…Warning. This is a rant.
I’m just going to say it. I went to
Harvard. Four years ago. I did a Masters program in Middle Eastern
Studies and graduated with a 3.9 average. I’ve been deeply fascinated with
the Middle East ever since experiencing the terrorist attacks of September 11th
firsthand, and decided I’d drive myself into serious debt studying everything
that went into them.
So why for the love of God am I
belly dancing in Cairo? Shouldn’t I be putting my education to use? Shouldn’t I
be making a six-figure salary working for the US government or a consulting
firm somewhere? Aren’t I wasting my life “shaking my butt” in a third world
country?
People have been asking me with
these questions since I moved to Cairo more than two years ago, and quite
frankly, it’s getting old. Who made it a crime to hold a Harvard degree
and work as a belly dancer? Are there not hundreds of highly educated women
teaching and performing belly dance all over the world? I never dreamed I
would encounter so much resistance from family, friends, and fellow dancers who
never miss an opportunity to remind me that Harvard and belly dance just don’t match. Ok,
I’ll give my family a pass. They care about my well-being and are proud of
my education. They will never get the whole belly dance thing. They think
it’s stupid. They also think I’m risking my life in Egypt. They do
not understand that Egypt is not Iraq.But what about everyone else? When
did knocking people’s life choices become acceptable?
I’m not usually prone to bouts of
self-doubt, but this has gotten to the point where there is not one person who
supports what I do. Not one. Even Egyptian talent agents who profit
from working with me believe what I’m doing is wrong. Just because I went to
Harvard. Hello, don’t you want to make money off of me? Don’t tell
me these things or I just might believe you and go home.
As an aside, I’d like to point out
that belly dancing professionally in Egypt requires quite a bit of
intelligence. Granted, there are many kinds of intelligence, but I’m talking
about book smarts. Being book smart can be an asset in this dance insofar as
academics learn how to think abstractly. They formulate new ideas and
improve on old ones. They invent things. Academics are also highly informed
about the contexts in which they operate. When applied to dancing in
Cairo, these skills are very useful.
Don’t get me wrong. It’s not like I expect to be belly dancing in
Cairo for the rest of my life. I realize this is a short-lived, stressful
career, and that I’ll have to have Plan B later on down the line. I know about
social security and pensions and all that stuff that I should have when I’m
older… and oh yes, kids. But this doesn’t mean that I can’t pursue my
dream job while I’m still young and able. I have plenty of time to sit and rot
in an office from 9-5. I just don’t want to do that now. Not when youth,
enthusiasm, energy and ability are still on my side.
Diana, you are wrong I SUPPORT WHAT YOU DO! lol. I have an MBA in International Business and 10 years as a professional in the Software industry. I was making a ton of money and quit to teach dance… because that's what I truly love. Happiness is priceless! Enjoy your life and forget what anyone else may think… their opinion about what you do is not your business 🙂 Muah!
Thanks so much for your support Sahar, and I'm glad someone finally understands where I'm coming from. And yes, happiness IS priceless.
Hi Luna – I just found your site yesterday and I love reading about all your experiences! Thank you for writing so generously and fearlessly. Don't listen one little bit to those people who say you shouldn't dance – they're just jealous 🙂 I know I am! I wish I had found belly dancing 10 years ago… i just started taking classes 9 months ago (though I have been dancing ballet and modern dance all my life) and I'm already 30! So live the dream, girl! oxoxo from MN
Thanks for your support Viv, and I'm glad you like my blog. And keep up your belly dancing. 30 is not too late to start learning. And you'll find the dance addicting! Best of luck to you. <3
Bravo for following your bliss!!! Your soul wants to dance….good for you!!! Maybe you were Egyptian in past life and you returned home!!! Welcome back…you can write a book about your experiences….
Lourdes
masalam
Wow, this is soooo inspirational 😀 Sorry for the 1 year after comment, but I just discovered your blog and already spent a few hours reading it, and this time I had to reply. I know how it feels, I am, hopefully, one year away from getting a law school diploma here in Croatia. It takes so much time, so much sitting and rotting in front of the books, which for a dancer is blasphemy, but I'll do it if it's the last thing on earth for me 🙂 I never want to be anyathing else in my life except a good dancer, but a diploma might have it's advantages.. for instance, in a country where people still don't know much about belly dance – it's not just here, I know, but in Balkan things like dance to folkish music and in a two-piece costume is like an open invitation to be hired in all the wrong places. But when you have financial stability, at least you can say – I won't do this or that, my life doesn't depend on that strictly. And of course, better costumes, more workshops, more festivals etc.. it all takes money.
All in all, I congratulate you and think it's absolutely wonderful that you are a dancer and a highly educated woman. Only thing I would add – I hope you won't stop dancing once you start rotting in an office 9 – 5, it can work together.
Kisses from Zagreb 🙂
Zinka
Hi Zinka,
Thanks for your comment. Glad to hear you're going through law school. Bravo to you. 🙂 You're right, it's extremely important to have some kind of degree these days, even if we are going to pursue dance full time. It's funny though how people like you and me wind up making our lives all about dance. Like you said, nothing matters more to me than being a good dancer. It's the same for me, and I'm still wondering why. 🙂