JOANA,dancer in cairo

[Dollara2assa]

She is dancing at the Nile Maxim

[Dollara2assa]

[caroline_afifi]

Firstly, I have never seen Joana perform live but there is something I find fascinating about her.

She would probably hate me for saying this, but she appears to have a slightly more rounded figure and a more rustic appearance than the other foreign dancers in Cairo... she also has an extremely formal, rustic and quirky edge to her dancing...those are not bad things BTW.

I think she is very 'Sha'abi' in her style and often resembles club dancers in terms of mannerisms and costumes etc. I think this maybe gives her an 'Egyptian edge' to her dancing? she did well to get onto the Maxim and they are usually very fussy so i guess they like her too.

I loved her baladi clip and I have it on my favourites, there are other clips I am not so fussy about but generally I think she has an interesting appeal... but perhaps maybe an aquired taste to Western dancers? I know plenty who dont care for her.

[Dollara2assa]

I didn't see her live also

She is a little bit male on stage and has somes steps of randa....She is not really relax on stage,it seems to be her style.

[Zenubia]

not

[Dollara2assa]

you dance in cairo zenubia?

She has a blog:
http://joanabellydance.blogspot.com/

[caroline_afifi]

I didn't see her live also

She is a little bit male on stage and has somes steps of randa....She is not really relax on stage,it seems to be her style.

Male??? are we watching the same thing? lol and I would say she looked totally relaxed in the clips you showed..in fact, so relaxed she is just doing her own thing and not trying to hard.

I agree with the 'Randaesque' turns and a bit busy in some parts, but this is present in so many dancers these days.. Randa or Dina at least.

[caroline_afifi]

not much to analyze here... there's only one way for foreign dancers to dance in venues such as the nile maxim and anyone intimately familiar with the Cairo dance scene knows it

Wow.. that is quite something you are suggesting about many dancers.

.... unfortunately. Sad but true. I'm speaking from personal experience. I'm thinking of writing an article about the reality of the belly dance scene in Cairo. Quite disappointing, but eye-opening.

I think there are plenty of people aware of the cut throat nature of dancing in Cairo.

Another problem is that dancers around the world automatically assume that if someone is dancing at high profile venues such as the nile maxim or the semiramis, then they MUST be great. This is not always the case. Here in Cairo, your dancing ability is only 5% of the equation. Looks and the quality of the dancer's relationship to the man in charge, whoever he may be, are really what counts.

I think you are partly right, but I also know quite a few dancers in Cairo, and I would say you are making assumptions about many people in your post.

I know plenty who have had to fight back against horrid situations and earn their place without doing what you are suggesting, that is not to say nasty politics are not in operation.

5% dancing ability? that too is a ridiculous suggestion.

I do agree that some dancers in Cairo (past and present)are not always the best in the world, but they do know alot about dancing in Cairo and what that entails.

I think it is really unfair for you to generalise in this way and not give one single dancer any credit for her pursuits and realising a dream. I think it is an over generalisation with some truth, but also misleading.

[Tourbeau]

Firstly, I have never seen Joana perform live but there is something I find fascinating about her.

She would probably hate me for saying this, but she appears to a slightly more rounded figure and a more rustic appearance than the other foreign dancers in Cairo... she also has an extremely formal, rustic and quirky edge to her dancing...those are not bad things BTW.

I think she is very 'Sha'abi' in her style and often resembles club dancers in terms of mannerisms and costumes etc. I think this maybe gives her an 'Egyptian edge' to her dancing? she did well to get onto the Maxim and they are usually very fussy so i guess they like her too.

Maybe what you are calling "rustic" is what the OP is calling "male." There is an unusual, unpolished quality to her dancing that some others don't have. I can see why you are calling her style "sha'abi," but I find something about her that doesn't seem quite right, and I am not sure how to put it into words. When I think of the sha'abi style, I think of it as being both "intentional" and "careless," but for her, I want to replace "careless" with "uncaring" or "not caring about other things." It's very subtle, and difficult to describe, and perhaps her dancing comes across differently in person.

[caroline_afifi]

Hi tourbeau,

Many dancers in the clubs come across as totally uncaring and Joana definately has this element to her..

Like I said, I only have a few clips to go on and each of us see different things.

[Tourbeau]

I know the lack of "care" can range across the sha'abi spectrum (working dancers to everyday people at parties ) from "jaded and disinterested" to "defiant" ("I don't care what you think of me") to "I'm busy feeling the music so I'm not paying total attention to how I'm coming across" to "joy at overstepping societal boundaries," and a whole lot in between, but she's somewhere else. I'm not saying she's bad, but whatever it is, I can tell from her dancing she's not a native.

[Dollara2assa]

Hi caroline

yes male...this MY own feeling about her,and not relax(because my english is not really good maybe)i mean a bit agitee(agitation..a lot of mouvements...)

not mean it is bad,it is what MY eyes are seeing
MY Opinion

[caroline_afifi]

yes, I agree that she does not look totally 'native' but she does look more native than perhaps people first think..just not 5* native.

I have seen some very bizarre sights in the Egyptian nightclubs and some were so bad I thought there is no way they could be 'native'! she does have this look and I am sure she must have spent sometime hanging around these places.

I think I mention the word 'quirky' earlier, and indeed some of her choices and movement are 'quirky'.
There is something about her that makes me want to watch.. perhaps it is the fact that she does pretty much have her own way of doing things, even with a touch of Randa here and there.

Thinking about the 'manly' comment, there is a look about her sometimes which makes you feel you wouldnt want to cross her in a dark alley!

[lizajuk]

I have to saY i usually like the quirky, the different, the dancer who says "I don't give s***" but apart form the first which I enjoyed, it's very much an mmmmm. I also think she's looks as if she's been for a walk along Blackpool pier. Having said that, I'd like to see her live as Youtube in particular never gives the full story of a performer in these situations and often I find that if a dancer somehow creates the "right" atmosphere for me, she's a winner even her her quirkiness means she has "put all the notes in the wrong order".
I also worry about the "casting couch" assertion which no doubt happens but some dancers do manage to avoid.
A bit like Katie last night on X factor ( which I watch in small bursts,loathing SC and his grip on the music industry in this country nas I do ). I thought her appalling in previous numbers despite having a crackingly quirky image. Last night, for me she had the right song and got it all right down the line so I have the gut feeling where I to see Joana on the right nght, she's make me love her.

[caroline_afifi]

I do like these clips.

I like her raw edge and basic style.. very 'Fifi' in parts rather than Randa.

[Nouria]

However you call this, edgy, quirky, shaabiesque - it hurts my eyes.

[Candi]

I saw her in cairo on the Pharon. I enjoyed her show but she was a bit busy for me.Some of these are later clips that show her more relaxed than she was. On the night I saw her I got worn out watching her-I felt a bit danced at.

[nasila]

you dance in cairo zenubia?

Zenubia is American and has lived and dance in Cairo for a few years now; she appears in most of Mohamed Shahin's videos.

[Dollara2assa]

Thanks nasila ;)


Yes she seems a bit busy on the videos,this is what i meant
Hope to see her live,better than videos

[ozma]

not much to analyze here... there's only one way for foreign dancers to dance in venues such as the nile maxim and anyone intimately familiar with the Cairo dance scene knows it.... unfortunately. Sad but true. I'm speaking from personal experience. I'm thinking of writing an article about the reality of the belly dance scene in Cairo. Quite disappointing, but eye-opening.

I've generally assumed that one essential requirement for foriegn or (not foriegn dancers) to dance in such venues is the ability to stomache huge amounts of bullsh*t and stress in regards to what those inside the club assume about you and from what those outside the clubs assume about you and how those inside and outside act on those assumptions.

[sabrinabellydancer]

I've generally assumed that one essential requirement for foriegn or (not foriegn dancers) to dance in such venues is the ability to stomache huge amounts of bullsh*t and stress in regards to what those inside the club assume about you and from what those outside the clubs assume about you and how those inside and outside act on those assumptions.

...and that skill requirement is not isolated to "over there" It's global. ..c::

[ozma]

...and that skill requirement is not isolated to "over there" It's global. ..c::

No argument here!

[caroline_afifi]

I saw her in cairo on the Pharon. I enjoyed her show but she was a bit busy for me.Some of these are later clips that show her more relaxed than she was. On the night I saw her I got worn out watching her-I felt a bit danced at.

And of course seeing her 'live' is different from sitting here watching and analysing little clips.

There is a tendancy to physically assault the audience these days and I dont like that either.

I like bit of 'umph' in a dancer, and I like the dance to not be over polished or too twee and elegant.. but a nice balance of all sides.

I never really go on this boat. In the past I never knew who I was going to see and did see some pretty luke warm dancing from dancers who have since disappeared.

[taheya]

I like this dancer- she is edgy and different and I agree with Caroline, there is something about her which is compelling to watch. Id like to find out more about her.

[t alexandria]

wasnt Joanna mahmoud Reda's assistant for quite sometime? or am I thinking of someone else?

[caroline_afifi]

I personally dont know anything about Joana...but Reda's 'assistant' would be a shock to me! lol

I dont see much Reda-esque folkloric there, but maybe it's true? I dont have a clue.

[Tourbeau]

She writes she's his assistant here http://www.blogger.com/profile/03646726955853777507. She also refers to him on her Nov. 16, 2010 blog entry (it's the front page now at http://joanabellydance.blogspot.com/):

"Mahmoud taught me all he knows - and more! - with total generosity, patience and love.

No other teacher has had so much faith in me and in my talent as Mahmoud and I love him dearly."

That does give the impression that she's worked extensively with him, but without hearing his side of things, it's all speculation as to how much he's mentored her.

[Suzana]

wasnt Joanna mahmoud Reda's assistant for quite sometime? or am I thinking of someone else?

You're probably thinking of Nesma.
http://www.gildedserpent.com/cms/201...erviews-nesma/

[ANA_bellydancer]

Joana was one of my first teachers (along with Marinna Hafsa, who also moved to Egypt, but with a different career path). I still attend her worshops when she comes to Lisbon. I've already watched her performing many times, in Lisbon, and this summer I've seen her dancing at the Nile Maxim too. And yes, what you see is what you get. She's very emotive and quite a show woman. Yes, she was (and I think she still is) one of Mahmoud Reda's assistants.

[caroline_afifi]

Thanks for the info.. like I said, I quite like Joana and find her interesting.

I have to say, the mind boggles over the Reda connection!!! .w.: I just totally fail to see it.. my word, she must be skilled to separate the two styles so easily.

Usually Reda is stamped on a dancer from top to toe.