worth the trip in you can be in the UK at those times ( wish I could every year!)

Only a few more days now before I head back to Cairo. It's going to be hard to leave here. As always.

Still Alive!

wow- 19 days without a blog entry- that MUST be a record for me! Sorry guys... Yes I am still alive and dancing!

It's been quite a month. London workshops went really well- we had a lot of fun and I recieved a lot of really positive feedback ( including a lovely review written by Nikki which should be out in Mosaic magazine soon- was very chuffed with what she wrote about my teaching!!!). The performances in London at the Saqarah Hafla were fab too. some really stunning dancers ( I esp liked a girl from Equador called Damiana- she had me glued to the spot with her drum solo!) Charlotte did a beautiful, graceful 'ana fintizarack' too. Good news about London is that they all want me back!!! so watch this space for info on workshops and performance in London in September 09 !!!

The weekend after that I was in Edinburgh teaching at the Edinburgh University. Wow- amazing memories. It was like stepping back in time. I was teaching in the very same room I taught my 1st bellydance class ever ever, way back 11 years ago!!!!!!!!!!! It was interesting because the girls who now run the 'African and Arabic Dance society' there didn't know the societies history... How I set it up with Kate, and Emily etc etc all those years ago. Emily is now one of the very top dancers in London and a master in Iraqi dance especially! How life moves on!

I came over all emotional when I saw everyone arrive especially for that 1st workshop in Edinburgh- so many people I had taught over the years , and a few new ones, all coming together- I felt like we should be opening a bottle of wine and celebrating the reunion rather than dancing- but of course they were having none of that!!!!

We danced our socks off- literally... and that was possibly the fastest 2 hours of my entire life! Forgive the Jean Brodie moment here.....- So proud of how far 'my gals' have come!!

Oh and I have had some photo shoots while home too.... posing around in my new lovely costumes ( which I wore at the London halfa).... Hopefully some shots to add here asap!

And then- as if that wasn't enough- i was in both Birmingham and Manchester this past weekend...

Birmingham workshop went really well too- a lot of fun... A lot of the local teachers attended too which was wonderful, and so lovely to see so many girls, who are becoming good friends, returning time after time.

However, I have discovered over the years that sometimes teachers do not advertise workshops to their students, because they want to go along and learn new things to teach on to their own students... however, if their students are in the class then they can't teach the new moves on.... a crying shame for the workshop teacher- at the same time as being a sort of a huge compliment somehow! So- my solution is that next time I am back in Birminham, maybe I will do a teachers only workshop.... plus a general level workshop too.... Hmm.... we'll see!!!

It's nearly a 2 hour drive from Birmingham to Manchester... but 4 of us decided it was worth it on sunday night when we drove to the Iguana bar to watch the Nile band perform.

The last time I went there it had a large bellydance following... this time was mainly arabs... and a different vibe. A lot of fun ( although too much Khaleegy for my liking!!!) and interesting seeing everyone getting up on the dance floor to do their bit. I enjoyed people coming up to me and speaking with me in Arabic alatool..( straight away)... it felt lovely to be welcomed so instantly into the community. I danced a little too... I just cant resist with live music! At the end of the night I was chatting with the band and venue manager and it looks like there will be an actual Lorna performance in Manchester during Ramadan, if we can get it organised! yet another 'watch this space' instruction!

There are photos of all these events.... but none of my own camera- so I have to wait to receive them in order to poast them!

So what next....

well, this weekend I am in Yorkshire , and the JoY festival.... looking forward to that and especially to meeting a lot of the other UK teachers....

and then, 10th April, back to Cairo............. back to my band and dancing on the Nile. I've really missed it. As wonderful as it it dancing here in UK and teaching and meeting so many lovely women who also love this dance as much as me... the Cairo pull is still there.... The force is too great- I cant resist!

The friends and family here in Uk will, as always be incrediably difficult to leave behind. I love that my life is in 2 cities, I know double the people and feel at home in both countries now.... but it also means that I am never fully in either, that there is always a bit of my life missing wherever I are. Strange.