Hello...greetings from Cairo :-)
No, there is no written exam...nothing of the sort. It's a process of several permissions especially for foreigners, and they don't have you audition in front of them...no.... They will come to watch the dancer at some point early on to decide if she is decent, or if she is not. I use the terms loosely...this liscensing is a VERY difficult thing to describe and we have nothing like it in the states or Europe at all. There is little info about any of this through the government as dancing here is seen as something "haram" or indecent to begin with....it is not a respectable thing to do. There are definite guidelines, etc....but...the entire industry is quite shady.
....Enjoy your time here! When are you coming?
All my Best,
Astryd Farah deMichele
Astryd Farah deMichele ~ International Middle Eastern Dance Artist
BellydanceTours.com | Bellydance in Cairo, EGYPT...