I don´t know who needs to read this but...
I don´t know who needs to read this but...
In our dance journey, and in our life, we´ll face opposition. Inner and outer opposition.
That opposition comes in the shape of personal insecurities, self-sabotage, trauma, a belief system that brings us down - that´s our inner opposition.
That opposition also comes in the shape of naysayers, critics, haters, and folks who are so frustrated with themselves and their life, they simply cannot accept that someone else - anyone - can move forward, shine, and rejoice.
Here are some of the most recurrent external enemies, delivered by strangers or by the ones who surround us:
- You´re too old (or young) to dance.
-You´re too fat (or thin) to dance.
-You don´t have the body type for Egyptian Dance.
-You´re not talented.
-You´re not Egyptian - stay in your lane. Why won´t you disappear?
-You´re not good enough.
-You´re not capable of doing it.
-You´re not (fill the space with the naysayer nugget of your choice).
At 23, when I prepared to move to Egypt, my own father told me not to go because, and I quote, "you´re too old to start a dance career". I went and built a successful international career in my field.
At the same age, and already in Egypt, I was told by the local mafia that I´d never amount to much as a dancer and I´d better marry a rich Arab man instead. I didn´t. And I did amount to the person I always dreamed of becoming.
At 25, while performing in Lebanon, a powerful dance agent told me I´d never succeed because "I wasn´t willing to collaborate and not smart enough". That was code for "you don´t date powerful men who advance your career". I listened to him and, yet, I didn´t.
I was told the most obnoxious things. And although some of them hurt me, for a while, I never allowed them to destroy my spirit. Or the faith in myself.
I never expected life to be easy. And it isn´t. I expect it to be interesting - a school -, and it is.
Since I´ve opened Joana Saahirah´s Online Dance School & World, delivering authentic Egyptian Dance, Personal Discovery and Empowerment, I´ve had the privilege of permanent contact with hundreds of dancers from all over the globe. And because, for me, people are people and not numbers, I like to establish a real personal relationship with my students.
It´s not unusual for me to send a letter to a student, or a gift to someone who needs uplifting; to schedule a coffee over zoom to chat or to meet a student in person. I take pleasure in building relationships with precious people I consider my extended family.
In these exchanges, I read/hear about dance and life; more often than not, I receive complaints about "how the world is putting me down", or "people tell me I´m too old to dance", or "I was told I couldn´t be an Oriental Dancer because...".
In one of my work trips to Russia, I heard a bizarre story:
A dancer - talented, well prepared, and beautiful - was told by her peers that she couldn´t perform because she´d cut her hair short and Oriental Dancers have long hair.
- What do you mean, you can´t perform because you have short hair? - I asked, incredulous.
- They tell me I don´t fit the mold; with this image, I can´t perform. - She answered.
- Does a short hair make you a worse dancer? - I continued, clearly sarcastic. - Is a long hair a guarantee of talent?
She wasn´t sad but depressed. Those comments - ridiculous and destructive - had infiltrated her mind; a part of her believed them, and she was considering never to perform again. At least while her hair was short.
She´s not alone. I´ve crossed paths with many dancers who believed those inner and outer negative voices, therefore, limiting themselves and, often, castrating their dance development. In extreme cases, dancers quit dance. For good.
The world is a fascinating place - filled with ugliness and beauty. It´s our job to dream our dreams and be attentive to the voices that bring us down. It´s your job to be the Official Guardian of your Dreams. Nobody will do it for you and the world will often test how much you believe in yourself and in your dreams. Read that again: the world will test you.
Here´s the question:
Are you going to let others bring you down? Are you allowing inner or outer destructive voices to take away the joy from your dance and life, to rob you of your dreams?
We have only one life, as far as we know it. I say: live to the fullest.
Haters will hate. Naysayers will naysay. Frustrated folks will invariably project their frustration upon people who are "making it". Don´t let those little devils stop you - keep moving forward, focusing on yourself, and doing your thing.
In Portugal, we say "the bogs bark and the caravan keeps moving forward".
Yallah beena! May your caravan keep moving forward - always.
If you wish to walk that path with me, a Path of Self-Empowerment, feel welcome to join the Waiting List for the 2nd Edition of Joana Saahirah´s Signature Course - authentic Egyptian Dance & Self-Empowerment from the ABC to Mastery
(more information, below👇👇👇)
- In order to join our SIGNATURE COURSE´S WAITING LIST for the next edition of the Course, CLICK HERE
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