the only foreigner in the group. As
time went on, we got more work,
and became more well-known. I
had many dancers approaching me
about work. I needed more belly
dancers, as well as dancers for the
folklore show. At that time, I started
holding auditions, and opened up
the possibility for foreign dancers to
join our team.
Photo by Pixie Vision Photography
around 1 or 1:30am. Typical time slots for nightclubs are on
the hour or on the half hour. Most shows are about an hour
long. So I can usually count on 2-3 nightclub shows on a
slow night, or 5 shows when it’s busy. I can finish between
6-8am...sometimes even later! Yes, that’s right! I’m getting
home as the “normal” people are on their way to work. There
is a school near my apartment, and the kids are always
looking at me as I climb the stairs to my doorway. I wear
fairly simple clothes to work for this reason!! I don’t need to
stick out any more than I already do! Usually leggings and a
loose fitting top with a jacket is my uniform on the way to
my shows. In the summer, I may go from show to show in
an abeya, but I change back into my regular clothes after my
last show, because it would not be good to be rolling up to
my house at 9am in a rhinestone encrusted abeya with full
makeup. That would scream–please harass me! That’s not
how I want to end my workday!
Then, when I get home, I’m starving, so of course I eat. But
not before I unpack my costumes and hang them out to air.
I have a little system: costume, eyelashes off, hair extensions
out. Pajamas. Maybe I wash my face, but usually not.
FOOD!!! By the time I wind down and everything, it could
be 10am - noon before I go to sleep. Yep. Now you know
why I avoid the daytime sails!
Describe your dance troupe…
We started off as purely Egyptian Folklore: 6 males, and
6 females–all native Egyptians. In the beginning, I was
After some time, as the demand
increased for us to provide more
entertainment, I created more
shows: International Dance Show,
Latin Mix, Mermaid & Sea Show,
Pharoanic Fantasy Show & Ladies
Night Variety Show. We also offered
Live Arabic Band with singer, Oriental Takht, Tanura Show,
Fire Show, Magic, Acrobats, as well as various belly dancers–
both foreign and Egyptian. The folklore shows still consisted
of Egyptian boys, and usually two Egyptian girls and possibly
one foreign girl. The International and other variety shows
consisted of Egyptian boys and foreign female dancers who
have a wide spectrum of classical dance training.
Vanessa , you have acted as both artist and agent in Egypt–
which no American dancer has done until you. You are also
confirmed to be the first and only American woman to own
and operate a full Egyptian Folklore Troupe with female
and male dancers, as well as create a production company in
Egypt. Which American or foreign dancers have paved the
way for you to succeed?
Yes, it is true that I was also an agent! While in Sharm, I
was doing many things at once! Now that I’m in Cairo, I am
not acting as an agent in the same sense, but I have helped
a few dancers secure contracts, and I have helped provide
other dancers and shows for some venues. I feel extremely
grateful for the opportunities that I have had, and there are
several American dancers who most certainly paved the way
for myself, and others...
First, there was Judy Reda, who danced in Egypt from
1978-1982. What she did during this time was not only
paving the way for others, but she was really a pioneer--1)
the first American dancer to become licensed in Egypt, 2)
the first American to make a CD with her musicians, which
October 2016
The Belly Dance Chronicles
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