More of Dina's singers!! I really loved this show at the Semiramis. When we first walked in there was a group of more modern singers (two guys, two girls . . . flash dressers) . . . doing mostly pop music, but there was an Ahmed Adaweyya medley (hey, I know enough to recognize that . . . how scary is that!). Then, they cleared off and the stage was setup for Dina. She had her singers while she danced . . . I loved all the music. It is so great to hear live music while in Cairo. I have to go back often just so I can hear good music . . but I better remember to bring my earplugs because it is always played at deafening levels. Finally, the show was topped off by the male singer, whose picture is included below (the one with the shoes of which I posted a zoomed picture). His name is spelled something like Kariaka (?? I kept hearing something like Karioke but I thought the poster was more like the first spelling). 

Dina dancing with one of her singers . . . 

One of Dina's singers . .  

And the fourth costume she wore. Actually, I have shots of her in two of these costumes  (black and turquoise)  from when she was in LA in May! . . . but these are better!  Just proves that you really do have to shoot a lot of photos before you get a good one . . . . I probably have over a hundred of Dina alone . . . and most of them she'd probably shoot me for taking them.   Action shots in low light are so hard to get right! 

Dina AGAIN . . . this is the green costume that everyone thought looked so great! 

Here's one more from the Semiramis show! 

Check out these really cool worm chasing birds . . those long narrow beaks are perfect for retrieving worms, etc from the grass. Two of these birds were always around the Mena House so I decided I needed to get a photo.  If someone knows what they are called, let me know. I was told but I didn't write it down . . . so of course, I forgot. 

But you have to get a close look at the tips of his shoes . . .very long and with something on the end! I've seen some really long-toed shoes in Cairo . . . thought it was only women then I saw this singer's shoes!! 

This singer didn't come to the Opening Gala . . . so we got to hear quite a bit of him after Dina danced at Semiramis. 

Then, after the Thursday evening show, we went out to see Dina at Semiramis . . . I'm posting most of those photos on my website, so check there in a few days. Dina did basically the same dances and wore the same costumes as at the Opening Gala . . . but it was better because it was up close and personal (I sat at the very edge of the stage). 

Shot of the whole band for the evening dance performances. 

I'm always taking pictures of accordion players because I am learning how to play one . . . now if only my accordion teacher will finish repairing it! Right before I left for the Festival I managed to roll it off the step to the carport and jarred the bass loose!! OH, NO! 

Here I am with Farida Fahmy . . . everyone was going for photo ops when and wherever they could pin the teachers down! Farida taught a technique class which was really great. It was at a lower level than I'm used to after 20 years of dancing but you can never drill too much technique into the body . . . it is always good to have a reminder of movements that you haven't done for awhile or a different perspective on movements that you have been doing! Great teacher, great lady! 

Magdy el Leisy . . . this guy is always "on". He taught at a workshop here in Dallas in January 2004, so I had already been exposed to his high energy, enthusiasm and comedic antics . . . as he calls himself "the Egyptian Mr. Bean". I wrote an review of that workshop for the ezine, Gilded Serpent. Here is a link:   http://www.gildedserpent.com/articles26/cebarrosaida.htm 

This is Freiz . . . the casual dresser on the left! She has been dancing for over 40 years. She was one of the dance instructors this year at Ahlan Wa Sahlan. When I first saw her on the stage, I wondered "who is that?". She was always yelling and clapping at the side of the stage . . rather like the Egyptian version of a cheerleader. She was always getting invited up to dance or just going up during open dancing. Somewhere there is a picture of me dancing with her that I will post when I get a copy. After I saw her teaching one class, I immediately switched over to her second class and thoroughly enjoyed myself. I had the opportunity to interview her and will be writing an article in the near future. 

Yes, we really did go to el Fishawy . . famous coffee shop in Khan el Khallili that the tourist guides say you must visit. It is crowded, noisy and, if you are sitting out in the passageway, you get hit upon by all sorts of people trying to sell things you don't need or begging for money. Lots of tourists there, if you are interested in meeting people and taking pictures of each other!  But, when you are with two young women dressed in a Western style with blonde highlighted hair, then you will attract much attention from young men (them, not me).   I fear we caused a bit of a ruckus while walking through the Khan.   Amal told me that when she went back later with Georges, a dancer from Greece attending the Festival, who is very good looking, tall, long dark hair . . .  he attracted more attention than she did, so she felt much safer . . . but she wasn't sure about him! If I get a picture of Georges, I'll post it.  He said he'd email me to setup an interview so I could write an article. We talked quite a bit as he was the first Festival-goer,  I met in the Mena House and we kept bumping into each other all week. 

Here are Khadeja, from Morocco, and Amal (Lebanese, living/working in Dubai) when we ventured down to the Khan el Khallili. I met them during the registration for classes at the Festival and we sat together during the Opening Gala. They wanted to go to el Fishawy, where Khadeja had to smoke shish-sha (or hubble-bubble as Amal said). We had dinner on our way back to Mena House at Abou Shakra. This was the first day of the dance classes at the Festival so we had lots to talk about regarding the classes we took and how the Festival was going. After that, I didn't see Khadeja again and only saw Amal at the very end, because we all had different schedules of classes and things we wanted to do.  From what Amal told me, it doesn't sound like she'll be coming back to the Festival or Cairo anytime soon.   She was disappointed.  But she made Dubai sound very interesting, so we exchanged contact information and a trip to Dubai might be in my future . . . if I can convince myself to go somewhere other than Cairo now! 

More of the Opening Ceremony . . it was getting a bit dark by the time I took this picture of the dancing horses! 

Opening ceremony processional up the stairs with Pharonic style dancers and some Tannoura dancers . . . I couldn't see much because it was so crowded and I was down the hill when I took this picture. Note one of the pyramids in the background! 

Ghawazee dancers at Opening Ceremony 

This is the Cairo Tower . . .a great vantage point in Cairo from which you can see all around the City (even if it is hazy on many days) and eat in the revolving restaurant, while you can get your personality chart done based on the hieroglyphics to which your name is converted!
 

And look who this is!!! my escort for the day . . . the egyptian I married, Ahmed Mostafa:

From From the Cairo Tower

And here he is a Mena House before we took off for a day of sightseeing:

From From the Cairo Tower

Photos below are scenes from the tower . . .   

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