I spent two weeks in Cairo and didn't have a chance to write about everything I did in detail. I ask myself "What the hell was I doing that kept me so busy I couldn't blog more often?" So here's the rest of the story:
Dance
In my past trips to Cairo, I've gone to as many 5-star shows as I could! This time, I focused on seeing more homegrown Egyptian dance since that is what my training has been lacking and that is what I could afford. As a result I experienced a totally different feeling of dance and got to learn even more about Egyptian local culture. And I got it all on video! Since Cairo is the center of music and dance for the Arab world, it's not hard to find music pulsing locals dancing around you anywhere and at unexpected times! First, there was the night felucca on the Nile with Yun and Alex. Our small group of passengers danced our hearts out on that little boat! Men, women, children, Alex, Yun, and I shimmied up a storm in the middle of the Nile! I got some amazing footage of several of the passengers and they were really good. Just random people on the boat! Another time I encountered a wedding party on the Corniche outside of TGIFriday's in Giza. There was a band and the bride and groom were dancing right on the edge of the Nile. How romantic is that? The men in their suits, the women in their fancy dresses were hopping and dancing singing! I also came as a guest to Yasmina's cousin's engagement party in an alley in Giza. The music was so loud my ears rang for days, but I had a blast dancing under the colorful lights to the DJ and drummer. At this wedding the drummer played western style drums along with the Arabic music. I got footage of me dancing with the aroosa (bride), Amani, Morad, Yasmina, Merna, and the other guests. By the time we left the whole alley was bumpin'! Let's not forget the zar. The dancing may have involved less repertoire and more trancing, but it was still a form of cultural dance. And the music was good! Another form I hadn't experienced much of in Cairo is just regular club dancing. Alex took me to Coma on Ahram Road and I was delighted to see a lit up disco dance floor, just like in Saturday Night Fever! The DJ started with lame house music but when the crowd grew, he played Arabic and American pop tunes. I loved that juxtaposition, it's just what I play at home. I also like flavoring my club moves with belly dance and vice versa. I danced until 3 a.m. that night! Finally, on my last night in Cairo I went to Khan Al Khalili with my Egyptian family and we were treated to an impromptu khaleegy music set by live musicians in front of Egyptian Pancakes.
You may wonder if there are people who dance on the street for money, like buskers in San Francisco. The answer is no. Though music and dance are an integral part of Egyptian culture, it is haraam to make money as a dancer. (I could go more into that at a later time.)
I feel as if these experiences have deepened my feeling for Egyptian dance and music greatly. They are an important part of my growth as a dancer.
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