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Kisses from Kairo

The Diaries of an American Belly Dancer in Cairo
by Luna of Cairo


As you probably know, life in Cairo isn't always easy for dancers, foreigners, women, or even Egyptians. It is, however, exciting. That’s why after living here for almost 3 years, I decided to share my experiences with the world. From being contracted at the Semiramis Hotel to almost being deported, not a day has gone by without something odd or magical happening. I will therefore fill these pages with bits of my history in Cairo—my experiences, successes, mistakes, and observations. My time here has been rather “unique,” so I want to stress that while everything I write is true, my experiences do not necessarily reflect the lives of other dancers.

I will write about developments in costuming, performances, festivals, and, of course, the dance itself. I will also make frequent references to Egyptian culture at large. This is the only way to truly understand what’s happening in the dance, and to make this blog accessible to dancers and non-dancers alike.

The posts in this blog will not be in strict chronological order. Instead, they will appear in the order in which I think of them. Many will be retrospective, as I was too busy living life at the time to record it.

* I have purposely misspelled Cairo as "Kairo" in the spirit of the countless English typographical errors on restaurant menus, traffic signs, and just about any piece of English writing. They never cease to draw a chuckle from me. ;) I should also note that if I make any criticisms about the country, I do so with the utmost love, respect, and most of all, honesty.

I hope you find this blog informative, insightful and entertaining, and that we can make this as interactive as possible. I'd love to hear from you. Send me your comments, questions, complaints, suggestions, pics, etc., and I will get back to you. Promise.

  1. The Audiences of Cairo

    by on 05-05-2012 at 10:06 AM (Kisses from Kairo)
    One of the perks of being a contracted dancer in Cairo is that you get to perform quite regularly. Some of us work multiple times a week. Others work multiple times a day, depending on the venue, the popularity of the dancer, and these days, whether there’s enough business. And what could be better than that? Doing what you love every single day. It seems like the ideal work situation. And it is. Except I wasn’t too sure of that when I first got contracted. Here’s why.

    Anytime
    ...
  2. On Being Egyptian

    by on 03-31-2012 at 02:29 PM (Kisses from Kairo)
    I’m not Egyptian and I don’t pretend to be, but I’d be lying if I said I haven’t picked up a few Egyptian habits. Being Egyptian is contagious. :) Particularly when you live here for a while and speak the language pretty fluently. That’s all quite normal, I guess. But it’s interesting in light of the fact that I grew up in a country where it’s common for foreigners to cling onto their native cultures and resist assimilation. So when I step outside of myself and observe the ways in which my thoughts, ...
  3. Metamorphosis

    by on 03-05-2012 at 10:10 PM (Kisses from Kairo)
    It just dawned on me that I’ve been living here in Cairo for more than 3 years. That’s a long time for someone who never intended to live or work here. With all the uncertainty in the air about Egypt’s future, one wonders how much longer I and others like me will be able to thrive. But rather than speculate about the future (again), I’ve decided to reflect on my past and share a few of the adjustments I had to make as a dancer. And they were many, because belly dance outside of Egypt is a totally ...
  4. False Alarm

    by on 02-01-2012 at 08:16 PM (Kisses from Kairo)
    Warning: If you have an aversion to feminine products or problems, or are generally squeamish, proceed no further.

    I totally didn’t intend my first blog post of the year to be about my period, but hey, it’s better than some soppy post about New Year’s resolutions. Years come and years go, and I never make resolutions. They’re worthless, and nobody keeps them anyway. Besides, there’s nothing special about January 1st. As far as I’m concerned,
    ...
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  5. Endangered Species

    by on 01-07-2012 at 06:06 PM (Kisses from Kairo)
    The Dying Art of Egyptian Belly Dance

    Egyptian belly dancers are an endangered species. On the road to extinction. That is, if there isn’t a belly dance renaissance in Egypt sometime soon. Even Dina fears as much. For the truth is, aside from Dina, Randa, Camelia, and more recently, Aziza, there is a conspicuous lack of good Egyptian belly dancers on the market. This is ironic, considering that most of us imagine Egypt to be “Planet Belly Dance,” and that Egypt is the home of
    ...
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