Joana Saahirah´s World Blog
A Collection of Articles, Videos, and Freebies on Egyptian Dance, Self-Discovery & Empowerment
What I´m saying YES to, this Christmas
I´m sitting at a coffee shop - a cozy, warm, dim-lighted nook -, writing about my Christmas.
There´s a calm atmosphere in the air; a kid asks his mum for a brownie (mum says no, kid throws a tantrum); a geek reads the "Wuthering Heights" at the table next to me.
My man comes in my direction holding two cappuccinos in his hands - he´s smiling at me, trying not to spill the coffee; his face, tender.
(Idyllic)
This is how I´d have...
Myth #7 about Egyptian Dance (and its debunking)
The most common Myths about Egyptian Dance (and their debunking)
Myth #7 - Egyptian Dance is Hermetic & Dangerous
Here´s the last of the 7 Myths about Egyptian Dance I promised to deliver. For once, I´ll have to agree with it. Sort of.
Hermetic comes from "Hermes Trismegistus", considered the founder of science, religion, mathematics, geometry, alchemy, philosophy, medicine and magic. A combination of the Egyptian God Thoth of wisdom, learning and communications and the...
Myth #3 about Egyptian Dance (and its debunking)
The most common Myths about Egyptian Dance (and their debunking)
Myth #3 - Egyptian Dance is only for Women.
(is it?)
My first Egyptian Dance teacher was a man - Shokry Mohamed.
My dearest Egyptian Dance teacher was a man - Mahmoud Reda.
The best Egyptian Dance performance I´ve ever seen was gifted to me by a man - Aziz, my "bedleh" designer, brother, and friend, who surprised by performing the best Om Kolthoum´s dance rendition I´ve ever seen in my life.
On my...
Myth #5 about Egyptian Dance (and its debunking)
The most common Myths about Egyptian Dance (and their debunking)
Myth #3 - Egyptian Dance is not suited for Children.
Lunch time. Portuguese food and wine (the best in the world if you put Indian food aside). My man and a couple. I was absent, working.
They wondered if it was safe to expose their little daughter to my infamous, untamed, shameful and, that was hard to admit but it was implied, thrilling profession.
- Isn´t what she does inappropriate for children? - They asked,...
Myth #2 about Egyptian Dance (and its debunking)
The most common Myths about Egyptian Dance (and their debunking)
Myth #2 - Egyptian Dance is Exotic and made for a few.
How to keep the Warmth of your Heart
- Foreign dancers may be better, technically, and more beautiful and professional than Egyptians, but they´re cold. This is where they lose the game.
First, let´s hit pause. There´s nothing to lose or gain because, let me repeat this till exhaustion, we don´t have to live and dance in competition mode. Let whoever wants to compete with you, compete. Let them burn in that fire if that´s their wish - you don´t have to participate in...
"Alhamdulillah" - Motivational Message by Joana Saahirah
Having lived and performed in Egypt for almost a decade meant three things:
1. The beginning of my international career in Egyptian Oriental and Folkloric Dance;
2. An in-depth knowledge and love for Egyptian Dance, Music, and Culture;
3. A deep, often dramatic, shift in the way I saw myself, the world, and life.
One of the most challenging aspects of living and working, as a foreigner, in a different culture, is the shock between the values we carry within and the values that...
Where my Heroine´s Journey started
Why do we block our Sensuality?
Sensuality. Seduction. Odalisques and sultans. An exotic dance form both ancient and deliciously naughty; forbidden; even sinful.
This is how most of us see Egyptian Dance (erroneously called "belly dance").
In the middle of that melting pot of myths, prejudices, and distortions, it´s hard to organize the house and know, with absolute clarity, what are we talking about when we talk about Egyptian Oriental Dance.
Thankfully, there are facts. History. Reality....
The Maa´lema´s Confidence
Om Mohamed was a regular Egyptian woman.
Or so it seemed.
She wore the "hijab", like a good Muslim woman does, so says the crowd; obeyed her husband, accepted the existence of another woman in her conjugal life - her husband´s second wife -; worked at home and outside of her home, the worst of her sins, only forgiven because the family needed the money.
The neighbors spoke highly of her. Her husband´s second wife, a much appreciated help in the...
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