some fabulous news... if it is true... that dancing frequently drasticaly lowers the risk of dementia by up to 76% !!!
I intend to dance forever... so hopefully I'll not totally lose either my body or my brain! Thats the plan anyway! Inshallah!!!
http://socialdance.stanford.edu/syllabi/smarter.htm
... and what is even better, they recommend forms of dance where you have to make quick, on the spot decisions... so my beloved habit of improvising, rather than choreographing... is staying!
will maybe try to make a little more time for salsa and clubbing too.... all in the name of health!
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Freshest film...
This clip was only recorded last week! (Thanks Manda for bringing it to my attention!)
This is the first i have seen my new entrance dance on film.. and already i am picking it apart... hmm roll on monday- i am going to be doing some new things in there i think!
Thursday, October 21, 2010
a week at home...
This past week has been very strange for me. I am used to my Cairo life being packed with too many things to do... and this week has been the opposite.
We have too many dancers working at the pharoah boats just now... so with 5 dancers ( Me, Outi, Maya, Mona and Magda) that means we each only get 12-13 nights work a MONTH. Which is NOT enough to live on. hmmm. not great. Thankfully usually when this happens i can suppliment things by teaching (which I have done a little of this week) and renting out my spare rooms ( although this week was an empty house week too). Why do we have so many dancers?... business. If the boat emplys numerous dancers... if one of us were to be sick, travel or throw a diva tantrum, then they still have enough dancers to work. It makes business sense, I know. It's just hard when there isn't much work outside of the boat. Although its tough I shouldn't complain. i have also had times over the last 4 years when there were only 2 dancers working on the pharoahs which meant work EVERY night... and that is even tougher, especially if you get injured!
so i have had 5 days without 'work'...(with some assumptions!)
Day 1 without work was great...i caught up with 3 close girlfriends and had lovely quality time. Including an interesting and informative stretching session with a girl trained in ballet. She got me almost into the splits!!! was so impressed with myself! (this assumes that for a dancer stetching isn't 'work'?)
Day 2 was THE productive day. i had over 200 outstanding emails, some from as far back as early 2009!!!! I managed to get that list in one day down to less than 10. Also did a costume shop visit (always good, although often expensive!). The evening was spent as the day started... emails... (this assumes emails, mainly about dance from dancers, isn't work?)
Day 3 and spending the majority of the time at home alone is beginning to get to me. I get depressed if left to my own devices for too long, I think its about having too much time to think! Anyway... I was moping about then said to myself- STOP, snap out of it... how can i make myself happy again....? so i went to my studio and put my 'happy mood' playlist on the ipod up to full volume and washed dishes, scrubbed kitchen cupboards, emptied the through everything into it cupboards in the living room and sorted things out for throwing out etc etc i even made a to do list and ticked some things off! It is amazing the power of happy music (mine includes Mr Boombastic!). I decided that i should keep up this energy level and went into the studio with a view to doing some stretches and thought- why not do an arabic lesson at the same time... THAT was my big mistake. I was lying on my mat, doing a glut stretch, listening to the michael thomas arabic course... and my knee hit the floor! I had fallen asleep mid stretch!!!!!! oops my energy had stopped. I planned to go out salsa dancing... but then i ordered Pizza... and that put an end to any form of movement as the evenings activety, so i slumped in front of the TV, which people who know me know is NOT a good sign! (this assumes stretching, arabic study and sorting bellydance photo cd's from music cd's isn't work?)
Day 4 i had a reason to get up... a class to teach. Yippee! I enjoyed it so much i continued for about an hour in the studio choreographing a dance for her next class! Then I tried to debug my plants on the balcony. They have mealyworm. Or at least thats the closest thing i could find online that looks like them. Internet said to dab them with rubbing alcohol and they would fall off. So i put some whiskey in a spray bottle and blasted them. ( it didn't in the end work, but it was a very bizarre experience, some from my country would say sacreligious!). Oh and I got a long outstanding job done. I have bought many lamps in my time here. i love them! But the wiring is not exactly what you would call safe, or often effective! So I gave 2 lamps to the bowab so he could take them somewhere to fix.. and within a couple of hours they were back with me- working. hurrah- success- tick off that list! Go out dancing... i could have... i had invites... but no- i sat in front of the TV, again. (this assumes teaching and making my spare rooms presentable to dancers who want to rent them isnt work?)
Day 5 my prayers were answered in the form of work. I was called into the Nile Maxim to cover a lunchtime sail. It was fun, despite having a new tabal and singer... i just loved being back doing what i am here to do!Plus , on the Maxim the program is different so i got to do almost a full hours show, rather than just 2x 15min sets as is usual on the pharoah. That was great. I felt awful though when i got an old man up to dance, cos he was dancing about by his table anyway.. he took the stick off me, and proceeded to try and dance... except he was really old and not steady on his feet and in trying to impress/imitate me he landed on the floor. It must have really hurt becuase the stage there is marble, not wood and it is hard enough on the soles of my feet, so i can only imagine what landing full onto it must have felt like. Anyway, there were no broken bones and he was still smiling at the show by the end of the sail. Thank god! (this assumes work that isn't my contracted work , isn;t work?)
Then- wow- paragraph 2- this was a busy day! I asked the bowab about a small glass top table, because i needed new glass for it. Within an hour a boy had come to measure it, phoned in to his boss with sizes and got price quote, gone, collected 'made to measure' glass, with bevelled edges, and returned it to me. all within an hour. In a country where it can take days to do easy things, somethings that you would think should take longer just happen. i can't believe i had been putting it off for years- literally! The glass broke in an interesting manner. The coffee table was beside a window. usually the shutter is left closed. The cleaner left it open. The sun shone through the window, magnifying as it did so, the beam of light hit the glass topped table and the until then perfect glass, cracked. One long wavy line of a crack that made a heck of a noise as it grew! So now, that shutter stays shut! That was nearly 4 years ago!
para 3- life is beginning to look up! - friends came over. A girl from Ireland and her Egyptian 'husband'. They are travelling to hers for christmas and we spent a while going over the extensive list of everything you need to supply the British embassy with in order to get a visa. What a nightmare! With a UK passport i have to admit I have always taken it completely for granted that you want to travel, you buy your ticket, and you go. Often just buying a visa on arrival, if you need one at all! For egyptians to travel, especially to UK or USA, the requirements are massive, even with a letter of invitation! Oh and then we went out to eat mandy. No- not a person !!! Mandy is a yemen dish with basmati rice and sultanas toped with the meat of your choice, we had very fatty lamb- I will try chicken next time. Very tasty too- and the shop is walking distance from my place. Although the poor man in the shop got into an awful tiz when i wanted to take the number for deliveries finally admitting that no one in the shop could speak english so he was worried how could they take my order? when i told him not to worry it would be ok, in arabic, his relief and surprised smile were evident!
a good day.
Day 6 is today and I have all sorts of exciting things lined up for tonight and plans made with people i can't let down, so finally i will be 'doing something' with my time 'off work! The day started earlier than I would have liked since my cleaner insists on starting her day at 8am. Usually this involves me opening the door with my eyes still closed, then going straight back to bed and waking only to pay her before she leaves. Bliss. Today i had to play the ogre and go round the house with her pointing out all the things she hadn't been doing right, or at all, and that took 20 mins. It's a job i knew I had to doo for weeks, lets be accurate, months, but i could never bring myself to tell a grown woman how to clean a glass, or a window. so I had been ignoring the probelm and hoping she would improve on her own. In fact, she got worse, sloppier and sloppier. It seems that unless you are tough, and that means delivering a warning with not hit of smile or even what a brit would consider manners, is the only thing that works. I hate it.
So now i am wide awake, have done my emials, and this blog and its not even 10am. Hmm- how to fill my day.....?
tonight;
- i will go and see a circus performance (by someone who contacted me through my blog- ie work)
- then interview and my life here as a foreign dancer (ie work)
- then watch a film a friend bellydancing (ie work)
- then go out to some cabaret bars to watch lots of dancers (ie work)
amazing how little of my life isn't 'work'.... but also how much 'work' i love!!!!!!!! I'd just like to make the point. Most 'normal' jobs you leave behind you when you leave your office, shop whatever. Your work seldom consumes EVERYTHING in your life.
When you are an artist, and in particular when you are self employed and have to promote yourself, then 'work' never stops. You don't want it to stop. It becomes you. Without bellydance my whole world would be completely different. I hope I never have to know just how different.
My 'boring' , 'work-free' week... hope it's been interesting for you!
We have too many dancers working at the pharoah boats just now... so with 5 dancers ( Me, Outi, Maya, Mona and Magda) that means we each only get 12-13 nights work a MONTH. Which is NOT enough to live on. hmmm. not great. Thankfully usually when this happens i can suppliment things by teaching (which I have done a little of this week) and renting out my spare rooms ( although this week was an empty house week too). Why do we have so many dancers?... business. If the boat emplys numerous dancers... if one of us were to be sick, travel or throw a diva tantrum, then they still have enough dancers to work. It makes business sense, I know. It's just hard when there isn't much work outside of the boat. Although its tough I shouldn't complain. i have also had times over the last 4 years when there were only 2 dancers working on the pharoahs which meant work EVERY night... and that is even tougher, especially if you get injured!
so i have had 5 days without 'work'...(with some assumptions!)
Day 1 without work was great...i caught up with 3 close girlfriends and had lovely quality time. Including an interesting and informative stretching session with a girl trained in ballet. She got me almost into the splits!!! was so impressed with myself! (this assumes that for a dancer stetching isn't 'work'?)
Day 2 was THE productive day. i had over 200 outstanding emails, some from as far back as early 2009!!!! I managed to get that list in one day down to less than 10. Also did a costume shop visit (always good, although often expensive!). The evening was spent as the day started... emails... (this assumes emails, mainly about dance from dancers, isn't work?)
Day 3 and spending the majority of the time at home alone is beginning to get to me. I get depressed if left to my own devices for too long, I think its about having too much time to think! Anyway... I was moping about then said to myself- STOP, snap out of it... how can i make myself happy again....? so i went to my studio and put my 'happy mood' playlist on the ipod up to full volume and washed dishes, scrubbed kitchen cupboards, emptied the through everything into it cupboards in the living room and sorted things out for throwing out etc etc i even made a to do list and ticked some things off! It is amazing the power of happy music (mine includes Mr Boombastic!). I decided that i should keep up this energy level and went into the studio with a view to doing some stretches and thought- why not do an arabic lesson at the same time... THAT was my big mistake. I was lying on my mat, doing a glut stretch, listening to the michael thomas arabic course... and my knee hit the floor! I had fallen asleep mid stretch!!!!!! oops my energy had stopped. I planned to go out salsa dancing... but then i ordered Pizza... and that put an end to any form of movement as the evenings activety, so i slumped in front of the TV, which people who know me know is NOT a good sign! (this assumes stretching, arabic study and sorting bellydance photo cd's from music cd's isn't work?)
Day 4 i had a reason to get up... a class to teach. Yippee! I enjoyed it so much i continued for about an hour in the studio choreographing a dance for her next class! Then I tried to debug my plants on the balcony. They have mealyworm. Or at least thats the closest thing i could find online that looks like them. Internet said to dab them with rubbing alcohol and they would fall off. So i put some whiskey in a spray bottle and blasted them. ( it didn't in the end work, but it was a very bizarre experience, some from my country would say sacreligious!). Oh and I got a long outstanding job done. I have bought many lamps in my time here. i love them! But the wiring is not exactly what you would call safe, or often effective! So I gave 2 lamps to the bowab so he could take them somewhere to fix.. and within a couple of hours they were back with me- working. hurrah- success- tick off that list! Go out dancing... i could have... i had invites... but no- i sat in front of the TV, again. (this assumes teaching and making my spare rooms presentable to dancers who want to rent them isnt work?)
Day 5 my prayers were answered in the form of work. I was called into the Nile Maxim to cover a lunchtime sail. It was fun, despite having a new tabal and singer... i just loved being back doing what i am here to do!Plus , on the Maxim the program is different so i got to do almost a full hours show, rather than just 2x 15min sets as is usual on the pharoah. That was great. I felt awful though when i got an old man up to dance, cos he was dancing about by his table anyway.. he took the stick off me, and proceeded to try and dance... except he was really old and not steady on his feet and in trying to impress/imitate me he landed on the floor. It must have really hurt becuase the stage there is marble, not wood and it is hard enough on the soles of my feet, so i can only imagine what landing full onto it must have felt like. Anyway, there were no broken bones and he was still smiling at the show by the end of the sail. Thank god! (this assumes work that isn't my contracted work , isn;t work?)
Then- wow- paragraph 2- this was a busy day! I asked the bowab about a small glass top table, because i needed new glass for it. Within an hour a boy had come to measure it, phoned in to his boss with sizes and got price quote, gone, collected 'made to measure' glass, with bevelled edges, and returned it to me. all within an hour. In a country where it can take days to do easy things, somethings that you would think should take longer just happen. i can't believe i had been putting it off for years- literally! The glass broke in an interesting manner. The coffee table was beside a window. usually the shutter is left closed. The cleaner left it open. The sun shone through the window, magnifying as it did so, the beam of light hit the glass topped table and the until then perfect glass, cracked. One long wavy line of a crack that made a heck of a noise as it grew! So now, that shutter stays shut! That was nearly 4 years ago!
para 3- life is beginning to look up! - friends came over. A girl from Ireland and her Egyptian 'husband'. They are travelling to hers for christmas and we spent a while going over the extensive list of everything you need to supply the British embassy with in order to get a visa. What a nightmare! With a UK passport i have to admit I have always taken it completely for granted that you want to travel, you buy your ticket, and you go. Often just buying a visa on arrival, if you need one at all! For egyptians to travel, especially to UK or USA, the requirements are massive, even with a letter of invitation! Oh and then we went out to eat mandy. No- not a person !!! Mandy is a yemen dish with basmati rice and sultanas toped with the meat of your choice, we had very fatty lamb- I will try chicken next time. Very tasty too- and the shop is walking distance from my place. Although the poor man in the shop got into an awful tiz when i wanted to take the number for deliveries finally admitting that no one in the shop could speak english so he was worried how could they take my order? when i told him not to worry it would be ok, in arabic, his relief and surprised smile were evident!
a good day.
Day 6 is today and I have all sorts of exciting things lined up for tonight and plans made with people i can't let down, so finally i will be 'doing something' with my time 'off work! The day started earlier than I would have liked since my cleaner insists on starting her day at 8am. Usually this involves me opening the door with my eyes still closed, then going straight back to bed and waking only to pay her before she leaves. Bliss. Today i had to play the ogre and go round the house with her pointing out all the things she hadn't been doing right, or at all, and that took 20 mins. It's a job i knew I had to doo for weeks, lets be accurate, months, but i could never bring myself to tell a grown woman how to clean a glass, or a window. so I had been ignoring the probelm and hoping she would improve on her own. In fact, she got worse, sloppier and sloppier. It seems that unless you are tough, and that means delivering a warning with not hit of smile or even what a brit would consider manners, is the only thing that works. I hate it.
So now i am wide awake, have done my emials, and this blog and its not even 10am. Hmm- how to fill my day.....?
tonight;
- i will go and see a circus performance (by someone who contacted me through my blog- ie work)
- then interview and my life here as a foreign dancer (ie work)
- then watch a film a friend bellydancing (ie work)
- then go out to some cabaret bars to watch lots of dancers (ie work)
amazing how little of my life isn't 'work'.... but also how much 'work' i love!!!!!!!! I'd just like to make the point. Most 'normal' jobs you leave behind you when you leave your office, shop whatever. Your work seldom consumes EVERYTHING in your life.
When you are an artist, and in particular when you are self employed and have to promote yourself, then 'work' never stops. You don't want it to stop. It becomes you. Without bellydance my whole world would be completely different. I hope I never have to know just how different.
My 'boring' , 'work-free' week... hope it's been interesting for you!
Sunday, October 17, 2010
food and drink in Cairo
Sayeda Studio: Glimpses of Egypt II. - Food and drinks: "You cannot miss the amazing juices, the most delicious fruits and vegetables once in Egypt, and of course the spices and meals egyptians mak..."
If you are hungry and not near food you should not look at the photos in this blog entry by Zsofia, a dear friend of mine, who used to live here in cairo..... if you like to tease yourself- go on- look!
If you are hungry and not near food you should not look at the photos in this blog entry by Zsofia, a dear friend of mine, who used to live here in cairo..... if you like to tease yourself- go on- look!
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Lorna Gow at Saqarah 14 August 2010 Part 4
Me dancing serit el hob... a favourite Om Kalthoum song, unfortunalty a short verison of it... since it was my favourite thing of the whole performance. followed by a tabla solo with medhat... who did well considering since we haven't ever worked together before! This was my favourite set of the night... and since its a bit longer than the other clips takes longer to view... but I think its the best of the 4. Thanks to the Saqarah girls for putting this online for me.
Lorna Gow at Saqarah 14 August 2010 Part 3
The bulk of this video i didn't have a clue about- the band knew a different version of it than me.... but my favourite bit is near the end... when i start playing about with the tabla a little... a tiny but fun tabla solo.
Blogging from sharm...
3 days with no work on the boat... so why not jump a bus up to Sharm el Sheik and chill out by a pool? The bus is less than 100lle each way and can take anything between 5 and a half hours to 8 hours to arrive. Unfortunately on this occasion it took closer to 8.
That’s what i have been doing - and its fabulous. Reading, listening to music, watching videos of dancers such as samia gamal, mona el said and zizi Mustapha that I’d downloaded from youtube in anticipation of doing some dance research by the pool! Have also really enjoyed stretching in the pool... it feels like I can take most stretches that bit further when the water is supporting me.... or maybe that is because i am stretching when i am relaxed... rather than waiting until something hurts and then stretching to try and fix it!!
What i really didn’t expect to be doing is ... wait for it.... ice skating.
YES... ICE-SKATING in Egypt!!! In Soho Square, Sharm. It cost 90le each, and you can stay as long as you like.
I can honestly say it’s probably over 15 years since i last put my feet into a pair of those uncomfortable boots and gave myself the challenge of staying upright, made even more urgent since i was dressed to go out clubbing. That is to say- if I had fallen, the tan I’d been working on during the day would have been removed completely!! The adrenadline rush was stronger than a sharm cocktail and kept me warm despite the chilly temperature of the arena. When I was there, the only other person on the ice was a tiny Russian girl who was doing full one legged spins, jumps etc etc.... as if I didn’t feel stupid enough in my clubbing gear nervously sliding my way around the edge. But, after a while i was hands free and almost in the middle too. No spins for me though- not intentional ones anyway! It was great fun. Facing the fear and doing it anyway! So if you are going out in sharm for a night out, i recommend packing a pair of socks in your handbag and hitting the ice (not literally!), and i strongly recommend doing it before you go to the bars and before all the little Russian girls show you up!!!!
If skating is a bit too much for you... then the other thing I did that night was 10 pin bowling. Also in soho square. It’s 40le per player per game. And again the socks in the handbag were useful since you have to wear the shoes they provide! My first throw was great... then my tendonitis in my shoulder reminded me it was there and my game went downhill rapidly from then on. That is my excuse anyway, and I’m sticking to it!! A great night!
In fact, I can’t rave about soho square enough... they have lots of lovely fountains (and a dancing one- lights and water moving to music- its great!) and statues and bars and shops and cafes and an outdoor show complete with a bellydancer and tannoura. It’s all new, and not cheap, but it is a different sharm experience than wandering around Naama bay, especially if you spend it trying to keep your pins upright and then trying to make sure the other pins don’t stay upright, as I did!!!
That is all for this blog since i am typing by the pool and the sun is moving round to my area, which would make the screen to difficult to read. Yes of course i could move out of the sun, and yes of course i am only writing this to make you jealous sitting reading my blog from your office chair or wherever you happen to be just now!!!
That’s what i have been doing - and its fabulous. Reading, listening to music, watching videos of dancers such as samia gamal, mona el said and zizi Mustapha that I’d downloaded from youtube in anticipation of doing some dance research by the pool! Have also really enjoyed stretching in the pool... it feels like I can take most stretches that bit further when the water is supporting me.... or maybe that is because i am stretching when i am relaxed... rather than waiting until something hurts and then stretching to try and fix it!!
What i really didn’t expect to be doing is ... wait for it.... ice skating.
YES... ICE-SKATING in Egypt!!! In Soho Square, Sharm. It cost 90le each, and you can stay as long as you like.
I can honestly say it’s probably over 15 years since i last put my feet into a pair of those uncomfortable boots and gave myself the challenge of staying upright, made even more urgent since i was dressed to go out clubbing. That is to say- if I had fallen, the tan I’d been working on during the day would have been removed completely!! The adrenadline rush was stronger than a sharm cocktail and kept me warm despite the chilly temperature of the arena. When I was there, the only other person on the ice was a tiny Russian girl who was doing full one legged spins, jumps etc etc.... as if I didn’t feel stupid enough in my clubbing gear nervously sliding my way around the edge. But, after a while i was hands free and almost in the middle too. No spins for me though- not intentional ones anyway! It was great fun. Facing the fear and doing it anyway! So if you are going out in sharm for a night out, i recommend packing a pair of socks in your handbag and hitting the ice (not literally!), and i strongly recommend doing it before you go to the bars and before all the little Russian girls show you up!!!!
If skating is a bit too much for you... then the other thing I did that night was 10 pin bowling. Also in soho square. It’s 40le per player per game. And again the socks in the handbag were useful since you have to wear the shoes they provide! My first throw was great... then my tendonitis in my shoulder reminded me it was there and my game went downhill rapidly from then on. That is my excuse anyway, and I’m sticking to it!! A great night!
In fact, I can’t rave about soho square enough... they have lots of lovely fountains (and a dancing one- lights and water moving to music- its great!) and statues and bars and shops and cafes and an outdoor show complete with a bellydancer and tannoura. It’s all new, and not cheap, but it is a different sharm experience than wandering around Naama bay, especially if you spend it trying to keep your pins upright and then trying to make sure the other pins don’t stay upright, as I did!!!
That is all for this blog since i am typing by the pool and the sun is moving round to my area, which would make the screen to difficult to read. Yes of course i could move out of the sun, and yes of course i am only writing this to make you jealous sitting reading my blog from your office chair or wherever you happen to be just now!!!
Lorna Gow at Saqarah 14 August 2010 Part 2
The oud takasim here was completely improvised, by that i mean that I didn't even know they were going to put it into the set!!! I enjoyed it though!
Lorna Gow at Saqarah 14 August 2010 Part 1
Here's some new recently uploaded videos of my show in London in Ramadan....
Wednesday, October 06, 2010
Belly Dance in Nile Cruise, Egypt
Yet another vidoe of my old entrance dance..... and yet another Eman Zaki costume!
me in my 'magnoona' costume!!
Edella alla keyfek. Love this song... adn love dancing it in this costume - another fun Eman Zaki creation! I only just found this clip today... didn't know it was up there- wonder how many other vidoe's of me are online that I don't know about!!!!
My second dance at Saqarah, Aug 2010
MyThis was complete improvisation... since they (the band) seemed to know a completely different version of the song than i did!
My drum solo at Saqarah, Aug 2010
Thanks to Rana for putting these video's on youtube!!! It was a fun night and I enjoyed dancing with the Nile band- although it was my 1st time!
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Lorna does Luxor
I am back in Cairo now, after spending 3 fabulous days with a lovely group of women from all over Europe. The festival was run by Sara Farouk and Kay Taylor and was just perfect! The 3 main teachers for the week were myself, Khazafy and Eman Zaki.
I also performed, with the orchestra they provided. I was given 3 hours on arrival the 1st day to rehearse- we only needed 2 hours to put together over an hours set! What a group of totally professional artists. It was bliss working with them. I also felt a real mutual respect between me and the musicians, possibly since the orchestra leader , Ahmed Mahrous (violin player) has spent many years in France and therefore doesn't have the usual Egyptian attitudes towards women and in particular bellydancers. I think the show I did on sunday night was possibly my best dancing to date. I am hoping that people have filmed parts of it at least (if you have; PLEASE add it to youtube- i want to know if it looks half as good as it felt!!!).
I did a set in my 'Egyptian flag' costume, manmore than one person thought it was red, white and blue. I guess if you are not used the the Egyptian flag that makes more sense (since most of the people at the festival were British)- but still... i have looked again and it is DEFINITELY black, not blue! I figured the big Eagle necklace would have given the game away- but obviously not...
I was really sad to leave, the musicians, the new friends, the beautiful venue (5 star hotel with lovely large pool!), all of it in fact. There was a really nice balance of classes, talks, performances and chilling.... it felt like my idea of a perfect holiday- and I was working!!!
My first evening i joined the group outing to see the sound and light show at Karnak temple... you walk through the temple as it goes on... it was fabulous. Enjoyed it much more than the one at the Pyramids, although parts of it were just as corny!
I have to take my hat off to Sara and Kay- (and Sherif!!!) - you guys did a great job. Everything ran smoothly and the wonderful friendly atmosphere was largely down to the way you handled everything beautifully. well done.
Back to Cairo and awaiting a new house guest.... i have a packed home for the next 3 months... it's going to be lovely to be surrounded by all these dancers from all over the world! I've also been inspired to go on a search for more new music to dance to.... so i have been exploring my itunes all day today and discovered that I know an awful lot more Oum Kalsoum music than i know the names of!
I also performed, with the orchestra they provided. I was given 3 hours on arrival the 1st day to rehearse- we only needed 2 hours to put together over an hours set! What a group of totally professional artists. It was bliss working with them. I also felt a real mutual respect between me and the musicians, possibly since the orchestra leader , Ahmed Mahrous (violin player) has spent many years in France and therefore doesn't have the usual Egyptian attitudes towards women and in particular bellydancers. I think the show I did on sunday night was possibly my best dancing to date. I am hoping that people have filmed parts of it at least (if you have; PLEASE add it to youtube- i want to know if it looks half as good as it felt!!!).
I did a set in my 'Egyptian flag' costume, manmore than one person thought it was red, white and blue. I guess if you are not used the the Egyptian flag that makes more sense (since most of the people at the festival were British)- but still... i have looked again and it is DEFINITELY black, not blue! I figured the big Eagle necklace would have given the game away- but obviously not...
I was really sad to leave, the musicians, the new friends, the beautiful venue (5 star hotel with lovely large pool!), all of it in fact. There was a really nice balance of classes, talks, performances and chilling.... it felt like my idea of a perfect holiday- and I was working!!!
My first evening i joined the group outing to see the sound and light show at Karnak temple... you walk through the temple as it goes on... it was fabulous. Enjoyed it much more than the one at the Pyramids, although parts of it were just as corny!
I have to take my hat off to Sara and Kay- (and Sherif!!!) - you guys did a great job. Everything ran smoothly and the wonderful friendly atmosphere was largely down to the way you handled everything beautifully. well done.
Back to Cairo and awaiting a new house guest.... i have a packed home for the next 3 months... it's going to be lovely to be surrounded by all these dancers from all over the world! I've also been inspired to go on a search for more new music to dance to.... so i have been exploring my itunes all day today and discovered that I know an awful lot more Oum Kalsoum music than i know the names of!
Friday, September 24, 2010
organic choreographing and rocks
I really don't know what to write about, but feel i should write cos I haven't for ages and ages.............!
I have a day off. I feel like I haven't once stopped since long before Ramadan started... and its been over for 2 weeks now! I like working the lunch time sails, when its bus loads of tourists who get to see me as part of there 'total egyptian experience' after the pyramids and before the museam usually! It just gets difficult when you have 4 sails one day, then 3 the next etc etc (so thats anything between 1-8 shows in a day, varies per day!) Not complaining. Love the work... just that my body has stiffened up beyond belief. today, the 1st day off in ages has been spent in bed... and online... trying to catch up physically and mentally!!!!
anyway- enough moaning.
Cairo- crazy cairo- yes I still love it. Its strange to be away from my family when i know I could help them through difficult times... and seeing all my friends in UK again throughout Ramadan just reinforced how much i miss them.... but here is home. I just wish i could work out if i felt confident enough to buy a property here. Renting is stressful... and limiting. There is so much I'd love to do... but feel i couldn't in someone else's house - like building extra wardrobes before you get any other ideas!!!! I have totally run out of space for my own clothes- and thats before you even consider the 2 wardrobes of costumes!!! i need a 'sex in the city' style wardrobe!!!
Oh- and I am finally performing to my new entrance dance... it's still at the organic choreographing stage... ie I perform it every day.... up to 8 times in a day!!!....... but it changes everytime, unless i find something and think that really worked and then that gets added everytime... until i have partically choreographed it! I love working on a song like that, because it gives me new fresh ideas for interpretation and moves... and I can test them as I go along with the audiences reactions.... it's getting to the stage when i need to get it videod soon though so i can see if things look as good as they feel, or not!!!
I just realised that I haven't added the pics from the ramaden revellry tour.... heres a few pics from Northern Ireland- i was teaching in Dublin then we drove up to belfast and had a day in the North... and went to the giants causeway...
Massive thanks to Adele and Nicola for being fabulous tour guides and showing me their windy countryside ( it reminded me a lot of Scotland!!!). I enjoyed the place and the company! Already looking forward to my next Belfast visit!
I'll get together some of the workshops pics from around the UK and add them in another blog soon! who knows... maybe some pics of my upcoming trip to Luxor to teach and perform at the Farha festival there.
I have a day off. I feel like I haven't once stopped since long before Ramadan started... and its been over for 2 weeks now! I like working the lunch time sails, when its bus loads of tourists who get to see me as part of there 'total egyptian experience' after the pyramids and before the museam usually! It just gets difficult when you have 4 sails one day, then 3 the next etc etc (so thats anything between 1-8 shows in a day, varies per day!) Not complaining. Love the work... just that my body has stiffened up beyond belief. today, the 1st day off in ages has been spent in bed... and online... trying to catch up physically and mentally!!!!
anyway- enough moaning.
Cairo- crazy cairo- yes I still love it. Its strange to be away from my family when i know I could help them through difficult times... and seeing all my friends in UK again throughout Ramadan just reinforced how much i miss them.... but here is home. I just wish i could work out if i felt confident enough to buy a property here. Renting is stressful... and limiting. There is so much I'd love to do... but feel i couldn't in someone else's house - like building extra wardrobes before you get any other ideas!!!! I have totally run out of space for my own clothes- and thats before you even consider the 2 wardrobes of costumes!!! i need a 'sex in the city' style wardrobe!!!
Oh- and I am finally performing to my new entrance dance... it's still at the organic choreographing stage... ie I perform it every day.... up to 8 times in a day!!!....... but it changes everytime, unless i find something and think that really worked and then that gets added everytime... until i have partically choreographed it! I love working on a song like that, because it gives me new fresh ideas for interpretation and moves... and I can test them as I go along with the audiences reactions.... it's getting to the stage when i need to get it videod soon though so i can see if things look as good as they feel, or not!!!
I just realised that I haven't added the pics from the ramaden revellry tour.... heres a few pics from Northern Ireland- i was teaching in Dublin then we drove up to belfast and had a day in the North... and went to the giants causeway...
I'll get together some of the workshops pics from around the UK and add them in another blog soon! who knows... maybe some pics of my upcoming trip to Luxor to teach and perform at the Farha festival there.
Monday, September 13, 2010
review of one of my workshops
Here's a review of a recent workshop I taught in Edinburgh... an intense workshop which ended in a spontantious group hug!!!
http://tamsynbellydance.posterous.com/less-is-more-dancing-to-oum-kalthoum
http://tamsynbellydance.posterous.com/less-is-more-dancing-to-oum-kalthoum
Back into the swing of things...
So here I am back in Cairo... and you know what.... it really does feel like home!
As much as I love seeing my UK friends and family, driving my car, feeling comfortable doing stuff , like opening a bank account etc ... Cairo, and this flat I have lived in now for nearly 4 years, is home.
I’ve been back nearly 2 days, and not done a lot really, other than catch up with friends, do numerous loads of washing (glamorous huh), get house cleaned of a month’s build up of Cairo dust (which would be equivalent to about 6 months if not more back in Edinburgh!) That’s ‘get house cleaned- not clean house.... see how well I have slotted back into ‘normality’! oh and get eyebrows done and bag packed for work... that i have to tell you is no mean feat.
I guess it runs alongside the idea of what a woman keeps in her handbag... but, just so you can begin to understand why my work suitcase is heavy before i even enter any of the 4-5 costumes i usually take to work each night here’s a list of what I just put in there.....
- Melaya- in case I feel the urge to dance Iskandirani style
- Abaya- for covering up in between shows
- Towel- its hot work!
- Spare underwear -flesh colour of course for wearing under costumes
- Hairpiece
- Brush
- Hairspray
- Hair clips
- 2 Shebika’s ie body stockings –for wearing if the police ever come to check!
- Safety pins- of numerous sizes
- Cotton wool and make-up remover- for mistakes and running mascara!
- Facewipes- for feet after
- Deodorant
- Perfume- gets sprayed on every time i leave that changing room!!
- Body lotion -a bit of a sheen hides a multitude of sins!
- Accessories – lots of various bits of jewellery to match every possible costume
- Ibuprofen- in case I have to dance through back ache, headache, muscle ache etc
- Sewing kit- for last minute and emergency ‘make it fit and stay on’ moments.
- Scissors
- Tweezers
- Emery board
- False eyelashes and glue
- Make-up bag- that’s another massive list in itself!
- Book- in case there is time sitting about between shows
- Diary and pen- to take note of an ever changing rota
Hopefully that’s it... since that’s all i have in there at the moment! Most of it just lives in there... so I don’t have to remember it all everyday.
I am really excited about my first day back tomorrow. I missed dancing with my band, although I did get more live music to perform to in UK this time compared to previous visits, which did help to make things feel a bit more realistic for me there!
So, off to paint the nails before bed... have a nagging feeling i have forgotten to pack something important (yes I did put the costumes in there too!). I suspect however, that the thing i haven’t packed and am feeling i should is the CD to perform too..... and yippee , I don’t have to!!! Love dancing in Cairo.
As much as I love seeing my UK friends and family, driving my car, feeling comfortable doing stuff , like opening a bank account etc ... Cairo, and this flat I have lived in now for nearly 4 years, is home.
I’ve been back nearly 2 days, and not done a lot really, other than catch up with friends, do numerous loads of washing (glamorous huh), get house cleaned of a month’s build up of Cairo dust (which would be equivalent to about 6 months if not more back in Edinburgh!) That’s ‘get house cleaned- not clean house.... see how well I have slotted back into ‘normality’! oh and get eyebrows done and bag packed for work... that i have to tell you is no mean feat.
I guess it runs alongside the idea of what a woman keeps in her handbag... but, just so you can begin to understand why my work suitcase is heavy before i even enter any of the 4-5 costumes i usually take to work each night here’s a list of what I just put in there.....
- Melaya- in case I feel the urge to dance Iskandirani style
- Abaya- for covering up in between shows
- Towel- its hot work!
- Spare underwear -flesh colour of course for wearing under costumes
- Hairpiece
- Brush
- Hairspray
- Hair clips
- 2 Shebika’s ie body stockings –for wearing if the police ever come to check!
- Safety pins- of numerous sizes
- Cotton wool and make-up remover- for mistakes and running mascara!
- Facewipes- for feet after
- Deodorant
- Perfume- gets sprayed on every time i leave that changing room!!
- Body lotion -a bit of a sheen hides a multitude of sins!
- Accessories – lots of various bits of jewellery to match every possible costume
- Ibuprofen- in case I have to dance through back ache, headache, muscle ache etc
- Sewing kit- for last minute and emergency ‘make it fit and stay on’ moments.
- Scissors
- Tweezers
- Emery board
- False eyelashes and glue
- Make-up bag- that’s another massive list in itself!
- Book- in case there is time sitting about between shows
- Diary and pen- to take note of an ever changing rota
Hopefully that’s it... since that’s all i have in there at the moment! Most of it just lives in there... so I don’t have to remember it all everyday.
I am really excited about my first day back tomorrow. I missed dancing with my band, although I did get more live music to perform to in UK this time compared to previous visits, which did help to make things feel a bit more realistic for me there!
So, off to paint the nails before bed... have a nagging feeling i have forgotten to pack something important (yes I did put the costumes in there too!). I suspect however, that the thing i haven’t packed and am feeling i should is the CD to perform too..... and yippee , I don’t have to!!! Love dancing in Cairo.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
The amazing improvised drum solo in Leeds
I really enjoyed myself in this dance...
we have only worked together twice before- and i didn't warn him about anything I was hoping or planning to do (as if i ever plan anything anyway!!!) and i just LOVED it! Well done 'Rhythmic Ginger' for keeping up with me and making it such a pleasure!!!!
Thursday, August 26, 2010
more photos from London!
This lovely pink costume is by Amera el Kattan of pharonix costumes. Thanks again to Maani for the wonderful shots. I especially love the interplay between myself and Medhat, the drummer for The Nile Band.
Photos from London Performance
Thanks to Maani for these fabulous shots of my performance at Saqarah, London, 2 weeks ago. The blue and green rather funky design costume is by Eman Zaki.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
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!
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!
Thursday, August 19, 2010
An intimate evening in Edinburgh with Lorna - oh er!!!
Very excited...
as If I already didn't have enough dates on my Ramadan Revelry tour this month- I have now added a NEW date!!!
In my hometown, Edinburgh. An unoffical fringe show , if you like!
Hope you can make it along....
when?- 25 August · 19:30 - 22:00
where?- Kitsch Coffee Bar, Bernard Street, Leith
"A special chance to enjoy the dancing of the fabulous Lorna of Cairo, plus support, in Edinburgh. Tickets £10 including nibbles.
This is a very small venue for an informal and intimate evening.
Move fast to avoid disappointment! For tickets, contact Elspeth SwishandHips on 07748 183171 or on swishandhips@hotmail.co.uk . You can paypal if you have a verified paypal account, or post a cheque first class! "
This WILL sellout fast!
so............ Leeds and Birmingham this weekend.... Edinburgh mid week then Glasgow next weekend...
Lorna is officially DOING UK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and LOVING IT !!!
hehe........
as If I already didn't have enough dates on my Ramadan Revelry tour this month- I have now added a NEW date!!!
In my hometown, Edinburgh. An unoffical fringe show , if you like!
Hope you can make it along....
when?- 25 August · 19:30 - 22:00
where?- Kitsch Coffee Bar, Bernard Street, Leith
"A special chance to enjoy the dancing of the fabulous Lorna of Cairo, plus support, in Edinburgh. Tickets £10 including nibbles.
This is a very small venue for an informal and intimate evening.
Move fast to avoid disappointment! For tickets, contact Elspeth SwishandHips on 07748 183171 or on swishandhips@hotmail.co.uk . You can paypal if you have a verified paypal account, or post a cheque first class! "
This WILL sellout fast!
so............ Leeds and Birmingham this weekend.... Edinburgh mid week then Glasgow next weekend...
Lorna is officially DOING UK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and LOVING IT !!!
hehe........
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Workshops in Edinburgh 4th sept 2010
Swish and Hips: Workshops with Lorna of Cairo: "Well, it's Ramadan and that means that the very wonderful, super-talented amazing dancer Lorna of Cairo is back in the UK for a few weeks! ..."
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
More video!!!
Yet another video of my emergance (entrance dance), wearing yet another Eman Zaki costume... a black one this time! I have been filmed dancing to this piece of music more than any other.... but I figured I'd add it here anyway- since its a very recent recording! I love that these had their titles in Chinese (or japanese??) and a dancer discovered them and sent them to me (thanks Barbara!!) Scary what might be on youtube and you never know about it!!!
Funky pink
somebody recently found this of me... dancing in my funky pink Eman Zaki trouser costume- which I LOVE- possibly my favourite costume to dance in ever! Wearing it I feel like I go a little crazy... see what you think!!!
Monday, August 16, 2010
Saqarah Show last Saturday... Lorna does London
Last Saturday night in London was the start of my Ramadan UK tour..... and it was a fabulous night...... Here is a snippet of most of the dancers who performed that night... only a tiny clip of me in there unfortunatly (because his camera battery died before my final set- grrr) but you get to see a rather nice wee impro oud takasim... with a lot of shimmy in it. Some of the cream of London dancers are in there too- check it out!
Dancing to a band other than my own was interesting... and I really missed my tabal especially... but overall i think it went ok... and the atmosphere was fabulous. Of course the time keeping wasn't, so many people missed my last dance... but that is pretty much what you expect working with Egyptian musicians!
Fingers crossed we can get some more video online soon from this event, especially that last set? - not to mention the workshop photos! I really enjoyed the workshops- The Place is such a lovely dance venue! We covered a lot and the brains sweated more than the bodies... but i think it went well!!!
Next weekend Leeds and Birmingham!!!
Dancing to a band other than my own was interesting... and I really missed my tabal especially... but overall i think it went ok... and the atmosphere was fabulous. Of course the time keeping wasn't, so many people missed my last dance... but that is pretty much what you expect working with Egyptian musicians!
Fingers crossed we can get some more video online soon from this event, especially that last set? - not to mention the workshop photos! I really enjoyed the workshops- The Place is such a lovely dance venue! We covered a lot and the brains sweated more than the bodies... but i think it went well!!!
Next weekend Leeds and Birmingham!!!
Monday, August 09, 2010
Confused audience
My last blog (that wasn't advertising for my upcoming tour!) was all about unappreciative audiences.... I just realised that I should write also about the good stuff too- cos it is way too easy to focus on the negative!
Tonight I had three seperate tables of people all come up to speak to me after my show... all of them (mixed groups from Egypt, Lebanon and Dubai) all asking where i was from because by looking at my face they were sure I was foreign, but then watching my show they were convinced i was Egyptian. Thank God! I can't do much about my face, well, I could but frankly the 'lets all get so much plastic so we all look like Nancy Agram' doesn't really do it for me! So I will stay looking non-Egyptian and confusing people by dancing Egyptian!
I love my job. I love dancing, even when my body hurts and my brain can't string a sentence together because I am so tired from shows every day... I still, when I am up on that stage, love it.
Tonight I had three seperate tables of people all come up to speak to me after my show... all of them (mixed groups from Egypt, Lebanon and Dubai) all asking where i was from because by looking at my face they were sure I was foreign, but then watching my show they were convinced i was Egyptian. Thank God! I can't do much about my face, well, I could but frankly the 'lets all get so much plastic so we all look like Nancy Agram' doesn't really do it for me! So I will stay looking non-Egyptian and confusing people by dancing Egyptian!
I love my job. I love dancing, even when my body hurts and my brain can't string a sentence together because I am so tired from shows every day... I still, when I am up on that stage, love it.
Sunday, August 08, 2010
more dates for my ramadan revelry tour!
I am very happy to be able to announce a performance date in Scotland this tour...
Friday 27th August
Nur restaurant, Glasgow
( 22 bridge st, Glasgow, tel 0141 418 0990 )
from 7.30pm
A night of dance with me, Lorna, and a couple of local guest dancers too.
A chance to see all my lovely new costumes and eat fabulous Egyptian food too. It's a BYOB with no corkage too.... All that for only £22.50 if you buy your ticket in advance (£25 if you buy on the night- but since the restaurant only seats 50, there is a good chance it might sell out- so don't leave it til then!)
to book, collect your ticket from Nur, or call them on the number above and they can take payment by debit card.
check out their website; www.nur-restaurant.co.uk
Friday 27th August
Nur restaurant, Glasgow
( 22 bridge st, Glasgow, tel 0141 418 0990 )
from 7.30pm
A night of dance with me, Lorna, and a couple of local guest dancers too.
A chance to see all my lovely new costumes and eat fabulous Egyptian food too. It's a BYOB with no corkage too.... All that for only £22.50 if you buy your ticket in advance (£25 if you buy on the night- but since the restaurant only seats 50, there is a good chance it might sell out- so don't leave it til then!)
to book, collect your ticket from Nur, or call them on the number above and they can take payment by debit card.
check out their website; www.nur-restaurant.co.uk
Thursday, August 05, 2010
Hecklers
I have just this second realised that my reduced number of blog entries over the last year directly corresponds to my increased use of facebook. I blurt out my news quickly there in a one line status, rather than using the experience to write a whole wee story about it! hmm- Will try to start putting MORE into the blog although the juicy stuff is usually here anyway. (If you want to join the facebook craze I'm there as 'Lorna of Cairo aka Bellylorna' )
So,I am currently sitting with my feet in a basin of iodine.... yet agian the floor at work has ripped my feet open .. and this seems to work calming down the infection quicker than anything else. It's not an ideal situation, but still better than dancing with shoes. i hate that.
Last night I had a HORRIBLE night at work. Really... i was so close to just walking away and not doing last shows ( although granted just walking off isn't exactly possible when you are on a boat in the middle of the Nile!). Anyway, it started with a young girl there with her family, she was maybe 12 years old. I go round all the tables at work to see if anyone wants a photo, and usually i pick out most of the children for a little special attention- that makes EVERYONE happy, and even the most jealous of wives soften when i fuss over their little darlings. Anyway, this little darling, wasn't. She looked me up and down, made a sneer and using her hand in my face waved me on by... the hand signal when you tell someone 'imshi' i.e. 'go away'! I repeated the hand signal to her, to make sure I had understood what she meant and i gave her a look to kill. But for the life of me couldn't find the right words in arabic to tell her parents to teach their children respect for others and their elders. Especially one who is smiling and sweating all night for their entertainment! You have to blame the parents really.
Then... in the same audience ( and i had six shows yesterday, so it's amazing that the two horrible people were in the same one and unrelated!) a man decided that HE was the star attraction , not me. He got on stage in the middle of my entrance dance and wiggled about. Then throughout my entire show he heckled, non stop, as in barely taking a breath. I wish I could understand what he was saying, actually, maybe its better that I couldn't. Basically he had the entire room in fits of laughter, at my expense. The only reason i know what he was saying wasn't complimentary was the looks on my musicians faces- they all looked like they wanted to kill him. It's like having 6 fathers all seeing it as their job to protect you. Bless them. Anyway- the only comment I fully understood was that my body was from the devil. So I presume that rest of the comments, which were constant, were sexual too, especially since it was the men in the room who were enjoying it most and the women were trying to give me encouraging smiles - and filming my dance. I don't know what i should have done... but I felt horrible after... like I had been abused- i wanted more than anything to take a shower and wash his comments off me. Now I wish i had walked off stage towards him, and told him in English to please respect my show and respect himself then returned to the stage. But I didn't think of that at the time...you never do , do you? ... I felt stuck, and humiliated. So much for my arabic being good, it's obviously rubbish, or he was intentionally pharsing things in a way so i couldn't understand. Somehow i had to regain enough confidence to perform two more shows last night after that. They probably weren't my best shows ever.
Anyway, today is another day and inshallah all my audiences tonight will be fabulous!
So,I am currently sitting with my feet in a basin of iodine.... yet agian the floor at work has ripped my feet open .. and this seems to work calming down the infection quicker than anything else. It's not an ideal situation, but still better than dancing with shoes. i hate that.
Last night I had a HORRIBLE night at work. Really... i was so close to just walking away and not doing last shows ( although granted just walking off isn't exactly possible when you are on a boat in the middle of the Nile!). Anyway, it started with a young girl there with her family, she was maybe 12 years old. I go round all the tables at work to see if anyone wants a photo, and usually i pick out most of the children for a little special attention- that makes EVERYONE happy, and even the most jealous of wives soften when i fuss over their little darlings. Anyway, this little darling, wasn't. She looked me up and down, made a sneer and using her hand in my face waved me on by... the hand signal when you tell someone 'imshi' i.e. 'go away'! I repeated the hand signal to her, to make sure I had understood what she meant and i gave her a look to kill. But for the life of me couldn't find the right words in arabic to tell her parents to teach their children respect for others and their elders. Especially one who is smiling and sweating all night for their entertainment! You have to blame the parents really.
Then... in the same audience ( and i had six shows yesterday, so it's amazing that the two horrible people were in the same one and unrelated!) a man decided that HE was the star attraction , not me. He got on stage in the middle of my entrance dance and wiggled about. Then throughout my entire show he heckled, non stop, as in barely taking a breath. I wish I could understand what he was saying, actually, maybe its better that I couldn't. Basically he had the entire room in fits of laughter, at my expense. The only reason i know what he was saying wasn't complimentary was the looks on my musicians faces- they all looked like they wanted to kill him. It's like having 6 fathers all seeing it as their job to protect you. Bless them. Anyway- the only comment I fully understood was that my body was from the devil. So I presume that rest of the comments, which were constant, were sexual too, especially since it was the men in the room who were enjoying it most and the women were trying to give me encouraging smiles - and filming my dance. I don't know what i should have done... but I felt horrible after... like I had been abused- i wanted more than anything to take a shower and wash his comments off me. Now I wish i had walked off stage towards him, and told him in English to please respect my show and respect himself then returned to the stage. But I didn't think of that at the time...you never do , do you? ... I felt stuck, and humiliated. So much for my arabic being good, it's obviously rubbish, or he was intentionally pharsing things in a way so i couldn't understand. Somehow i had to regain enough confidence to perform two more shows last night after that. They probably weren't my best shows ever.
Anyway, today is another day and inshallah all my audiences tonight will be fabulous!
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