Now this has been published in the latest NADA mag, I can share it with you all xxxx
Luxor, Egypt – 4 – 11 December 2013
The Farha Festival, for those who don’t know, is organised and hosted by the lovely Kay Taylor and Sara Farouk. When I heard that the 2013 festival would be the last one and that it would also include teaching from Luna of Cairo, Kazafy and Eman Zaki I knew I couldn’t miss it and promptly booked my place to go. Soon enough December arrived and it was time to leave for the airport, with my friend and fellow dancer Niki and her lovely mum Lucy. After an excitable and chatty drive to Heathrow Airport, we met up with Kay and the rest of the ladies who would be spending a week with us in Luxor.
Fast forward to hours later after a good flight to Cairo and a domestic flight to Luxor, we arrived at the Sofitel Karnak in the early hours of the morning. Sara and her husband Sherif were on hand to help with check in and to gently send us off to our beds.
The following morning, after an early start (as I suffer from that first day of excitable holiday insomnia), I took the opportunity to have a look around the hotel. With its immaculate gardens and breath-taking views of the Nile and the Thebes range (home to the Valley of the Kings, Queens, Hatshepsuts temple etc.) I wandered over and met everyone for a delightful breakfast on the sunny terrace. Once refreshed Sara and Kay talked us through the itinerary for the week and explained how the week would take shape. I remember thinking at that early point, how lucky I was to be spending a week with such a lovely group of women. Everyone was chatting away, getting to know each other, laughing and joking and discussing with excitement the week ahead. The itinerary was pretty full for the week with plenty of dancing and workshops, with just one day off to do our own thing but nobody appeared to be daunted by it – there were just so many wonderful dancing opportunities to be enjoyed.
So, we launched full steam ahead into our first workshop of the trip which was ‘Tabla Solos’ with Kay. I love Kay’s gentle and engaging teaching style and have participated in and enjoyed classes with her over the years I’ve been dancing. It was a wonderful way to start the week, thrown in at the deep end with Nabil, our Farha tabla player. Kay talked us through ways to approach a solo and how to work with a tabla player e.g. how to engage with him whilst dancing, the cues you can give to change the tempo and importantly how to finish your piece. After making it look so easy, it was our turn. Needless to say it was a great ice breaker and everyone was so supportive and kind to each other by clapping and showing appreciation. The workshop flew by and suddenly it was time for lunch.
The afternoon was a heady mix of theory and dancing with the gorgeous Eman Zaki. We started by looking at the composer Baligh Hamdy, his background and early years. We examined how his music developed and evolved over the years, how he was considered to be ahead of the times with the introduction of more modern instruments against the more traditional. Eman explained how the changes in Egypt influenced his music and how Baligh Hamdy essentially wrote classical Egyptian songs but changed the structure and the style to reflect the times.
After the theory came the dancing. I’d never seen Eman dance before so I was like a wide eyed child at Christmas when she started to dance. She moves with such grace, composure and self-assurance which is an absolute joy to see. Eman danced us through Oum Khalsoums ‘Fat el Ma’ad – a song of love, hurt, and determination not to go back (something most of us can probably relate to) whilst talking us through possible dance technique and interpretations. For me, the feeling of dancing with an Egyptian, in Egypt, was in essence why I wanted to come on the trip and in that space, at that very moment, something clicked inside me, challenging and dispelling some of the more not so positive feelings I had about my own dancing. We danced, we talked, we danced some more and I learnt a huge amount from Eman as she is an incredibly warm, generous and engaging teacher. The session finished with a question and answer session with Eman. This provided a wonderful insight into Eman's life as a dancer, the issues she faced, how her family embraced her choice to be a dancer and how she progressed through her life into the fabulous costume designer that we love and adore.
The evening was spent bopping around to our very own disco in the bar area of the hotel, with DJ Sherif and his funky mix of music. It was a great way to get to know my fellow dancing companions better and we all danced the night away before dragging weary bodies to bed.
Day 2
After another sunny morning and breakfast on the terrace, we all made our way to the dance space to spend the morning with the fantastic Sara Farouk looking at the differences between a ‘mawal’ and a ‘horh’. She talked us through the ways to approach them both from a singer’s and a dancers’ perspective. This was really interesting as I had some knowledge of mawal's from previous classes in the UK (but had never really considered dancing to one) but I’d never heard of a ‘horh’ before! We looked at the different ways you could approach a mawal and discussed some key aspects of both. It was at that moment, I was introduced to the heavenly voice of Samir Alhusseini. Samir was the singer for the week and he kindly joined the class to share his voice and skills with us. Towards the end of the class he began to sing and it was an opportunity for us to put into practice everything we had learnt in that session and to immerse ourselves in the moment. I left the class in tears…..of absolute joy! His voice moved me in a way that no other piece of Egyptian music ever has, it was an incredibly emotional and uplifting experience and one that I shall treasure.
After a sunny lunch break), it was back to an afternoon with the wonderful Sara. The session was all about folkloric styles, guaranteed to make you smile and fill you with joy. We explored Nubian dancing, its origins, the social side of Nubian dancing and the ‘togetherness’ of it all. Khaleegi was next with a particular focus on engaging the correct muscles to be able to safely execute the dance. Last up and my favourite style was saiidi. As with the Nubian and Khaleegi, there was a discussion of origins, costuming, styles etc. and the workshop finished with Nabil and Samir playing and singing so that we could all dance. Sherif joined the class at the end and before we knew it, we were all taking his lead and dancing alongside him. What a way to spend the day!
That evening Kay, Sara and Sherif had organised a real treat for us– a Saiidi band from Luxor came to the hotel to perform for us!! The sound of the mizmar bouncing off the tiled floors and walls of the hotel reception grabbed everyone’s attention (dancers and staff alike) and after moving out to the terrace, they continued to play so that we could just dance. Egyptian men both staff and visitors, joined in and danced with abandonment which was a wonderful sight. It reiterated to me that dancing is such an integral part of Egyptian life and men and women alike get so much pleasure from just dancing. The band treated us to a good hour or so of wonderful music and I went to bed that night with a huge smile and the saiidi beat still resonating around my body.
Day 3
Saturday was our day off. Some of the group had opted to go and visit the West Bank and some had opted to stay within the hotel and relax. As I’ve been to Luxor many times before, I opted for an easy morning by the pool. As it turned out, there were a few other ladies in the same position, so we sat poolside chatting and swapping stories. After a relaxing morning and a spot of lunch I spent my afternoon with the lovely Terri (a dancer from Cairo) wandering around the streets of Luxor. It is worth noting at this point, that since my last visit in 2012, I noticed a huge difference in the lack of tourists. Luxor has always been, in my view, a perfectly safe place to be – the local people are warm, engaging, and funny with generous hearts and Luxor is the home to amazing historical sites such as the West Bank and various temples. As I walked through the streets, I was immensely glad to be back and I was met with big smiles and acknowledging nods of the head. Conversations with the local people all centred on the lack of tourists and therefore the lack of business. It was sad to see that there were no tourists which was hugely apparent by the quietness of the Corniche – the usually bustling home of the Nile cruise boats. After a couple of hours of meandering through the streets and getting a little lost (which was actually very funny considering the times I’ve been there), Terri and I headed back to the hotel to meet up with the group.
That evening we were treated to a fabulous show from the gorgeous Luna of Cairo. She dominated the bar area with her presence and sheer energy and as there was only a small group of us in the audience; it really felt like I was witnessing something rather personal and special. She blew the roof off with her performances and she warmly invited some of the group up to dance with her. By the time she finished her set, I don’t think there was a single person still seated. That night finished with more dancing and bopping around with everyone before wearily heading to bed.
Day 4
Refreshed after a relaxing day off and a good night’s sleep, it was time to look at baladi progressions with the lovely Luna of Cairo. For the next two hours, we looked at what they are, when they would usually take place in a show, the feelings and emotions typically involved in a progression and how to incorporate these into the piece. She stressed the importance of communicating sensuality and emotion to avoid static movements and how less is more and the impact of taking your time to communicate with your audience. All of this theory was being taught whilst dancing and working our way through the progression. I found this particularly interesting and I had a few ‘eureka’ moments during this workshop. I found myself thinking back to watching Luna the previous evening and putting it all into place in my mind. By the end of the workshop we had all travelled along a baladi progression with Luna and my understanding of them had increased hugely. Luna is a delightfully warm character and a fabulous dancer, with a very interesting back story and I looked forward to seeing her again, which I did later that afternoon.
After lunch, it was off to the marquee where the band were setting up. Having never danced with a live band before (well not as a soloist anyway) I was really looking forward to this session. Luna provided us with a fascinating insight into the trials and tribulations of working with a live Egyptian band. I remember her saying ‘you all need to speak the same language in order for your relationship to work’ and thinking, ok, but I feel this is more than just being multi-lingual – there needs to be mutual respect for each other in order for you, as a dancer, to be able to assert authority without being offensive or aggressive. Luna continued to describe a typical rehearsal for her and her band before examining the importance of sign language and hand gestures, which she gave examples of when she was dancing with the band. She talked us through structuring a show before looking at each part in more detail and then gave us the opportunity to dance with the band, which I think everyone relished and thoroughly enjoyed.
This session flew by and before I knew it, it was time to sit and have a question and answer session with Luna and Kazafy who had just arrived at the hotel. Again, a fascinating insight into their lives, how they had become dancers, their training, their backgrounds and some of the highs and lows of their careers. Kazafy regaled us with funny stories of his worldwide travels whilst Luna explained how her interest in Arabic cultures post 9/11 had led her to learn Arabic and become a professional dancer.
Day 5
Today was all about Kazafy and his wonderful folkloric choreography. As there was a small group of us, we were able to learn and perform his choreography and also perform a solo on the last night at the show. So it was straight in to learning his energetic and creative saiidi choreography. This session flew past as it was a full on ‘learn and rehearse’ session and although Kazafy wore his ‘Don’t Speak’ t-shirt and was clear on the rules about chitchatting in class, he led us through the choreography with humour and gentle spirit whilst also reaching for perfection. It was hard work in parts but worth it when you could really see it all coming together.
After a rest over lunch, it was back to it with continued rehearsals in the tent but this time with the saiidi boys. As a fan of saiidi, I loved watching their choreography and perfectly executed dance moves so it was really exciting to blend both parts of the choreography. Again, it was hard work but it was such a good feeling to be part of something so creative and authentic. It felt wonderful to be dancing saiidi in Luxor and I was looking forward to being able to perform this on the terrace as part of the last night show.
We drilled, drilled, drilled and drilled again until we all knew what we were doing and as soon as the session was over, we were sent away, with an instruction to practice for the next day. It was a quick dash from the marquee at one end of the hotel grounds to the Nile on the other to grab our felucca for the sunset boat ride, which was an incredibly welcome way to end the day. Once on board, most of us opted for a bit of quiet reflection, to allow the magic of the Nile to wash over us, to process the day and to ponder the next day. The gentle nature of the Nile was perfect for soothing a tired body and mind before dinner.
Day 6
It was the last day of the trip yet there was still so much to fit in and it was about this time that I realised I hadn’t actually managed to choreograph anything for my solo which was that evening, with a live band!!!
I am normally fastidious about having structure in my performances and I really wanted to change this so that I could comfortably improvise during a performance without freezing, freaking out or relying on 4 minutes worth of default moves. So, whilst I knew the choreography for the group dance (in the main), I began to think about my solo performance and how I would approach my piece. I had chosen ‘Agnib Kulak’ as it’s always made me smile and lifted my spirits and I was excited to hear how Samir would present the music to me in my rehearsal. It was daunting and I came away from my 15 minutes with the band with more questions than answers but I took myself off and focussed on making sure I could finish the piece with clarity (i.e. hit that last beat).
The afternoon was spent rehearsing in my room, listening, rehearsing, listening, and more rehearsing before it was time to start getting ready for the evening. Anticipation and nerves kept me going from dinner, to the hairdressers, back to my room to get changed and off to the performance area.
Soon enough, it was the start of the show. The first group were up to perform their version of the saiidi choreography so the show started outside on the terrace. After a rousing start to the show, one by one, dancers were ready to perform their solos which they did with grace, character and beauty. It was so lovely to see individual interpretation and personality shine through during their performances. After a quick refreshment break, it was my turn so after a few deep breaths, it was time to dance. It was time to put into practice everything I had learnt that week and in previous years. I felt as though my time had come to simply ‘enjoy’ the moment and to take great delight in being ‘present’. The music started and it was time to dance. All I will say on this very special moment is that I enjoyed every second of it. It felt wonderfully supportive dancing with Samir and the band as it felt like a group performance – we all had our own roles, no more or less important than the next person and that feeling of ‘togetherness’ was incredibly powerful.
The rest of the night was filled with more fantastic dancing and lots of laughter and joy. The energy in that small bar area in that hotel in Luxor on 10 December 2013 was electric and everyone who performed, did so with joy, warmth and sincerity. In return dancers were provided with support, and encouragement, friendship and warmth. After such a wonderful night, it was hard to believe we were heading home and after less than 2 hours sleep, most of us were packed into a minibus and driven back to the airport for our return flights. I was the one asleep on the plane with a huge smile on my face!
It’s been a few months since that trip and I can honestly say, it was one of the best dancing experiences I have ever had. I learnt so much from all of the teachers and the other women on the trip, not just about dance but life itself. The week was filled with wonderful opportunities and wonderful people – a dynamic combination and again, I’ve left another small piece of my heart in Luxor! Thank you to everyone who was involved in the week especially Kay and Sara who managed to create a piece of heaven!
Luxor, Egypt – 4 – 11 December 2013
The Farha Festival, for those who don’t know, is organised and hosted by the lovely Kay Taylor and Sara Farouk. When I heard that the 2013 festival would be the last one and that it would also include teaching from Luna of Cairo, Kazafy and Eman Zaki I knew I couldn’t miss it and promptly booked my place to go. Soon enough December arrived and it was time to leave for the airport, with my friend and fellow dancer Niki and her lovely mum Lucy. After an excitable and chatty drive to Heathrow Airport, we met up with Kay and the rest of the ladies who would be spending a week with us in Luxor.
Fast forward to hours later after a good flight to Cairo and a domestic flight to Luxor, we arrived at the Sofitel Karnak in the early hours of the morning. Sara and her husband Sherif were on hand to help with check in and to gently send us off to our beds.
The following morning, after an early start (as I suffer from that first day of excitable holiday insomnia), I took the opportunity to have a look around the hotel. With its immaculate gardens and breath-taking views of the Nile and the Thebes range (home to the Valley of the Kings, Queens, Hatshepsuts temple etc.) I wandered over and met everyone for a delightful breakfast on the sunny terrace. Once refreshed Sara and Kay talked us through the itinerary for the week and explained how the week would take shape. I remember thinking at that early point, how lucky I was to be spending a week with such a lovely group of women. Everyone was chatting away, getting to know each other, laughing and joking and discussing with excitement the week ahead. The itinerary was pretty full for the week with plenty of dancing and workshops, with just one day off to do our own thing but nobody appeared to be daunted by it – there were just so many wonderful dancing opportunities to be enjoyed.
So, we launched full steam ahead into our first workshop of the trip which was ‘Tabla Solos’ with Kay. I love Kay’s gentle and engaging teaching style and have participated in and enjoyed classes with her over the years I’ve been dancing. It was a wonderful way to start the week, thrown in at the deep end with Nabil, our Farha tabla player. Kay talked us through ways to approach a solo and how to work with a tabla player e.g. how to engage with him whilst dancing, the cues you can give to change the tempo and importantly how to finish your piece. After making it look so easy, it was our turn. Needless to say it was a great ice breaker and everyone was so supportive and kind to each other by clapping and showing appreciation. The workshop flew by and suddenly it was time for lunch.
The afternoon was a heady mix of theory and dancing with the gorgeous Eman Zaki. We started by looking at the composer Baligh Hamdy, his background and early years. We examined how his music developed and evolved over the years, how he was considered to be ahead of the times with the introduction of more modern instruments against the more traditional. Eman explained how the changes in Egypt influenced his music and how Baligh Hamdy essentially wrote classical Egyptian songs but changed the structure and the style to reflect the times.
After the theory came the dancing. I’d never seen Eman dance before so I was like a wide eyed child at Christmas when she started to dance. She moves with such grace, composure and self-assurance which is an absolute joy to see. Eman danced us through Oum Khalsoums ‘Fat el Ma’ad – a song of love, hurt, and determination not to go back (something most of us can probably relate to) whilst talking us through possible dance technique and interpretations. For me, the feeling of dancing with an Egyptian, in Egypt, was in essence why I wanted to come on the trip and in that space, at that very moment, something clicked inside me, challenging and dispelling some of the more not so positive feelings I had about my own dancing. We danced, we talked, we danced some more and I learnt a huge amount from Eman as she is an incredibly warm, generous and engaging teacher. The session finished with a question and answer session with Eman. This provided a wonderful insight into Eman's life as a dancer, the issues she faced, how her family embraced her choice to be a dancer and how she progressed through her life into the fabulous costume designer that we love and adore.
The evening was spent bopping around to our very own disco in the bar area of the hotel, with DJ Sherif and his funky mix of music. It was a great way to get to know my fellow dancing companions better and we all danced the night away before dragging weary bodies to bed.
Day 2
After another sunny morning and breakfast on the terrace, we all made our way to the dance space to spend the morning with the fantastic Sara Farouk looking at the differences between a ‘mawal’ and a ‘horh’. She talked us through the ways to approach them both from a singer’s and a dancers’ perspective. This was really interesting as I had some knowledge of mawal's from previous classes in the UK (but had never really considered dancing to one) but I’d never heard of a ‘horh’ before! We looked at the different ways you could approach a mawal and discussed some key aspects of both. It was at that moment, I was introduced to the heavenly voice of Samir Alhusseini. Samir was the singer for the week and he kindly joined the class to share his voice and skills with us. Towards the end of the class he began to sing and it was an opportunity for us to put into practice everything we had learnt in that session and to immerse ourselves in the moment. I left the class in tears…..of absolute joy! His voice moved me in a way that no other piece of Egyptian music ever has, it was an incredibly emotional and uplifting experience and one that I shall treasure.
After a sunny lunch break), it was back to an afternoon with the wonderful Sara. The session was all about folkloric styles, guaranteed to make you smile and fill you with joy. We explored Nubian dancing, its origins, the social side of Nubian dancing and the ‘togetherness’ of it all. Khaleegi was next with a particular focus on engaging the correct muscles to be able to safely execute the dance. Last up and my favourite style was saiidi. As with the Nubian and Khaleegi, there was a discussion of origins, costuming, styles etc. and the workshop finished with Nabil and Samir playing and singing so that we could all dance. Sherif joined the class at the end and before we knew it, we were all taking his lead and dancing alongside him. What a way to spend the day!
That evening Kay, Sara and Sherif had organised a real treat for us– a Saiidi band from Luxor came to the hotel to perform for us!! The sound of the mizmar bouncing off the tiled floors and walls of the hotel reception grabbed everyone’s attention (dancers and staff alike) and after moving out to the terrace, they continued to play so that we could just dance. Egyptian men both staff and visitors, joined in and danced with abandonment which was a wonderful sight. It reiterated to me that dancing is such an integral part of Egyptian life and men and women alike get so much pleasure from just dancing. The band treated us to a good hour or so of wonderful music and I went to bed that night with a huge smile and the saiidi beat still resonating around my body.
Day 3
Saturday was our day off. Some of the group had opted to go and visit the West Bank and some had opted to stay within the hotel and relax. As I’ve been to Luxor many times before, I opted for an easy morning by the pool. As it turned out, there were a few other ladies in the same position, so we sat poolside chatting and swapping stories. After a relaxing morning and a spot of lunch I spent my afternoon with the lovely Terri (a dancer from Cairo) wandering around the streets of Luxor. It is worth noting at this point, that since my last visit in 2012, I noticed a huge difference in the lack of tourists. Luxor has always been, in my view, a perfectly safe place to be – the local people are warm, engaging, and funny with generous hearts and Luxor is the home to amazing historical sites such as the West Bank and various temples. As I walked through the streets, I was immensely glad to be back and I was met with big smiles and acknowledging nods of the head. Conversations with the local people all centred on the lack of tourists and therefore the lack of business. It was sad to see that there were no tourists which was hugely apparent by the quietness of the Corniche – the usually bustling home of the Nile cruise boats. After a couple of hours of meandering through the streets and getting a little lost (which was actually very funny considering the times I’ve been there), Terri and I headed back to the hotel to meet up with the group.
That evening we were treated to a fabulous show from the gorgeous Luna of Cairo. She dominated the bar area with her presence and sheer energy and as there was only a small group of us in the audience; it really felt like I was witnessing something rather personal and special. She blew the roof off with her performances and she warmly invited some of the group up to dance with her. By the time she finished her set, I don’t think there was a single person still seated. That night finished with more dancing and bopping around with everyone before wearily heading to bed.
Day 4
Refreshed after a relaxing day off and a good night’s sleep, it was time to look at baladi progressions with the lovely Luna of Cairo. For the next two hours, we looked at what they are, when they would usually take place in a show, the feelings and emotions typically involved in a progression and how to incorporate these into the piece. She stressed the importance of communicating sensuality and emotion to avoid static movements and how less is more and the impact of taking your time to communicate with your audience. All of this theory was being taught whilst dancing and working our way through the progression. I found this particularly interesting and I had a few ‘eureka’ moments during this workshop. I found myself thinking back to watching Luna the previous evening and putting it all into place in my mind. By the end of the workshop we had all travelled along a baladi progression with Luna and my understanding of them had increased hugely. Luna is a delightfully warm character and a fabulous dancer, with a very interesting back story and I looked forward to seeing her again, which I did later that afternoon.
After lunch, it was off to the marquee where the band were setting up. Having never danced with a live band before (well not as a soloist anyway) I was really looking forward to this session. Luna provided us with a fascinating insight into the trials and tribulations of working with a live Egyptian band. I remember her saying ‘you all need to speak the same language in order for your relationship to work’ and thinking, ok, but I feel this is more than just being multi-lingual – there needs to be mutual respect for each other in order for you, as a dancer, to be able to assert authority without being offensive or aggressive. Luna continued to describe a typical rehearsal for her and her band before examining the importance of sign language and hand gestures, which she gave examples of when she was dancing with the band. She talked us through structuring a show before looking at each part in more detail and then gave us the opportunity to dance with the band, which I think everyone relished and thoroughly enjoyed.
This session flew by and before I knew it, it was time to sit and have a question and answer session with Luna and Kazafy who had just arrived at the hotel. Again, a fascinating insight into their lives, how they had become dancers, their training, their backgrounds and some of the highs and lows of their careers. Kazafy regaled us with funny stories of his worldwide travels whilst Luna explained how her interest in Arabic cultures post 9/11 had led her to learn Arabic and become a professional dancer.
Day 5
Today was all about Kazafy and his wonderful folkloric choreography. As there was a small group of us, we were able to learn and perform his choreography and also perform a solo on the last night at the show. So it was straight in to learning his energetic and creative saiidi choreography. This session flew past as it was a full on ‘learn and rehearse’ session and although Kazafy wore his ‘Don’t Speak’ t-shirt and was clear on the rules about chitchatting in class, he led us through the choreography with humour and gentle spirit whilst also reaching for perfection. It was hard work in parts but worth it when you could really see it all coming together.
After a rest over lunch, it was back to it with continued rehearsals in the tent but this time with the saiidi boys. As a fan of saiidi, I loved watching their choreography and perfectly executed dance moves so it was really exciting to blend both parts of the choreography. Again, it was hard work but it was such a good feeling to be part of something so creative and authentic. It felt wonderful to be dancing saiidi in Luxor and I was looking forward to being able to perform this on the terrace as part of the last night show.
We drilled, drilled, drilled and drilled again until we all knew what we were doing and as soon as the session was over, we were sent away, with an instruction to practice for the next day. It was a quick dash from the marquee at one end of the hotel grounds to the Nile on the other to grab our felucca for the sunset boat ride, which was an incredibly welcome way to end the day. Once on board, most of us opted for a bit of quiet reflection, to allow the magic of the Nile to wash over us, to process the day and to ponder the next day. The gentle nature of the Nile was perfect for soothing a tired body and mind before dinner.
Day 6
It was the last day of the trip yet there was still so much to fit in and it was about this time that I realised I hadn’t actually managed to choreograph anything for my solo which was that evening, with a live band!!!
I am normally fastidious about having structure in my performances and I really wanted to change this so that I could comfortably improvise during a performance without freezing, freaking out or relying on 4 minutes worth of default moves. So, whilst I knew the choreography for the group dance (in the main), I began to think about my solo performance and how I would approach my piece. I had chosen ‘Agnib Kulak’ as it’s always made me smile and lifted my spirits and I was excited to hear how Samir would present the music to me in my rehearsal. It was daunting and I came away from my 15 minutes with the band with more questions than answers but I took myself off and focussed on making sure I could finish the piece with clarity (i.e. hit that last beat).
The afternoon was spent rehearsing in my room, listening, rehearsing, listening, and more rehearsing before it was time to start getting ready for the evening. Anticipation and nerves kept me going from dinner, to the hairdressers, back to my room to get changed and off to the performance area.
Soon enough, it was the start of the show. The first group were up to perform their version of the saiidi choreography so the show started outside on the terrace. After a rousing start to the show, one by one, dancers were ready to perform their solos which they did with grace, character and beauty. It was so lovely to see individual interpretation and personality shine through during their performances. After a quick refreshment break, it was my turn so after a few deep breaths, it was time to dance. It was time to put into practice everything I had learnt that week and in previous years. I felt as though my time had come to simply ‘enjoy’ the moment and to take great delight in being ‘present’. The music started and it was time to dance. All I will say on this very special moment is that I enjoyed every second of it. It felt wonderfully supportive dancing with Samir and the band as it felt like a group performance – we all had our own roles, no more or less important than the next person and that feeling of ‘togetherness’ was incredibly powerful.
The rest of the night was filled with more fantastic dancing and lots of laughter and joy. The energy in that small bar area in that hotel in Luxor on 10 December 2013 was electric and everyone who performed, did so with joy, warmth and sincerity. In return dancers were provided with support, and encouragement, friendship and warmth. After such a wonderful night, it was hard to believe we were heading home and after less than 2 hours sleep, most of us were packed into a minibus and driven back to the airport for our return flights. I was the one asleep on the plane with a huge smile on my face!
It’s been a few months since that trip and I can honestly say, it was one of the best dancing experiences I have ever had. I learnt so much from all of the teachers and the other women on the trip, not just about dance but life itself. The week was filled with wonderful opportunities and wonderful people – a dynamic combination and again, I’ve left another small piece of my heart in Luxor! Thank you to everyone who was involved in the week especially Kay and Sara who managed to create a piece of heaven!