I Loved you for your Voice!

What can I say?

It's been a while since I've written a book review on my blog, but this book HAD to be written about. wow. I just finished it and want to share it with all the dancers i know! Actually, anyone interested in music and poetry will find it fascinating too, not to mention anyone who has ever been in love...............

If you have ever heard the singing of om kalthoum, if you have ever danced to her music, if you have ever seen someone dance to her music... then you must read this book. I wish i had read it years ago.

It' s called 'I Loved Your Voice' by Selim Nassib and its written as if by the poet, Ahmed Rami, who wrote 137 of the 283 songs she sang.

The book is a love story, of Rami's Love for 'his Diva' and a story of Egypt, the people and the politics, the hopes and dreams.

It talks in detail of her fued with Mohammed Abdel Wahab and of their later reconciliation. It also talks of the other great poets and composers of the time, Qsabji, Ahmed Shawqi (The Emir of Poets), Da'ud Husni and many more. Her relationships with the heads of state and the press, and the people are detialed, yet all take a back seat to her relationship with love and music. She was brought up to believe she was special, chosen by God.... and it influenced everything she did, everything she sang.

Om Kalthoum is written about in this book with such respect, reverance and admiration, almost awe, that it has really made me rethink how i could ever dance to her music! Her Compositions are by far my favourite music to dance to. Now I am pulled in 2 directions.... How can i ever hope to convey from my dance even a percentage of what each song meant to her and to her country when she sang them? on the other hand, how can i not try?

The way her concert is described in the book when she performs Enta Omri (my all time favourite song) had me literally in tears reading it. I can't even begin to imagine what it must have been like to actually be in that audience!

It's an emotional, compulsive read . 'Unputdownable' ( a word i made up as a young child and which the teachers couldn't fault me for when I used it in book reports in school!)

In fact it was so well written I'm going to check out other books by the same author, because although it was the subject matter that really enthralled me, it was the writing style that made it a pleasure to read rather than a history lesson!

I seldom read a book more than once...... no matter how much I enjoy it... but this is a book I feel I will come back to again very soon, to enjoy and to study in more depth.

The sunflowers have nothing to do with the book... but they make me feel happy... i have 2 big bunches of them in my flat..... they are so cheap to buy here and make me smile just by looking at them so i wanted to include a photo here so they can make you feel happy too!

Flat hunting in Cairo and 'Cable guy'

Despite feeling lousy with a cold i decided i needed to get out the house this morning and went round with a friend of mine who was flat hunting.

The 1st laugh was when we tried to direct a taxi downtown. The problem being... I have totally lost my voice so couldn't direct the driver, my friend doesn't have arabic so the pronunciation was slightly off and the driver was totally deaf!!!!!! To crown it all- he took one look at us 'tourists?!!!' and made the automatic assumption that we weren't saying 'Babaloq', we were actually saying 'khan el Khalili' ! Because of course where else in this city would we want to go anyway? If it hadn't been so funny I might have strangled him (joking!)

4 different estate agents, 4 flats later... nothing yet- but more to see tomorrow. It's hard looking when you know that the prices get hiked up for foreigners. Frustrating.

The other thing is that the landlords are not satisfied with demanding silly high rent prices from you- they also feel they have a right to tell you how to live your life within 'their' flat you are paying so much for. I'm not just talking no pets, no smokers here.... (of course- no one would ever DREAM of saying not to smoke- unfortunately!!!) the main one is 'no Egyptians'. One landlord didn't like his last tenents (french) because they were couples. ie settled, quiet people who got on with their own lives, but since they were unmarried he decided this wasn't right. Thats when both people in the relationship are foreigners- if one of them happens to be Egyptian- then it is a definite no-no!

Oh- and my internet is fixed!!!!!! At long last!
I have been running about chasing the internet company for weeks,
and weeks
phoning,
texting,
visiting their office,
for weeks and weeks,
who eventually sent me to the phone company,
who i called and called
and had friends call on my behalf,
who sent a technician and said all was working and it wasn't,
so I went back to the phone company, who were supposed to send another technician out,
but didn't.
anyway- you get my point- it's been a drama!.....

In the end, I mentioned to the bowab that someone was supposed to come from the phone company and he said why? The local guy, who's sole job is to cycle around with telephone wire on his back and fix peoples phones easily and cheaply, comes by everyday. i only had to say! Grrrr. The things that you dont know from not having grown up in an area! Anyway- this 'cable guy' we'll call him for the sake of it, came round today and fitted a new cable for me all in less that 15 mins and everything, phone line and internet, has been hunky dory ever since! ( 'Imsick Hashaab'! 'Touch wood' ). I gave him 50le for doing the job, because he refused to quote me a price and said he'd be happy with whatever I gave him, and so he was and went off happy. That made 2 of us (3 if you include my current guest too, 4 or 5 if you include the friends I have been complaining to about it for over a month!!!!)

Nothing is easy in this city..... but nothing is boring either!

Sunshine and snow

Seemingly it has started to snow again in Scotland... however, thankfully all is sunny here in Cairo!!!!

I'm heading to Scotland in March for 3 weeks.... and hope to be teaching some workshops there..... the plan is Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee....... will keep you posted on details as soon as all is confirmed! Contact me NOW if you are in Scotland and would like to host workshops in some other city!!! The Great Scottish tour- also known as- a fabulous way for me to get to see all my friends all around the country!!!

Meanwhile, here in Cairo I have getting much joy from watering my plants of a morning. It's a really positive way to start the day. Could be doing without the cold I have, yet again (I blame air conditioning and having to work though a cold rather then rest as soon as it starts- thats been a week now- grr- getting bored drinking hot lemon!).

Waiting in for the man from the phone company to come round fix my phone line and therefore hopefully fix my internet connection. It works totally fine occasionally, like right now, but without rhyme or reason shuts down for hours at a time- especially in the evenings when other people are online too I guess. It's driving me slightly mad!

I had 4 shows with mainly American audiences yesterday- they were lovely (saga tours or something of that ilk!). My main concern just now is working out when to get my band together to rehearse my new 'emergance' or however you spell it- the entrance piece of music a dancer starts her set with. I am fed up with the one I am doing...have have been using it too long.... so fed up with it in fact that i forgot part of it yesterday my brain was so disconnected from it!!! Of course I improvised and did something completey new and different, and pretty good actually , if I say so myself, but my band were in stitches laughing at me because they could see my mind had gone completely blank!!!! hmm- new music to challenge and inspire me definitely needed! NOW !

The Nile Group Festival is on again now, they have a new one now in Feb. To be honest... Usually i get all excited about the festivals and look forward to them... but there just seems to be so many, all the same, that i am a little fed up with it. I am not saying that it won't be a fantastic festival- i am sure it will be- and I'll go in April- and for sure it will be fabulous.. but I need a break from this one. I have to say though that i am REALLY looking forward to the Farha Festival in Luxor in September, That is something completely different, in a new city, different teachers, and of course I'll be teaching and performing in it too....!

A recently was interviewed for a Russian bellydance magazine, and one of the questions asked me about my future plans........... well- stay here and keep dancing in Cairo is my answer. I feel so lucky to be here and having the life I have. I can truely say i am content for the first time really in my life. Too much in my past i have focused on the negatives, here I just find it a lot easier to focus on the positives. Yes i have bad days and good days... but overall.. i am very happy and feel blessed. Long may it last!

Luxor, Egypt dance festival - sept 2010

I have mentioned this one before- but just wanted to bring it to your attention again!!!

especially since the festival now has a facebook page- for those of you who are into that!

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#/group.php?gid=290707709950&ref=mf

The website is www.faridaadventures.com

So if you are interested in Learning from 3 of Cairo's top teachers ... Eman Zaki (amazing graceful 'vintage' style), Mohamed Kazafy (Reda technique) and me, Lorna Gow (Modern Cairo) then get your booking in now!

I am really looking forward to spending a week with dancers in a fabulous city... we are going to have a lot of fun!!!!!!!!!

My new Garden!

I strongly suspect this latest home improvement was powerfully inspired by my recent trip to fayoum.... walking through the fields, surrounded by fabulous greenery! I have always had plants, even as a young child I drove my parents crazy with the 'jungle' that was my bedroom. I just realised that i have lived here in Cairo for nearly 4 years without any plants around me at all!

On Friday i decided i MUST have a garden! (ie buy some plants to put out on my balcony!) so I travelled around in a taxi for about an hour trying to find somewhere to buy them where they wouldn't charge extortionate prices as soon as they saw me... eventually found a place on the corniche just before kit kat mosque, but the guy who takes the money wasn't there- so we had to go back again on Saturday. see- even a simple trip to buy some potted plants in this country isn't as easy as you'd expect!!!!

Saturday I returned with a friend and we selected 15 plants!!!!!! ( ok- 3 of them are tiny- little herbs- mint and basil) but still 15 !!!! This includes a ficus tree, a 'christmas tree', a chamomile and a bourgainvillea among others! All for 290le. (After a lot of bargaining of course!)
so then how to get them home?? It's very strange as well to be buying plants for outside that would normally only ever be indoor plants in UK!

My garden would never squeeze into a taxi- assuming any driver would accept- and for once I had found somewhere in Cairo that didn't deliver!!! so my friend went out into the street and managed to find a microbus that would take us, and the garden, to mohandiseen for only 35le. I was quite happy about that- sitting up front in a microbus full of greenery- what a sight. i think my neighbours think i am slightly mad!

Happy though. And now it takes a lot to get me out- when instead I could be sitting at home in front of my lovely garden!!! Does that make me old? or just content? I certainly feel this is 'home' now!

Next- - what plants to add to it now? all the ones that repel mosquitoes- that’s for sure! Basil I have and I am open to new suggestions..........?

'Sobek'

The name of the ancient Egyptian crocodile god, and also the name of the camp in a lovely little village called Tunis in Fayoum where I stayed for the last couple of days…..

Tunis is now famous for its pottery, and the story behind how that came about is a nice one.

A Swiss woman, Evelyn, decided Tunis was the place she wanted to live, and she set up a pottery school to teach locals a useful, creative and marketable skill.



We had a tour round the school… which is small and interesting.. And I learned how the clay has to sit in the sun for months to dry out before it can be used etc.

The village is small and friendly and these kids loved posing for my camera………….

Sobek, the camp, is small, but growing. Currently sleeps up to 10 people and provides tasty meals too….
The atmosphere is relaxed, casual and comfortable.

It’s a short walk down through fields, to the lake and fabulous for chilling around a fire in the evenings. The owner, sherif, is friendly and cares that you enjoy your stay.This is a photo of him posing with his camp's namesake, Sokek, in an ancient temple we went to visit nearby....

Sobek’s link to ‘the Swiss woman’ is that she designed the camp, and her husband built it.I look forward to sometime meeting this phenomenal woman! If she is even half as amazing as her own private garden...........

with swimming pool...........

...which we had the good fortune to be shown around, then she is a remarkable, tasteful and talented woman!

The temple we went to see was a temple to the gods horus and sobek, in the middle of the desert...

a fabulous place for meditation and peace.....

I suspect Fayoum, and even Tunis itself, is a place I’ll be back to, possibly in the near future… Its only a 2 hour (150le) taxi ride there and the air is clean and fresh and you really feel like you are stepping into another Egypt. Wonderful.

Dizzy arts

what a week.............

I feel like I have been floating outside of my life this week...... not sure why. I collapsed onstage on monday night- (thankfully didn't actually end up on the floor but wasn't far off it, and did have to cut my show short). Was pretty scary actually. I had eaten, slept well, felt fine in fact....until that happened, but then have not really felt 100% or even 70% all week. Haven't a clue what happened.

So I have had a very unLorna type week til i felt stronger again. Cancelled all outings, parties, classes etc and just worked, stayed home and slept lots. And I managed to spent over 10 hours yesterday sitting in from of laptop sorting my music in itunes........... still lots more hours needed on that- but at least i have been doing something towards my New Year's resolutions!

I'm off, with a couple of friends, to Fayoum tomorrow for a couple of days, hoping the calm of the desert and the fresh air will help restore me to 100% Lorna !!!

Was looking at photos of all the Snow in UK just now and feeling grateful that i am here in sunshine. 21deg suits me far more than -20deg !!! Thinking of my friends and family back in UK and sending you warmth and love!!!

Oh and something completely different. My lovely friend, and talented Poet, Linda, has started up an Arts Residency Centre in Cairo. It a lovely place, overlooking the Pyramids... and has 5 rooms so accomodates lots of artists (up to 10!) at the same time! So if you are a writer, painter, musician etc etc etc and fancy coming to cairo to work on a project, or get some inspiration... then its a great place to base yourself from and meet other artists!

Check out the blog, www.artsresidencycairo.blogspot.com

motto for 2010

A friend sent me a link...which i have tried to include here but it won't let me, I guess you have to subscribe to The New York Times in order to access it... its at slightly the wrong time of the year to be mentioned really- since there has been a few months passed now since ramadan- but makes for good reading all the same! nice pic too......... if you can find it!!! Its callled 'hurry sundown: Ramadan in Cairo' and published 3rd January!

oh and 2010 is still going well. Audiences are still wonderful and life is good. In fact I had to laugh, when I was back in Scotland over Christmas, a comment was made about how I wasn't updating the blog as often... but a fabulous friend jumped in with- yes, but nearly every entry now has in it 'Life is Good'. !!! I guess thats my motto for 2010... may it be good for you too.....!

so far so good!

I am really liking 2010 so far!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

last night I had 6 shows... and for the 1st time in a Loooong time... all the audiences were in a fabulous mood and really up for a party. A nice mix of foreigners and mainly Egyptians, everyone was clapping and singing along and gave me a very warm welcome. I was not due to be on stage between 11.45 and 12.15... so I quickly got dressed and joined everyone on the dancefloor- and I mean everyone- the guests and staff, even the stuffy managers who wouldn't normally dream of such a thing! there was the count down- and fireworks from all the hotels around the Nile, and the birthday song, and santa claus conga line... great!!

I danced Lissa Fakir... and i felt completely lost in the music and the audience was lost in there with me. One of my all time favourite dance moments so far. powerful and moving. My band excelled themselves and the audience fully appreciated the music and my dance. wonderful.

My night at work finished at 2.30am. I had started my night at 7pm. But it was all so good i felt I could have danced my way through the entire night! (although body feeling it a little this morning!- day one of my new stretch regime me thinks!!!)

Thank you all the people who helped make my hogmanay such a fabulous one. I love working this night of the year! So many positive feelings about the coming year surrounding you and everyone happy and celebrating. Only just realised this second that it didn't even involve a drink! ah well- maybe i'll toast in 2010 tonight after work.............. in belated true Scottish form!

happy 2010 to you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Go lose yourself in the music!

First and last!

This is my first blog with my new laptop... which i have only managed to set up and get online with now! The last one survived three and a half years of Cairo heat and dust- i think that is pretty impressive! Inshallah this one lasts at least as long!!!!

This is also my last blog of 2009.

What a year.

It's been a year of personal challenges never mind the day to day Cairo challenges. But a good strong support system of fabulous friends has kept everything going along quite nicely thank you and I am feeling good as i head into the year of the Tiger, 2010 !

The last year has seen me become stronger and more confidence in work, 3 years now I have been working at the Pharoah boats on the Nile. I AM a bellydancer on the Nile!! (sometimes even now it still feels like a game of dressing up or lets pretend!!!). I have my papers and contract for another year... and my dancing is improving daily.... just as my understanding of Egyptian language, culture and music increases too. I am getting more work abroad teaching workshops and performing... and lots more people are coming to me here in Cairo to either take private classes or stay with me in my 'bellydance' hotel ( ie my spare rooms which I rent out to dancers!!!). Things are good. Thank God and long may it last!!!!

So what are my dreams and resolutions for 2010?

- to do more. I am one of those dancers who is very lucky to be able to perform well without a lot of practise (assuming you don't include daily performances as practise which of course it is- just as teaching 25 classes per week when i was in Scotland was practise too!!!!). In 2010 I am going to make more effort to push my dance to greater heights and do more study, lessons and practise! That includes more stretching- which has unfortunalty fallen by the wayside as of late!

-to improve my arabic. It's ok at the moment- and I get by and can usually make myself understood and understand most of what is said to me- but i am sadly lacking in grammer and has a specialised, limited vocabulary and i feel after 4 years living in a country i really should be more fluent than i am! Lessons start this weekend!!!

-to get my music organised and onto this new laptop! I've not had music on my computer for a year now, and its been a hard year because of it! I need to get better aquainted with my music collection!

Actually thats it............ if I can manage those 3 things i will be a much better person and dancer I am sure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I've written them down here so that you guys out there who read this (and thank you for all your support through the years!!) can help remind me of my resolutions and pull me up on them should I fall by the wayside!

I wish you all, all the very best in 2010 and hope it brings out the Tiger in you too!

Feel free to comment with your new years resolutions too....................!

Rest

Finally!!!

What a week!!! Christmas is a wonderful time to head back to Scotland, because lots of people are home so its easy to meet up with everyone… unless of course the snow is so bad that its not safe to drive anywhere and you end up sitting home a lot…. Which is unfortunately, what happened most of the time! It didn’t help that my mobile phone refused to receive and send text messages…… amazing how much I rely on technology!

Despite the weather, which I am REALLY not used to, there were some special moments in the week. Thank you to those who made my time special- you all know who you are!

I managed to buy a new laptop, the idea being that the webcam will help me stay in better contact with my friends and family, and that now I have NO excuse not to organise my music properly! As a dancer it is really shocking how unorganised my music collection is- the number of songs listed as ‘track 1’, no artist, track or album name etc is scary. My resolution in 2010 is to get that sorted!!!! At this moment I am sitting in the comfy seats at Amsterdam airport have a play on said laptop just now during my 5hour wait for my Cairo connection!. Feels like the first time I have sat down all week!

Looking forward to New Year and all the fun that will be dashing between venues to perform (although of course the main event is the Nile Pharoah!)

I hope you all had a fabulous Christmas- and in case things get hectic when I land back in Cairo and I don’t get a chance to write again this year- I wish you all the very best in 2010. I hope it is a wonderful year for you all and that you get, and take, the chance to realise your dreams.

Snow

It's cccccccccccold in Scotland!!!

I am home visiting everyone for Christmas. i only have a weeks holiday so i am saving it for friends and family only. Workshops and performances will have to wait until March when I am next back in the UK (watch the blog for info re when and where those events will be, as soon as all confirmed!)

Weather forecast here in Edinburgh tomorrow is high of -1deg c and low of -4 !!!
Cairo is to be high of 17 and low of 11.

and people ask me why I like to live in Cairo????? !!! Hmmm... well- THAT has got to be high on my list of reasons!!!!!

It is good to be back to visit friends and family though... although plans somewhat fell apart today , partly because i am snowed in!!!! Was a very strange experience, after all this time living in Africa, to be here, hunting for something to put under the car wheels to stop them spinning on the snow and get my car out of the gutter where it was stuck! Last time in my life I had a similar problem was in a jeep that got stuck in the sand in the sahara and we had to get bits of cardboard to place under the wheels!!!!!

I'm looking forward to performing at New Year on the Nile Pharoah again this year......... wonder if santa will be bringing in the 'bells' with a conga line as he did last year. Bizarre!!!! Whatever happens it will be fun because i have a big group of friends who are coming to the boat to say goodbye to 2009 with me!

Oh, and I will endeavour to write more if I can before the New Year! Friends have commented on the fact that I haven't been writing much as of late. If it's any consolation... I see a pattern. When i am both busier and more content within my life, I blog less. Blogging is a bit like my own self help therapy! So if you are a regular follower of my blog and get concerned about the reduction of blog entries at any period... please see it as a good thing and be happy for me!!!!!

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas.... enjoy it to the max!

Partying

I love my life!

After work last night I went to perform at a friends husbands birthday party. It was a fantastic night and very strange performing in 'normal' clothes. The venue doesn't have a license for entertainment- so I couldn't have my band with me... and I couldn't wear a proper dance costume either! So I wore the shiniest tightest dress i could find in my wardrobe instead! Was still very strange not dancing in costume!

The performance went really well with everyone joining in to dance too! Then, later, I was nearly in tears when one woman (Egyptian) said that if Samia Gamal and I were working together in the same era, then Samia would resign because I am so elegant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Considering Samia is still one of my biggest inspirations then even taken with a bucket of salt, that is a fabulous compliment!

What was lovely was that the bar staff, mostly Sudanese I presume, were all dancing away behind the bar and a couple of them would be able to give some of the more famous Egyptian male dancers a run for their money!

It was a lovely venue too... the Garden City Club. Never been there before- its a private members club... but very nice!!! A great place for a party!

Looking forward to having my house party this week too. A friend is coming to Cairo to live. That's 2 of my friends from uk to move here within the last 6 months!! The Egyptian goverment should give me money for the aid I give Egypts economy!!!!! Anyway- I decided to throw a welcome party for her! It's going to be great.

Then I fly the next morning to Scotland to spend Christmas with the family! I heard its snowing today in edinburgh................ Brrrrrrrr.... i don't think my body is ready for that kinda cold! Cairo weather suits me MUCH better... although even now its a little chilly!

Must go look out my tinsel......................... :-)

Alone

I've not been writing for ... wow... over 2 weeks... I think that's maybe my biggest gap between blog entries yet!

Why? many reasons I guess. I spent Eid working (the festival where they kill a sheep or cow on the doorstep) and then went up to Sharm for 4 days to lie by the pool and read. I LOVED it.

I am not a loner....at all......... I constantly love having people around me, or am online or on the phone because I usually get really depressed if I am on my own for any length of time. So it was a big surprise to me to actually enjoy the solitude. Just me, my ipod and 3 books in the sunshine....... pure bliss! So I am wondering why suddenly the peace was a blessing to me... maybe the noise and chaos that is my life in Cairo just suddenly became too much and my brain needed downtime? Maybe I am beginning to 'grow up' and not 'need' other people around me to know what I think and how I feel (about time huh!). Or Maybe I am just happier in my life. More content. Maybe.

Work is certainly going well......... I LOVE performing... and am beginning to be more confident on stage too. More able to do less. It really is the key to better dancing- less dancing!!!!!! That only comes with time and confidence though too. I've served my time! I'm just 3 months short of 4 years here in Cairo . 4 YEARS !!! I can't believe it. I can safely admit that my life is in Egypt now........... and I can't imagine living in Scotland again- not for a while anyway- i figure I'll perform here in Cairo as long as I can continue to get work permits and as long as people actually want to watch me dance while they eat their dinner......... then...well... then who knows... the world is my oyster..... not that I am really sure what that phrase means! I know I will always want to dance, whether it's teaching , or performing, or both.

Anyway- this is all a bit deep and personal for my 1st blog back after a while - so on a lighter note...

....right now I am typing this from the bathroom.... why? because 'they' have sprayed my stairwell with bug-killing stuff which is seeping under my door. Did always wonder why I never had a bug issue ever in this place- now I know! The whole flat is noxious and giving me a headache. So I have put some very hot water into the bath with lots of Olbas Oil and am writing this entry from my homemade sauna!!!! It's bliss to be able to breathe... although not so sure how good the steam will be for my laptop!!!

Lorna in Luxor

Just in case it hasn't come to your attention yet................... I'm going to be one of the headlining teachers at the Farha tour festival in Luxor 22nd-29th Sept 2010.

Me and Eman Zaki and Kazafy- not a bad line up frankly!!!! I am really excited about working alongside with these fabulous dancers!

http://www.farhatour.com/

Book now............ see you there!!!!!!!

Disappointment

Last night many grown men cried in the streets when Egypt lost in the football to Algeria.

I wasn't too happy about it either! I had a fabulous dance planned. White saaidi galabeya with red bra and head scarf and back belt..ie the Egyptian flag.... I entered on a saaidi song we then played a 'Masr' song (all about wonderful Egypt and how much we love her!) then into the saaidi again. It was a show designed to enter the spirit of the night................. and the band were great, and the costume looked great..

BUT just as I was dancing towards the stage to start it all.... you know what happened......... Algeria scored!

No matter what I did, the show was completely flat and no-one even had to tell me what had happened- I knew from the faces of the band, the staff, the customers... everyone was as low as they could be and I couldn't have possibly had worse timing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I had been so proud of myself too, doing something new and different and fun within my show like that. How frustrating! !

Wat surprised me was that when Algeria got their goal... everyone acted instantly as though all was lost... but there was still over half an hour to play. My theory is that its not over til its over....... but EVERYONE around me had faces tripping them instantly. It's one thing to accept your fate and yet another to give up too soon. I am guessing if the players had the same attitude as everyone around me did then that might the the real reason why my streets home from work were not full of screaming celebrating fans last night!

Also - another thought, by an Egyptian friend, was that if people could get as excited about politics as they do about football, blocking the streets and practically bringing the entire city to a standstill, then maybe things would be very different in Egyptian government!!!!!!!!!

Nile group festival Opening show last night!

It was PACKED!
I've never seen that many people before at any of the Gala Dinners at the Nile Group festival (Pyramisa hotel, Dokki).

The sound system was the best yet... but unfortunately the lighting wasn't so great- so i will apologise in advance of writing about these dancers and costumes, that there are no photos. Anyone reading this who has pics of the event- please feel free to forward them to me to include!

Nancy (Egyptian was 1st up). She has put on a little weight since last time, and it suited her. She was relaxed, bubbly, cute. She had a lot of lovely moves in there... and some facial expressions and arm movements which reminded me of Suraya. But I guess both of them were taught by Raqia Hassan in the beginning. The first costume was very glittery, disco ball inspired bra belt with black chiffon skirt. The chiffon is unusual to see in 'modern' Egyptian dance, and nice. The last costume though was not so flattering. I guess it was 'Egypt' inspired since it was red white and black and she danced to a song all about 'Egypt' in it! Unfortunately it didn't flatter her figure the way previous costumes had. Last night was the nicest I have seen Nancy dance.

Tito's show was next, starting with a pharonic dance with everyone (all his 'backing' dancers) dressed in gold and blue. Was visually eye catching.... and I guess works well for tourists in sharm.... but didn't really inspire most of the dancers I talked to about it last night! However, Tito on his own, in both his stick dance and his tabla solo, was on FIRE ! VERY VERY good. Best i have seen him. Slightly more technique than usual... but mainly what was impressive was a phenomenal stage presence that had even me weak at the knees at times. Well done that man! Sometimes when male dancers perform it is spoiled for me because they look like they are trying to be women.... when Tito danced these 2 dances he was 100% masculine.

Camelia blew everyone away! She started in a relaxed way... but that lasted all of maybe one minute before she was up to full speed and high high energy. Even taking her hair and spinning it round helicopter style half way through the 1st dance! LOTS and LOTS and crazy hair flinging in all of her show. Especially of course in the Khleegy which had lots of new things in it- and a lot of jumpy steps from Iraq too! My favourite dance as usual from her was the Shamadan (the candleabra on the head!) maybe because she does, by neccesity have to, calm down slightly in it! Her gold/balck costume she wore for the shamadan dance was my favourite costume of the night too. LOVELY ! The thing about Camelia for me , is that her crazy energy is the thing that is equally the best and worst thing about it! You cannot help but smile the entire time she is dancing....... but I would love to see how she would tackle an omm khalsoum or baladi takisim or something!

Liza was last on the bill and incredibly relaxed after both Tito and Camelia. Her final show was the most different thing with a stunning assuit dress and tribal style headdress and belt with metal and pom poms! The dance had sections of haggala, saaidi, baladi, nubian you name it- it was all there. Her drum solo at the end was using a duff to hit various parts of her body with. I spoke to people who thought she was their favourite show of the night. I felt she got better as the show proceeded and I enjoyed the last song, and costume, very much!

Of course, when i got home at 3.30am... i thought- great - an early night... but then sat up for 2 hours discussing the entire show with the 2 dancers ( Norwegian and American) who are staying with me just now!

Great day today- Teaching a private, receiving a private and then going to see a show. How bellydance a day can you get?!!!!! Life is good.

Drunk on football!

so... there is a football match on tonight. Egypt v's Algeria. and don't we know it.........

Cairo has gone crazy.

Everywhere is covered with the Egypt red white and black. Flags, hats, hooters, you name it have been sold at the roadside for 3 days now. Most cars have been sporting their flags since yesterday. It was hard to believe last night coming home from work that the match hadn't already been played and won by the partying that was going on in the streets! The shouting and cheering and horn honking went on in gamet dowel street til 3am! All this- for a qualifying match? I dread to think what the streets will be like tonight if we win!!!

Seemingly it is a fairly big deal since Algeria and Egypt have always been at war when it comes to football. I heard that in Algeria a cartoon of Egypt and Algeria was published with Egypt as the bride and Algeria as the groom. What that symbolises I wouldn't like to say! Advertisierng ads have been cashing in on it too, with one restaurant's poster having an image of 2 men, one in an Egypt shirt and one in Algerian, sitting in front of a table full of wonderful, tasty looking food. The slogan being that not even these 2 would disagree on how good our food tastes!

I plan to walk to work tonight..... even the taxi drivers are getting out of town. The taxi driver that brought me home from work last night was telling me how he as going early this morning to Alexandria today, since there was no point in working as all the roads would all be at a standstill! He also described the people already celebrating as 'drunk'. He didn't mean literally that they had been drinking alcohol, but that the frenzied atmosphere was as if they were, and I agreed! As long as that frenzy stays positive then all will be well. The worry is if the crowd turns... it could be nasty. I've arranged for a friend to collect me from work tonight as I really don't fancy trying to make it home alone!

Whatever you do today, if you are in Cairo, don't wear green!!!

Performing experiences of the last week or so....

Last night I felt i danced well. This doesn't happen very often... i think it has something to do with being a bit of a perfectionist! It was mainly because I danced to a song I haven't for a long time and I was able to completely lose myself in it... Alf leila we leila. I love this music and had forgotten quite how much until i was dancing last night and realised, at one point in my dance, that i had totally forgotten there was an audience watching me! Because it started on a high like that the rest of the show went really well too. The audience was totally with me. One woman asked the management for my number because she wants me to dance at her daughters wedding. Guess i know what song to perform to if that wedding happens!

A few nights ago I had, on the same sail, the worst and best of audiences. The boat had been chartered by a company IBSE. Now, I don't know what that actually stands for, but by the sour attitude of the 1st deck i performed to it could well mean IBS Egypt! All Egyptians, but distant and acting as though i didn't exist. Even though I wasn't dancing fairly well I thought!!! Of course, i was then dreading the 2nd deck, since it was the same company ... however... there were about 4 guys in that group who were incrediably enthusiastic- and it lifted the entire experience for us all, performers and audience. I was dancing my heart out and they were shouting out the names of famous dancers i reminded them of when i did certain moves. In one song i was Soheir Zaki, Fifi AND Dina....... seemingly !!! At one point in my show (during my tabla solo) I actually had to raise a finger to my mouth and tell them to shuush ('iskut' in arabic!) because their praise was louder than the drum! They obediently did as they were told, then as soon as i did the slightest move after that, they erupted into shouts of appreciation yet again!!!!! I have never felt so powerful, or appreciated, I tell you! It was a wonderful night. Thankfully the good audience was 2nd not 1st- so I left the night with a good feeling about myself, my dance and the whole world!!!!!!!

As part of my show, if there are a lot of tourists in the audience, I often get some of them up to dance with me. I try to be encouraging and get them to do moves they can manage. I don't go out my way to embarass anyone as I have seen in some shows ( in Turkey- not in Egypt). In one show last week there was a young Japanese girl sitting at one of the front tables and she had been watching intently throughout, when I tried to get her up she was too shy, but her big sister (I presume- maybe wrongly) agreed to get up too to keep her company. It didn't take long to find out why! They were amazing!!!!!!! Both of them followed every single move I did- and I threw in some difficult ones when I saw how well they were coping. This little girl who was maybe 8 or 9 years old, was doing beautiful hip drops and shimmys and you name it, her sister too! I strongly suspect that wasn't the 1st time either of them had bellydanced! In the past when i was going to watch shows here in Egypt, I always used to wonder how a dancer felt when she pulled me from the audience, unsuspecting that I was a professional dancer, only to be surprised that she couldn't 'embarass' me or use me to make her look even better. Now I know. And I have to say- I LOVED it !!! It was so wonderful to relax and dance with these girls and watch the amazed expressions on the faces of the Egyptians in particular. Well done those girls!

Belt up!

Flying back from a few days break in Sharm last week,on Egypt Air, my friend Nick and I were horrified by what we saw. All the adults were being checked to make sure they were wearing their seltbelts, but there were children, not only not belted in for take off or landing.... but standing up in the aisle and being passed between family members throughoutit all!!!

I tapped the woman in front of me on the shoulder and helpfully, i thought, advised her that her child (under 3 years old) should also have a belt on and she replied that she had asked and been told it wasn't neccesary! Indeed the air stewards were walking past the child, who was standing up, and not making any comment. We were dumbstruck!

Trying to understand it we came up with a few theories as to why this attitude was so different in Egypt than in UK. (remembering that this is a country where you see entire families, babies included on the back of a moped with no helmets and no safety precautions at all)

1- Egypt air maybe just doesn't have child belts on that particular flight... so in order to cover this failing they say it's not neccesary?

2- Inshallah laws- ie if its God's will that the child will live or die then who are we to question or do anything about it? although that doesn't explain why the adults were carefully belted in?

3- We are on a plane, and truth is that if it's likely to crash- they none of us will survive anyway whether belted in or not? So rules are broken , cos they are deemed silly anyway?

4- Egyptian children often get their own way in every situation..... and no-one likes to be belted in... so their freedom on the flight is more important than potential safety hazard? anything so the child doesn't cry?

5- If a child dies it's not important cos you can always have another one? (I KNOW this can't be the case the way children are treasured here!)

6- The child didn't pay a seperate ticket therefore isn't entitled to the same safety?

7- Maybe its all just over protection and no-one really needs a belt but we are all belted in because of silly, over cautious laws impossed, probably by the west, on all airlines and since deemed silly (a bit like traffic lights in Cairo) then promptly ignored wherever possible (indeed the mother herself wasn't belted in for landing and no-one said anything to her)!

8-.........??????? any rational reason??? if you have any other ideas I would love to hear them........

I had been hoping to persuade my sister sometime while she is holidaying in Sharm to fly to Cairo to see how and where I live, but if my nephew has to fly without a selt belt... I think I'll tell her not to until he's old enough to be in his own seat with its own belt!!!!!!

Otherwise, I quite like Egypt Air.

Salsa in Egypt

I really am getting excited about the salsa congress here in Cairo, starting THIS friday- can hardly believe it!

For 3 days the TOP salsa teachers and dancers will be doing their thing at the Sofitel Gizerah hotel in Zamalek.

I'll be teaching and performing too ( Bellydance!!!- my salsa is ok- but nowhere close to these amazing teachers- although I doubt i'll be off the dancefloor once during the party nights!)


There is something for everyone... and people don't need to have a partner already to come. There are day passes, party passes, weekend passes etc etc. I have managed to get a few of my non dancer friends to sign up for the beginners course cos it sounds like the perfect way to learn to dance... in fact- Amanda ( the organiser of this amazing event) has written this for beginners....

Welcome to Salsa! :o) The full schedule, including Beginners' workshops is lsted at the top of the group wall. Beginners can attend everything, and you have your own special area of the main dance floor full of friendly people who are ...learning too.

Right now the full congress Beginners' ticket is only 500le - including 14 hours of beginners workshops with the world's top international teachers, and 30 hours of parties/shows/afterparties and a pool party. It all takes place in one of Cairo's premium 5-star hotels, The Sofitel Gezirah.

You do not need a partner, and right now numbers of men & women beginners are equal - please book now, as we might have to stop selling tickets later to balance the numbers of beginner guys and girls.

Please send me a PM to arrange to get your ticket/s - ahlan, ahlan, ahlan to Egypt's friendly Salsa community! :o)

So if anyone reading this in Egypt fancies trying out salsa- THIS is the time to do it! If anyone from abroad fancies it too- why not? Fly on over ( I have 3 friends staying with me from UK who are coming over just for it!)

Check out the website for more info and to see the amazing line up of teachers and to book!

http://www.THEegyptsalsacongress.com

Another video of me discovered on youtube!

Here's a video of me dancing on the Nile Pharoah boat in Cairo earlier this year... (thanks Sara for pointing it out to me- and Aleya for filming and posting it!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3AIBgMpgmo

It was really strange watching it from this angle! Give me an idea what my tabla player has to watch every night! You really can learn a LOT for video about what is good, and not in your own dance. i REALLY MUST record myself more often for improvement purposes!!!!! Although some things look better than I thought they would have!

Very Very busy these days- Lots of work and lots of visitors- especially in the coming week for the Egypt Salsa congress starting on the 30th!

If you are in Cairo this weekend- THIS is the place to be................
http://www.theegyptsalsacongress.com

Stalkers

what a couple of days I have had.

Yesterday- a bunch of flowers arrived at my door, with a card, but no name. I had NO idea who they might be from. Next day I got a text from someone i had met once, a friend of a friend, asking if I had thought about him the day before. The truth is i hadn't thought about him once since I met him- why would I ?It's not as though we had been chatting over the week or anything- I hadn't heard anything from him after we met at all, which was fine by me! Anyway- turns out he had eavesdropped while I was on the phone and caught my address... and then a week later decided to send me flowers....... creepy. I told him that my 'husband' was furious. That should send him running- i hope!

Then tonight.... i was in a taxi home from meeting friends for a meal, and a guy in the car next to us draws up alongside my taxi and shout 'hey bellydancer... I know you!' ...... then (unknown to me) proceeds to follow my taxi. My driver, bless him, noticed and drove like a maniac trying to lose him and only told me we were being followed when he hadn't succeeded in losing him. Then with my permission ( it was a white taxi and the meter was running!) He then started to turn into all the side streets he could, speeding up and turning again when we were out of sight and managed to lose the creep. Thankfully another friend was out and about close by and I had him deliver me there, just in case , rather than to home. Very greatful to that driver... if he hadn't been as observant as he was, who know what might have happened? (This is the way a lot of the prostitution happens in Cairo , seemingly... guys and girls make eye contact from car to car in certain areas of town and then someone will switch cars or follow the other to a 'meeting' place- yuck!)

They say things come in threes- i sincerely hope not...... 2 weirdos in 2 days is more than enough for me thanks!

Very excited about all my new costumes. 2 new saaidi ones from Amera el Kattan.... should be ready next week, and another 2 new ones from Eman Zaki, coming soon ( I hope!) . I realised just before ramadan that some of my costumes i have been performing in for nearly 3 years... so have been strict and managed to sell off at least 6 - so now I figure I HAVE to replace them all...... well it is legitimate work expenditure!!!

Of to bed to dream of car chases around the back streets of mohandiseen!!!!!!!!!..................

sleep deprived...

all I can say is thank god I don't have to get up early in the morning!

i went to bed with my foot on ice, then slept about oh, less than an hour ago........... only to be awaken by something biting me in a place I'd rather not mention- lets just say these bites will hurt when I sit down! Arms and legs too- bitten to bits. I am hoping to god its just mosquitoes and not something that has come off the blanket (unused all summer) that I was raising my foot on!

so now ( at 4.35am) i am wide awake, covered in stinky repellant, trying to sleep on my sofa while the spray I have smothered my bedroom with, settles enough for me to sleep in there again....

and then starts the call to prayer.......... and all the cats in the neighbourhood, and we have a LOT of cats round here, decide that they too want to join in the morning sing song..........

they however have more staying power than the chap in the mosque and are still at it.............

i love Cairo I love Cairo I love Cairo........................

Singing Duck

I'm not sure if Cairo has had this effect on me- or if because my brain is rubbish that Cairo suits me... but I have the worst memory out of anyone I know!

I start one thing, then get distracted onto another and forget all about the 1st thing. To that end i have 'killed' 3 kettles since I have been in Cairo... they boil away forgotten until they burn out! So- I now have a beautiful kettle you sit on the gas which looks like a duck, and when it boils makes a loud sound which is not dissimilar to bagpipes starting up!!!!!!!! You fairly run to the kitchen when it boils I'll tell you! No more forgotten cups of tea for me!!!

Last night i went out with a friend to a lovely new place ( well, new for me!) Its the Nile Zamalek Hotel on sharia el maahad el swiesri, and on the roof they have a terrace which serves wine and beer and sheesha and the most stunning thai food, and the best bit is that there is a lovely view over the Nile. It was a little windy last night, so got a bit cold- but I am looking forward to going there for a sunshine lunch one day when i am off work!!!

My challenge tonight will be dancing with a swollen ankle. Was wearing high heels last night and walked between 2 cars and didn't see the big hole I was stepping into - thankfully didn't fall... but woke up to discover my ankle is rather swollen. Nothing broken- i can still wiggle it etc so fingers crossed there is only one show tonight( with lots of ibuprofen!!!!)

Nafoura

why or why don't journalists do the one simple thing I suggest to them in interview?

Nafoura magazine (www.nafoura.com) has just used a photo of me as their cover girl and written a 3 page article about me. There are LOTS of mistakes though.......... which if I had been given a chance to read it before the published I could have easily remedied!

-i was NOT born in Inverness, but in Edinburgh, then lived In inverness til I was 10.
-my teacher in Cairo was Raqia Hassan not someone called 'hassam'?
-i wish I had a female singer, as well as the male one I have- but I dont ( and don't know WHERE that came from!)
-i do other stuff in my workshops- not just the one thing mentioned!
-i love Rhanda Kamel and have no idea who Ramda is!
-oh and do tell- why would you even ask me if I would ever return to live in ENGLAND- since I have never ever lived there in the 1st place???

Other than that, I think I caught everything there, it wasn't a bad article.... although doesn't say too much about my life now- just how I got into it! But then I guess my blog tells all about my life now. Some nice photos- and a horrible one of me being interviewed!!!

anyway- check it out- there are some other interesting articles in there too!

http://content.yudu.com/Library/A1gr4b/NAFOURAMagazineOctob/resources/index.htm?referrerUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.yudu.com%2Fitem%2Fdetails%2F90059%2FNAFOURA-Magazine---October-2009%3Fedit_mode%3Don

More pix of Edinburgh hafla

ok... some photos of ME this time.... hehe... Thanks again Violet for the great shots!

Here's me getting all emotional- for a change!...in fact it was hard to choose which photo cos I seem to screw my face up a lot while I am dancing... this seems to work really well when being filmed or watched- but it NOT good at photo time!



This is my fav pic....... energy, joy, power and a bit cheeky too.


Then there is a pic thats not so flattering of me.... but has to be added cos its got my good friend Elsepth, who organised my workshops and hafla, in it and we both look so happy (and a bit crazy)! And no- I haven't a clue what I am saying here!!!


Oh and something completely different. A good friend, and lovely dancer from London, Eshta has recently moved to Goa to become a professional dancer over there. In 'BellyLorna tradition' she is writing a blog about her experiences there..... if you are interested check out www.eshta.co.uk. Its an interesting read!

Photos from Edinburgh hafla 5th sept 09

I might be back in Cairo now- but only just getting a chance to go through some of the photos people took at the Edinburgh hafla and there are some corkers! Here's a selection of pics that are not me , for a change! all taken by the fantastically talented Violet Shears!

Here's Natalie- an elegant graceful dancer I am glad to say is both a friend and student. She had me speechless because her dancing was so beautiful that night!



Jenny used to be in the African dance group I used to perform with a long time ago, Afridonia. Great energy and joy!


Tigerlily is only young... but had phenomenal stage presence, energy, skill and humour. Loved her.

Simone and Suzie did a fab duet and I loved the interplay between the 2...


Caroline's dance was filled with emotion and power. Stunning.



'mad' Margaret did a fabulous 'Mustafa Kamel' to Tarkan's kiss kiss song! She is some kinda wonderful!!!! If you are ever down- Margaret is THE one to cheer you up again!

balcony and boring night....

I just spent a LOVELY couple of hours on my neighbours balcony eating my dinner and chatting. I love having them just across the street!

The bizarre thing was when they asked how was work tonight I said oh boring- nothing special....... then I started to talk about my night- and realised it was anything but!

1st- I got in a taxi... and he got us nearly there... and asked permission to ask me a question... he asked ' are you the 'star' on the pharoah boat', when i smiled and said yes.. he got all excited cos he had seen me there before and thought my dancing was wonderful and where did I learn etc etc etc... in the end- he didn't want to accept any fare for the taxi ride!!!!!!! I got recognised!!!! so chuffed!

2nd- I was sitting about after my one show tonight chatting with the dresser and the tannoura and we were all laughing and joking... and then I realised- i was chatting and laughing and joking 'in arabic' ! And they were laughing at my jokes, not because I said something wrongly or in a funny way!

So although nothing untowards happened on stage... or no friends were in the audience... it was far from being a 'boring! night! Amazing what can become normal until you stop and think about it!!!!!!!!!!!

October in Cairo

Its 36 deg C here in Cairo today......... in October. Just thought I would comment!

I've had lots of work this week... and a little going out too!

Salsa at the Hard Rock Cafe on a wed was packed last week... a really good night ( esp since ladies get in free!!!) It was a white night (hence everyone in white!!! but I wasn't planning to go cos i didn't think i would be able to get away from work so early!!!)



Thursday night was quite an experience after work I went to Africana club on sharia Haram.... i had an AMAZING time. But then I do have a bit of a passion for R&B and hip hop and all that sort of music... so I just boogied the night away ( its open til 5.30am!).

Work was great on friday night (despite a dodgy stomach!) since my friends came in a big group to see me dance and I just LOVE dancing for people i know! 4 eventful shows....


The 1st sail i had a guy there with a group who had read my blog so i met him in person which was a bit strange, but nice, and they were a lovely group and one of them danced with me too.

Upstairs we had one of the football teams who are in town just now... an African country ( I didn't ask from where cos i didn't realise til after that they were a team!!!) anyway the world under 20's football competition is being held here in Cairo just now- and they were a fabulous audience- lots of 'ooohs' and 'ahhs' and 'wows' when I did certain moves!!! was very rewarding as a performer!!!

My friends who came to the 2nd sail enjoyed the show too and gave me lovely feedback.The main comments being surprise, many of them are Egyptians and they did NOT expect a foreigner to dance as well!!! Here's a photo of some of us!


and then there was a wedding on the last show where all the old hyjabbed ladies were clucking over me which is always a great feeling and people got up and danced. a good night

I was shattered after and we went out to Mojitos (on top of what is now called the Nile hotel) and is a 200le min charge!!Its a lovely view- but a heck of a lot to pay if you are not planning on drinking alcohol!!!

last night something REALLY strange happened to me...... I finished work really early (10pm) and then i turned down invites to go out!!!!! ( for those who know me they know this in itself is worthy of note!!) and then I came home and did 4 hours of housework!!!!!!!including an hour of ironing !!!!!!!! I have NO IDEA what pocessed me. Maybe because I haven't really been home alone for over a year now (what with the renting out my spare rooms going so well) But for some bizarre reason the bleaching of my dishcloths took top priority!!!!!!!! I felt like I was being driven (even had to disinfect the doors and buttons on my lift!!!!). Its the sort of behaviour you expect from a woman about to give birth- and believe me- that's NOT the case here!!!!! strange.

anyway- just to get back into 'normal' mode again- before work, i'm off to get my nails done... 'dahling' :-)