My professional troupe and I, Raksanna and the Desert Flames, competed in two fantastic events last year.
The piece below is an original Raksanna choreography to the magnificant Dr. Samy Farag and his musical number, Habipti. When I choreographed this piece, I wanted to tell the story of our team – the overall friendship and commraderie of our team as a whole and the celebration of the friendships and relationships that are between each of us.
So much has happened in the past several weeks that it has been a whirl wind of events! In mid-September, Momo Kadous returned to the Windy City for my annual workshop and gala show weekend, ChicagoRaks ™ 2010, my parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary and I was featured at a workshop and show in my home town of Las Cruces, I was hired by LifeTime Fitness (a prestigious health club I’ve had my eye on for 10 years), my job at the doctors office is really ramping up, I turned 40 years old, my son turned 21 years old and in October, I headed to NYC to audition for the Belly Dance Superstars! Things are amazingly wonderful!
Rather than write about all of these fantastic experiences in one blog – and then not blog again for several weeks (life is busy!), I decided to write a blog on each one and I’ll post each week. That way, you can spend some free moments with me, if you’d like!
ChicagoRaks ™ 2010 – Featuring Momo Kadous
Gilae at the ChicagoRaks (TM) 2010 show
This year marks the fourth annual year for ChicagoRaks ™. My vision for this event is to bring Egypt to Chicago in an intimate setting where dancers from across the globe can study with a world-renowned Egyptian dance artists and showcase their talents for the artist in a fun setting. In addition to limiting the number of dancers to only thirty (30), I host dinners in my home or cocktail receptions to create a highly personalized experience where dancers can get to know the artist on the individual level, a rare opportunity in today’s world of mega conferences and festivals.
I first met Momo in Cairo about seven years ago. I had returned to the Land of the Pharaohs for Raqia Hassan’s Intensive Teachers Course, an amazing intensive where you immerse yourself in all aspects of the dance for ten days straight, dance eight hours a day and enjoy lectures in the evening in Cairo, Egypt. Momo, of course, is a featured instructor for this course.
During his workshop, Momo taught a mouthwatering Oriental choreography that was quintessentially his style – deep layering, interpretation of the grandest and the tiniest of details and utterly magnificent. I was completely inspired. Both his teaching style (demanding of our best, accepting no excuses and expecting the discipline typically found in a traditional ballet class) and his artistry touched me deeply on the soul level.
At the end of the Teacher’s Course, there is an opportunity to dance for our teachers. I decided to perform my award-winning choreography, Alfrec: An RE
Momo Kadous and Raksanna enjoying a relaxing moment
G Medley, that evening. With modern music that fused the many different folkloric styles to techno instrumentation, a brief taxim and a playful drum solo, I thought it was a perfect fit that showcased my personal style.
Momo, of course, was in the audience. He watched with thoughtful eyes and at times, I caught him nodding his head in approval and smiling. I was excited! That night, as I made my way back to my room, I passed Momo in the hallway of the hotel. He caught my eye and said quietly to me, “Raksanna, you have something very special. Please continue to train and develop. I look forward to seeing more from you in the future.” He nodded and quietly walked away.
I will never forget that moment – it was touching, humbling and oh, so exciting!
Fast forward and I found myself producing ChicagoRaks ™. My first year, I sponsored the delightful Faten Salama and she was such a win! For the second year, I decided to bring Momo – and it was fabulous! The girls LOVED him. Year three showcased the lovely Fahtiem from Los Angeles.
When I saw Momo in Cairo last December, we talked about what a great experience everyone had had when he had visited us. We both decided that it was time for him to return to Chicago and quickly made the appropriate arrangements. He agreed to teach his beautiful Oriental choreography and then have some fun with a drum solo and a modern pop song.
Dress rehearsal - the Shamaden dancers opened the 15-minute production number, an original Raksanna choreography that honors the beautiful genres of Egyptian dance
As registrations started coming in, I was so excited to see that we had dancers representing five States (Indiana, Illinois, Georgia, Wisconsin and California) and seven countries (Canada, Ireland, Japan, Poland, Thailand, Mexico and the United States) participating in the weekend festivities!
There was a special dinner for Momo at my house on Friday evening and then a cocktail reception with him on Saturday, prior to the show. Guests had the chance to meet Momo one-on-one and get to know this extraordinary legend and dance master on the personal level. In class, Momo kept dancers challenged and on their toes (literally) with amazing choreography, tantalizing technique and musicality that is top notch.
Ariel of Chicago performs a beautiful fan veil dance at ChicagoRaks (TM) 2010
Saturday’s gala show was held in an eclectic theater near downtown Chicago called The Viaduct. The lineup was a wonderful mixture of solos, duets and group numbers. Erika of Chicago kicked off the evening with an energetic Sha’abi dance; Diana the Dancer from Wisconsin performed a beautiful dance to “She,” Tammimi of Japan danced to a gorgeous Oriental number and Amani Jabril delighted the audience with a lovely wing piece. My professional competition troupe, Raksanna and the Desert Flames, performed our award-winning number featuring swords, veils and wings to Dr. Samy Farag’s Habipti.
My production company had been hard at work over the spring and summer perfecting one of my original choreographies that was a tribute to Egypt. The sixteen minute number started off with Shamaden as a nod to the Pharonic times then moved to Alexandria for a Melaya Leff number. A soft, spiritual number came next to feature the Zar, followed by the joy of Nubia. A traditional Saidi stick dance came next and the piece culminated in a rousing drum solo. I dedicated the number to both Momo Kadous and Faten Salama for their deep inspiration to me.
The girls rocked it! My heart swelled with pride as Momo’s eyes lit up throughout the show – and in the end, when we presented him with a Chicago cap and a photo of us all, his remarks brought tears to my eyes. “Tonight, I have seen my country, Egypt, on the stage. The passion and the spirit of these dancers show this art is not just about the body … but this art is about the soul, about touching the audience with your spirit and bringing us each closer to our humanity.”
Momo Kadous and Raksanna, Sept 2010
Momo, thank you. Thank you for your inspiration, for those words of belief so many years ago and for your own spirit that brings me closer to my own humanity, allowing me to dig deeper into my own artistry. I will see you in a few weeks, back in the shadows of the Pyramids, as I study with you again.
It has been said that life is not the collection of daily activity, but rather special moments that are savored in deep delight. This past three weeks has been an amazing buffet of mouth-watering, delicious moments of magic!
Hillbelly Raks 2010 featuring Raksanna and Mahsati, sponsored by Neran
Neran invited me back to one of my favorite places in America – Knoxville, Tennessee! She puts on a wonderful belly dance workshop and show endearingly called Hillbelly Raks. This year, the event was held at the beautiful, brand new Broadway Center of Performing Arts, owned and artistically directed by Cynthia Turnage (known in belly dance circles around the world as Shahira, a 25 year student of the legendary Ibrahim Farrah of New York City). Shahira recently celebrated the grand opening of her lovely center and it is a beautiful studio indeed.
When Neran first invited me for the workshop weekend, she shared that she was also inviting the beautiful Mahsati of Ashville, NC to teach a drum solo choreography. I have long admired Mahsati – she is a gorgeous dancer with a great style … and not only is she a fantastic dancer, she is a delight to be around! When Neran told me the great news, I was even more excited about the weekend!
I arrived in Knoxville on Friday night. My husband (David), Gilae (one of my senior instructors on my belly dance faculty) and I made the 12-hour road trip from Chicago to Knoxville and arrived at my aunt and uncles house in the wee hours of Saturday morning. We enjoyed some small talk and then promptly fell into bed for a refreshing rest.
Having fun with creative combos!
On Saturday morning, Gilae and I made our way to the studio. My schedule was jam-packed with private lessons. An exciting highlight in my artistic career had presented itself – I was commissioned by a Knoxville Troupe (Shabini) to choreograph a beautiful Oriental piece. When I was first asked, my heart swelled with joy – what an honor to be invited (and commissioned!) to create art for such lovely dancers! We worked from 10:30 am until about 2:00 pm, with Gilae assisting me in demonstrating formations and moves, and the dancers quickly learning the routine and putting it in their bodies. At the end of our session, I was quite impressed by not only how fast the ladies picked up the dance, but also how lovely they looked dancing it!
Following the commissioned choreography were two hours of privates with Johnna and Terri. They had driven about four hours for the workshop weekend and it was great to see them again. We had met last year in Atlanta, when Amani Jabril sponsored me for “Meow! That’s Hot!” Johnna and Terri are beautiful dancers and even more beautiful women with hearts of love and compassion. We spent the time working on technique and patterns that could be used in their choreographies or for training purposes. I was excited to see how much both Johnna and Terri embraced the routines and really took the moves in. When I put together the lesson plan, I took into account that both dancers are quite airy – so I created four specific sets of technique to assist with getting the earthy feel and style. The time was well-spent and every one left the session dancing on air (and earth)!
That night was the Gala show. About seventy-five people gathered that evening to share an evening of art and dance. I was very impressed with each performance – I could visibly see the growth in all of the dancers from the previous year; their hours of training has certainly paid off! One performance that really touched my heart was the interpretation by Sandy Larson and her troupe of the drum solo choreography I had presented last year. The troupe had practiced the choreography and adapted it to make the dance their own – I loved the accents, the energy and their love of the music and the choreography; I have to say that I was so touched by their performance that I had chills on my arms and a tear of joy in my eyes! Thank you, ladies, for your inspiration!
Sunday was the workshop day. Mahsati taught the drum solo choreography and the dancers loved, loved, loved it!!! I started my workshop out with some combinations that the dancers could use for their own choreographies. The patterns supplemented my new DVD, Advanced Technique and Playful Patterns, Volume 1, and included across the floor, traveling and stationary moves for entrances and “verses” of the songs. Then, we transitioned to Melaya Leff choreography. It is an original choreography that I developed after having spent time in Alexandria, Egypt. The music came straight from Alexandria, on a CD that my tour guide gave me as a present to remember the area and him.
David, Gilae and I left Knoxville around 5:00 pm to start the road trip back home. Both David and Gilae had to be to work the next day, so we made the trip straight through and arrived back home early Monday morning, tired but energized from the magic of the weekend.
To all the dancers who attended the workshop – and to Neran for sponsoring and Shahira for supporting the event – thank you so very much!
Mahmoud Reda – A Dream Come True
The next weekend took me from Knoxville to steamy Atlanta, GA. Amani Jabril sponsored the master legend himself, Mahmoud Reda, for a workshop and gala show weekend. I had looked forward to the workshop ever since Amani told me she was bringing him.
I took the trip to Atlanta with Susan, a fantastic woman who has studied under me for about seven years and become a close personal friend as well. We flew American Airlines (my favorite and preferred domestic airline!) to Atlanta and then roomed together in the La Quinta. On Saturday, we arrived to the workshop early in order to get a good spot in front. Mahmoud began the day with technique and floor patterns that were elegant and sophisticated – and a ton of fun! Then, after lunch, he presented a heartwarming choreography to a song called “The Best People.” The lyrics speak of the people from different regions of Egypt such as Upper Egypt (Saidi), Alexandria and a port of call on the Suez Canal. The choreography was exciting, challenging and such a delight to learn. Mahmoud seemed pleased with the progress of our class and he was such a great teacher! We all left feeling like we had learned and accomplished a great deal.
Raksanna and Mahmoud Reda share a moment after the Gala Show
The show was that evening. It was held in a really nice, cozy theatre and the lineup featured soloists, duets, trios and troupe numbers. It was a great blend of Mahmoud Reda choreography, oriental and fusion style belly dance. I performed in the second act, right before Amani closed the show. It was a new piece that I started working on this summer with bold, dramatic music. The audience was so warm and responsive – I truly felt their love as I danced and I gave my heart and soul that night! The icing on the cake was when Mahmoud and I had our photos taken and he said he enjoyed my performance. I felt like the clouds had lifted me up and I was dancing on air!!! What a magnificent dream come true!!!
Sunday was the continuation of the workshop with Mahmoud. He had found out that some dancers had to leave early due to travel plans (myself included), so he switched up the day to start with choreography and end with technique. He presented a dance to the song “Khan el Kahlili,” named after the famous market in Cairo. The kanuun played like liquid magic, the tabla kept the rhythm underneath and the steps were absolutely perfect – I was transported back to the market where the merchants entice shoppers, the smells of hookah and Arabic coffee tempt diners and visitors are taken to a place where it seems time stands still. Each time I visit Khan el Kahlili now, I will think of this music and this dance and I am sure that my heart will swell with the same joy I felt that Sunday, learning the dance and training with the master himself.
From Belly Dance to Pilates
In addition to my wonderful dance career, I am also a certified fitness professional/personal trainer/Pilates instructor. I owned my own studio for about 8 years and last year, due to the economy and a personal transformation, closed the doors of my studio and moved operation to the YMCA. As part of the transition, I launched a new series of “Train the Trainer” workshops. This past weekend, I had the great fortune to train eight instructors on my award-winning Pilates curriculum. We focused on the Reformer equipment and Level 1 and 2 of the curriculum. It was a full day of training, running from 8:00 am until 4:00 pm with only a half-hour for lunch and the instructors were really excited! Their passion for learning and their love of fitness was so inspiring! I am excited that the Y is taking my program under their roof and launching it this fall for their members.
After the Pilates training, I made it to Elmhurst, a suburb of Chicago that is about an hour and a half away. I had been commissioned by Sojourner-Douglass College, a private institution headquartered in Baltimore, MD, to present an interactive workshop on belly dance to approximately thirty (30) young ladies from across the world.
Enjoying a moment with thirty girls from around the world at the recent Sojourner-Douglass College workshop!
These students come to the United States to earn college credits toward their college degrees. When I first arrived, the class was a bit shy at first. Very quickly, however, the beautiful Arabic beats and fun dance moves soon had everyone dancing out their hearts and shimmying in good fun. Because the workshop was educational in nature, I introduced movements from across Egypt – from Saidi to Nubian to Oriental and offered commentary on the geography and culture to the origination of the movements and music. The girls were so sweet and everyone had a great time! I look so forward to working with Angela again when students from Sojourner-Douglass return to the Windy City!
The Magic Continues …
The next couple of weeks are going to be equally amazing for me. My professional dance company, Raksanna and the Desert Flames, travel to Orlando to participate in Stellar Advantage’s “Ultimate Belly Dance Intensive” and compete in the “Pro Troupe Challenge.” We’ve been working on an outstanding original choreography to an exciting piece of music; I can’t wait to showcase it with these beautiful dancers whom I admire and deeply respect.
After the competition, I travel to Dallas to teach a workshop with Little Egypt – very fun!
And on September 8, I celebrate my 40th birthday! I am so excited about turning 40 – this decade in front of me is sure to be a fantastic whirlwind of positive energy, magical experiences and love!
I’ll write soon and let you know how things are going!
Raksanna, Kendalle, Fahtiem, Angelika outside of Garden of Gethsamane
This year, I decided to add another leg onto my twice-annual trip to Egypt. Fahtiem and Angelika developed a 6 day tour of Israel and I decided to come along. I have never been to Israel and wanted a chance to see the country and learn first-hand about the culture. It has certainly been an interesting experience – a deeply spiritual experience and one that I appreciate very much.
Fahtiem, Angelika and a beautiful woman by the name of Kendalle and I are the four who added this leg on. It is a small group, but we all get along very nicely and I have certainly enjoyed everyone’s company. Both Fahtiem and Angelika did a great job with the itinerary and our guide, Isaac, was really wonderful.
We started our journey on Monday morning at 4:00 am. For this night owl, that was certainly a stretch of the imagination, but for those of you who know “Raksi-time,” you would have been extremely proud of me for I was actually early!!!
We arrived in Tel Aviv shortly after 1:00 pm and met Isaac, our tour guide for the week. He is an Israeli-Jew and has a great sense of humor. We briefly stopped by the hotel to drop off our luggage, get some money from the ATM and call home to make sure our families knew that we arrived safe and sound. Then, we started our journey with a driving tour of the city.
Israel– The Country
Israel
Israel, officially called the State of Israel, is an extremely unique country. It is located in the Middle East, in the western part of the Asia on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. It borders Egypt and the Gaza Strip on the southwest, Lebanon on the north, Syrian on the northeast and Jordan and the West Bank on the east. It is a relatively small country – one that you can drive its entirety in about 10 hours. There are approximately 7.5 million people who live in the country and out of that populous, nearly 5.7 million are Jewish. Arab citizens, including Muslims, Christians, Samaritans and Druze, comprise the remaining citizens.
Israel is an extremely developed country, comparable to Western cities. The infrastructure is sound, driving rules mirror our own in America and in a great many respects, is a reflection of our own American cities. The country embraces culture and refined elements of life, such as with the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra, the Israeli Museum which houses the Dead Sea Scrolls and dance with the Batsheva Dance Company.
To me, as an American who comes from a country founded on freedom of religion and religious tolerance, it has been quite eye opening to learn first-hand how important religion is to those who live in this part of the world. By saying that one is a Christian, Jew or Muslim is paramount to claiming a nationality – and that declaration can lead to insurmountable differences in some cases. This experience has been quite interesting to me and quite a learning one.
Israel faced with constant wars and the threat of violence, is – as one of the security guards at the Israel airport put it – a problematic country. There is an undercurrent of always being watchful and constantly on guard. I could feel the psychological strain and must say that I do not envy this mindset of life.
Tel Aviv – A Cosmopolitan City
Overlooking the Mediterranean Sea in Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv is a beautiful city that is quite cosmopolitan. The city itself, which was founded in 1909 and merged with Jaffa in 1950 as a single municipality, is on the coast of the gorgeous Mediterranean Sea. While it is the second largest city in Israel, it is also the richest city in this country – complete with upscale shopping, the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, international corporations, beaches, bars, cafes, restaurants, and a major performing arts component.
Our hotel was about one block away from the Sea and you can feel a beautiful soft breeze off the water all day and night. The temperature this time of year is quite hot and humid, with temps in the low to high 90’s and high humidity. Approximately 4 million people live in Tel Aviv and its greater area.
Life here is quite interesting. As a dog lover myself, I am happy to see the number of people with dogs here – in fact, the way that owners take their dogs for a ride is to put them on the front part of a motorcycle and go out on the town! It is pretty cool! There are many shops in this area and
Can you see the dog taking his ride on the motorcycle? Look toward the front of the bike.
restaurants with outdoor seating can be found almost everywhere. The vegetation along the highways is quite reminiscent of California terrain, complete with orange trees and aloe vera cactus.
The city itself, as well as the entire country (for that matter) is very clean and you can immediately sense that there is a national pride in keeping it that way. The people are very beautiful from a physical standpoint and are extremely health-conscious and physically fit. The majority of men and women alike could easily grace the covers of GQ or Glamour magazine. It is a city that never sleeps and the night life is very active. Musicians, street artists, families and lovers enjoy the beaches and cooler temperatures – it’s an eclectic and enjoyable feeling.
Jerusalem– The Holy City
Tuesday was a very special day for me. Isaac led us on a full day tour of Jerusalem, an ancient city that is filled with life today. It is the Holy City for three of the world’s major religions: Muslim, Jewish and Catholic and it is certainly magical, for religious and humanitarian reasons.
Jerusalem is the capital of Israel and, including the population of East Jerusalem, is the largest city in the country. It is nestled in the hilltops of the Judean Mountains and is approximately 48 miles in physical size.
We started by stopping on Mount Scopus to overlook the city and learn from Isaac where the landmarks are and what we would be doing. Mount Scopus is located above the city of Jerusalem and for many years, was used as a strategic military point to overlook and attack Jerusalem. The view is simply gorgeous!
Mount Olive, looking from Mount Scopus
Our next stop was Mount of Olives. It is a beautiful hillside that has tremendous religious significance. It is the burial site for Jews and contains about 150,000 graves and tombs of famous Jews, such as Abraham Isaac Kook (the first Chief Rabbi of Israel). From a Christian standpoint, it is the place where Jesus stood and wept over Jerusalem. It is also the site of the Church of Ascension, the place where it is believed that Jesus ascended to Heaven after His resurrection. His right footprint is imprinted in a slab of stone that is located in the Church.
After the Mount of Olives, we headed to the Old City.
The oldest part of the City (which is where the religious landmarks are located) is called the City of David and was established in 4th Millennium. It is one of the oldest cities in the world. The old walled city has four quarters: the Armenian quarter, the Muslim quarter, the Christian quarter and the Jewish quarter.
Armenian Quarter – We did not have the opportunity to visit the Armenian quarter, due to time constraints, but here is a little bit about it. The Armenian quarter is the smallest quarter of the city and is home to approximately 2,500 Armenians. One of the main characteristics of this quarter is that the Armenians remained true to their religion and ethnicity by maintaining a solid commitment to their religious views (Armenian Christian) and intermarrying to keep their culture intact.
Muslim Quarter – We began the tour by entering Jerusalem in the Muslim quarter, through the Lion’s Gate. We stopped for coffee at a quaint little shop that served excellent Turkish coffee and freshly squeezed orange juice. Then, we began our journey. We arrived just after the midday call to Prayer and were not able to get near the Dome of the Rock, the very famous Mosque with the gold
Dome of the Rock, Muslim Quarter, Jerusalem
top. It is located at Temple Mount. This Mosque is the third most sacred of the religious landmarks for the Muslims (following Mecca and Medina) because it is the home of the Rock of Moriah. According to Islamic belief, it is the place where Muhammad ascended to Heaven, with Angel Gabriel.
The Dome of the Rock is also the site of the Foundation Stone. The Foundation Stone is of the holiest site in Judaism. Just as Muslims pray toward Mecca, Jews pray toward the Foundation Stone. It is believed to be the site where Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son, Isaac, to God. Traditionally, Jews believe that this site is the Holy of Holies, the holiest spot on Earth. Jews are not allowed by the Muslim authorities to pray at the Dome of the Rock and that is why it is believed that the Jews began to pray at the Western Wall, because it is the site nearest the Foundation Stone.
From a Christian standpoint, the Dome of the Rock is also considered a holy site. It is the location where the mother of Constantine (the first Christian Roman Emperor) built a church, as did St. John at a later point in time. On the walls in the Dome of the Rock is this inscription:
“Such was Jesus son of Mary and peace upon him on the day of birth and on the day of death and on the day he is raised up again. It is a word of truth in which they doubt. It is not for God to take a son. Glory be to him when he decrees a thing he only says be, and it is.” (Quran:19:33–35)[
We were not able to go into the Dome, but did see it from an alley way. It is quite beautiful.
We walked through the Muslim quarter and the alleys were extremely similar to those in Cairo’s Khan el Khali. The shops and restaurants lined the alleys; the calls of “come inside my shop; I have a great deal for you” and the smells of the spices were like a transfer back to Egypt. It was quite amazing for me to experience the similarities between Egypt and the Muslim Quarter, although I suppose that it should not have been a surprise as Egypt is a Muslim State.
Map of Via Dolorosa - Christ's path - courtesy of www.christusrex.org
The Via Dolorosa, the path that Jesus walked to be crucified, begins in the Muslim quarter and continues through the Christian Quarter. The Christian Quarter is located in the northwestern corner of the Old City and as can be expected, is filled with Christian Churches of many denominations. There are a few coffee shops and museums along the way, but the majority of buildings are basically wall-to-wall Churches. It is vastly different from both a look and feel from the Muslim quarter and there is a great, visible distinction in the cultures.
The Via Dolorosa has 14 stations, or landmarks, that designate important happenings through Christ’s walk. Although there were many places along the path that were significant to me, three places stood out in my mind. We visited the Garden of Gethsemane, a garden located at the foot of Mount of Olives where Jesus and the disciples prayed the night before his crucifixion and where He was found by Judas and arrested.
Today, the Church of Agony is located in the Garden and inside is the rock where it is said that Christ laid and sweated blood from His pores as He contemplated the impending events. We were fortunate enough to arrive at the Church of Agony in time to go inside – I joined others in touching the rock and had a very profound, spiritual experience from the bottom of my being.
Site of Jesus Crucifiction on Calvary
The second place that stood out in my mind was the place where the cross was nailed in the ground and Jesus was crucified. There is a place where you can kneel and feel the hole and touch the stones where the cross was placed. It was a very special place and the spiritual energy there was an out-of-body experience.
The final stop in the Christian quarter and in the path of Christ is, of course, the location of His tomb. It is said to be in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, which is in the heart of the quarter. The Church was full with Christian pilgrims who sang hymns and prayers as they traveled to the holiest sites in Christianity.
Once we left the Christian Quarter, we entered the Jewish Quarter. It lies in the southeastern quarter of the City and runs from Zion Gate, along the Armenian Quarter, up the Street of the Chain and extends to the Western Wall and Temple Mount in the East. As with the Muslim and Christian Quarters, the Jewish Quarter has a very distinct and different personality. It is actually quite quiet, although there is high energy and often times laughter coming from school tours and other visitors.
Western Wall - Women's Side
We entered the Jewish Quarter and immediately went through security to visit the Western Wall. The Western Wall is the only remaining part of the retaining wall around the Jerusalem. It is made from huge ashlar blocks and has vegetation growing from its walls. The wall is divided into two separate areas, one for males and one for females. It is the site of pilgrimage for Jews around the world and was constructed by King David the Great. Many people come to the wall to pray and to place notes in the cracks of the walls. It is reported that more than a million notes are placed at the wall in a year. The notes are collected twice a year and then buried on the Mount of the Olives. I went to the wall and said a prayer and had another meaningful, spiritual experience. The energy and the prayers of the people who came before me seemed to reach out and touch my soul.
We left this beautiful ancient city and I returned a different person, deeper as an individual and spiritually uplifted from the journey.
Completely Cool – The King in Jerusalem! (and yes, I mean Elvis!!)
Elvis Cafe - Jerusalem, Israel (NOT Vegas!)
On the way back to Tel Aviv, we stopped for coffee. Imagine my astonishment when we pulled up to this café/gas station that was called “Elvis Café!” For those of you who don’t know, I am actually a very big fan of Elvis. (However, for the record, I do not believe he is still alive.)
Yes! This entire restaurant/café was dedicated to the King himself with
Raksanna and the King (Elvis, that is!)
larger than life statues, favorite Elvis songs blaring from the gas station pumps and in the restaurant and tasty dishes that were Elvis’ favorites. I was so excited that I had to go to the payphone and call my mom and daddy to let them know about it! What a blast!
On our last night in Tel Aviv, Fahtiem, Angelika, Kendalle and I enjoyed a stroll and found a delicious restaurant where I enjoyed a
Hungry Kendalle! And yes, that is McDonald's in the background
Caesar salad, shrimp with garlic and butter and a gorgeous glass of wine. My dear friend and roommate, Kendalle, was starving for a steak! Hey Kendalle – Very Interesting! Very Interesting, Indeed!!!!
I returned home in early July and although I thoroughly enjoyed my time both in Egypt and Israel, I must say that I am happy to be in my home land of America– a country that I deeply love.
Today is my last day in Cairo, then I begin the next leg of my journey. The past few days have been simply marvelous, spending time with friends and enjoying the magic of Egypt.
Alla Abou Lellah is a friend of mine. He is an internationally known and respected choreographer of folkloric dance and he is also the manager of entertainment at the Mena House. Alla took me and a friend, Roza of Phoenix, AZ, on an informal tour of Cairo one night after the festival. He drove us to downtown so that we could see the city at night – bright lights, energetic and lots of things going on – even at 3:00 am! Then, we stopped by the Nile river and spent some time looking out at the Faluca boats, the cruise ships and the fishermen enjoying the night air. Then, he treated us to a beautiful cup of mint tea at this special place where artists of all sorts – dancers, singers, writers, comedian’s, musicians – hang out. We sat next to the Nile River and enjoyed each others company. It was simply wonderful.
Last night, I had dinner with Magda and Atef in their home. Magda and Atef are the directors of the world-famous Reda Troupe and are very dear friends of mine. Atef is a fantastic cook and last night was no exception. Magda, Atef, Esmeralda (my friend from France), Roza and Alla dined on the equivalent to American lasagna, fillet tenderloin in a mushroom sauce, potato salad, cucumber and tomato salad and the Egyptian specialty, kofta. The evening ran late as we all shared stories, watched DVDs and reconnected after the hecticness of the festival. It was pure heaven!
Today, the schedule is quite full. In about an hour, Mohamed (my driver while I am in Cairo) will pick Esmeralda and me up and we will visit Madame Raqia in her home, stop by Khan el Kahlili (the famous market dating back to the 1300′s), meet up with some friends and then stop back by Atlantis Oils to indulge in another session with Mr. Ibrahim. Did I tell you that the second time I visited him, Ibrahim surprised me with an essential oil perfume he named after me and created it to remind him of my fragrance? I was so delighted and honored – what a beautiful gift. I look very forward to seeing him today and enjoying a back and shoulder massage. I will miss him until my return to Egypt this December.
Other exciting news …. well, I am starting to work to commission a composer to create a CD for me of original music!!! I am quite excited about this and look so forward to starting the work. It will be fantastic and a great project! Then, of course, I’ll develop original choreographies to go with the music … so keep your eyes and ears open for more news about upcoming events!
Well, I’m off for now. I will write again when I get to my next destination. For now, keep on shimmying!
