Joana Saahirah´s World Blog
A Collection of Articles, Videos, and Freebies on Egyptian Dance, Self-Discovery & Empowerment
What kind of Egyptian Dance Student are you?
What kind of Egyptian Dance student are you? I mean, for real.
Also, does it matter? (spoiler alert #1: it does)
In all these years of career in Egyptian Dance - more than 20 years of non-stop performing, teaching, lecturing, judging, and learning from every front, first in Egypt and then around the World - I´ve noticed there are different kinds of students.
I´ve also noticed how those different kinds of students behave and how their attitude...
Discoveries from my Bed Rest (when a dancer has to stop moving)
3 Gifts Egyptian Folklore has offered me
When most of us think about Egyptian Folklore, we don´t think about Personal Growth. Or a life-changing transformation.
In fact, we think of nothing. Of nonsense, frequently.
Egyptian Folklore has been the "poor sister" of "Raks el Sharki" ("Dance of the East"/Oriental Dance) since I can remember.
It seems to be less cool.
Less glamorous.
Less important.
Yet, having performed, taught, and choreographed Egyptian Folklore for such a long time - first, in...
Simple Things that bring Joy to your Dance
Let me ask you something:
When you think about Egyptian Dance, what are the first words that pop into your head?
For most of us, Egyptian Dance comes with baggage. Heavy Baggage.
My man was once asked, in an ushered, almost forbidden manner, if what "I did" was allowed for children.
I was often asked, at the beginning of my career, if what I did was a dance of seduction and whom, if I didn´t mind answering it, I was seducing.
When "Egyptian Dance" comes to the...
A Dancer in Ramadan (Lessons from the Holy Month)
First, I studied in Egypt.
Then, I moved there to launch my career, develop myself as an Oriental Dancer, go deep into the ancient veins of Egypt, break my bones, and grow my wings. That´s when I fell in love with Ramadan, the main festivity in the Islamic calendar.
No, I´m not a Muslim.
Yes, I´m weary of organized Religions and aware of the gap between spirituality and institutions; although I respect the creed of every individual, for as long as...
How to Become a Peaceful Dancer (7-Day Challenge)
I was sitting on our backyard, during my morning meditation, when a voice whispered in my ear:
- Emanate peace at all times and see what happens.
-Who the hell whispered that in my ear? - I thought, abruptly opening my eyes, looking over my shoulder, in search of a ghost, like a mad woman. - Who said that? - I talked with the air.
It took me a second to realize that the message was the interesting part of this story, not the messenger.
-Emanate peace at all times and see what happens. -...
A Major Key to Self-Empowerment - Motivational Message
There´s a Motivational Monday Message delivered to the students of
Joana Saahirah´s Signature Course - Egyptian Dance & Self-Development from the ABC to Mastery, every week.
I do my best to address challenges most of my students face in their dance and in their life.
Here´s one of them: the use of our past and the conditions we have, or don´t have, as excuses for victimhood, mediocrity, and lack of massive action towards our goals...
Me, Souhair Zaki, Tarab & my Awakening
Me and Souhair Zaki at "Ahlan wa Sahlan" Festival in Cairo, Egypt
She was the unbeatable reference of elegance, art, dignity, artistry and soul in Egyptian Dance and I was a student, traveling in Egypt, in search for myself, in search of the roots of the dance I´d come to call my own.
Her name was(is) Souhair Zaki and she gave me one of the biggest gifts a Teacher can offer a Student: a glimpse into the true meaning of "Raks el Sharki", Egyptian Oriental Dance; the so-called,...
Three shocking lessons 2021 has taught me
I´m not going to lie:
The year of 2021 has knocked me down. Not out, but down.
Down is the opposite of up, down and up being the two faces of the same coin, and we can only go up when we´re down. So, I´m fine. The Wheel is turning for all of us, independently of our awareness of it, and I dance upon mine with champagne, strawberries, and laughter on the side.
In this post, something I wrote primarily for myself and then, for you, I´m sharing 3 shocking lessons...
My aunt & me at a Shaabi Party
A sizzling hot Summer night in Cairo.
3 a.m.
Me and my auntie, a long-term visitor whom I lead by hand, hidden somewhere in "Shobra", one of the "shaabi-est"-"baladi-est"-roughest & most authentic neighborhoods of Egypt.
A broken promise. Hashish. Knives. And Joy.
A new king of Joy.
- Listen to the real-life story in this blog post in the shape of a podcast episode.
I´ll take you by the hand - we´ll take a walk in the wild side.
- If...
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