{"id":3723,"date":"2012-01-19T11:06:30","date_gmt":"2012-01-19T18:06:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/cms\/?p=3723"},"modified":"2012-02-20T21:13:50","modified_gmt":"2012-02-21T04:13:50","slug":"leila-farid-facing-truth-working-dancer-egypt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/cms\/2012\/01\/19\/leila-farid-facing-truth-working-dancer-egypt\/","title":{"rendered":"Facing Truth"},"content":{"rendered":"

Working as a Dancer in Egypt<\/h2>\n
\n
\"Leila
\n<\/h6>\n
2012
\nSaidi Tableaux at a wedding at the Semeramese Hotel<\/span>.  
\nCostume: Leila Farid<\/a><\/span>, Photo: Mohab Magdy<\/span><\/h6>\n<\/div>\n

by Leila Farid<\/a>
\nall photos are from author’s archives
\nposted January 19, 2012\t<\/span><\/h3>\n

Most of the documentaries, videos, and blogs I have seen that have been written by foreign dancers in Cairo about their life here inspire feelings of an Oriental fantasy–as opposed to the real, the gritty truth of life as a dancer.\u00a0 There is a certain amount of glamor and mystery that surrounds dancing in Cairo, and no dancer wants to shatter that illusion with the dirty facts.\u00a0 It is easy to romanticize dancing in Egypt. <\/p>\n

What is not so easy, is to admit that rejection, harassment, and discouragement usually precede even the smallest achievements. <\/p>\n

Dancers usually have faced this with silence and perseverance–qualities essential to negotiating pre-revolutionary Egypt. The truth is that dancing in Cairo is hard!\u00a0 Honestly; had I know how difficult it was going to be, I most likely would not have come.\u00a0 There are many reasons in my life why I am still in Cairo but dancing is only one of them; there were numerous times that I thought of giving up.\u00a0 The industry as seen from the outside is nothing like it looks on the inside.\u00a0 Dancing with a four-member tahkt <\/em>in a hotel lobby for little money is possibly not what a dancer envisioned when she thought of performing in Cairo, but even this job could have been gained at great expense.\u00a0 In print, this job can be a \u201cnightly contract in a glamorous five-star hotel\u201d, giving little indication of the reality of the situation.\u00a0\u00a0 In Cairo, the physical, emotional, and psychological stresses to which a dancer is subjected can be high.\u00a0 It is not easy to\u00a0 negotiate an industry that she (most likely) does not fully comprehend due to foreign language complications, culture barriers, and governmental restrictions and to maintain an image of success in the dance community.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

With the Egyptian Revolution of January 25th this year, a veil of silence has been lifted and Egyptians have become free to voice their grievances, divulge old wrongs, and speculate on the future.\u00a0 Perhaps it is time to discuss some of the hardships that dancers have faced when dancing in Cairo.\u00a0 From sleazy nightclub managers to vengeful government officials, to hate-mail on the Internet, I am sure that my own stories reflect similar experiences faced by many dancers in Cairo.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

Sometimes the dirty facts of dancing in Cairo can be more interesting than the pristine Oriental fantasy\u2026 at least, it is when you tell the story later!<\/p>\n

Even before the Egyptian Revolution, the amount of work available to dancers had started to decline.\u00a0 When I first arrived in Cairo, the industry was still thriving, and work was plentiful.\u00a0 In the past, one of the hardest things with which one had to deal as a dancer in Cairo is exhaustion.\u00a0\u00a0 The toll that daily performance can take is high.\u00a0 At the beginning of my career, I was dancing from 2 to 4 shows every<\/em><\/strong> day.\u00a0 I remember times in the dressing room at 5 a.m. when I was wondering how I was going to do show #4 of the night because my feet wouldn\u2019t move any more. Once, I started working additionally as an actress; the only time I would take off from dancing was to shoot a film project.\u00a0 I can recall being on the set at 4 a.m., then shooting all day, and leaving the shoot to dance a show on the boat and at a wedding and then returning to the shoot to continue the rest of the night.<\/p>\n

Looking back, I\u2019m not sure how I did it! (or why…)\u00a0 I do know that I was exhausted most of the time. <\/p>\n

\"Leila\"<\/p>\n

2005
\nBack to work after the 2004 ban of foreign dancers performing at the Haroun il Rashid Nightclub<\/span> in Semeramese.
\n Costume: Eman Zaki<\/span><\/h6>\n

When you are exhausted you get sick.\u00a0 Like most performers, I have danced with many kinds of illness: fevers, intestinal problems, and bronchial infections.\u00a0 When you are exhausted you also get injured.\u00a0 I have performed with a dislocated knee, dislocated hip, and a concussion (suffered on the set when a cash from on top of the camera fell on my head).\u00a0 Why would I perform sick or injured?\u00a0 Sometimes the place I worked put pressure on me, saying they couldn\u2019t find a replacement.\u00a0 Sometimes I feared that they would<\/em> find a replacement.\u00a0 Keeping your job in Cairo, early in your career, is a constant worry–especially for a foreigner who needs a contract to make her work visa.\u00a0 There is always<\/em> another dancer willing to take your job; so, if it is all you can do to drag yourself out of bed to make it to the show (even if it means turning out a dire performance) you usually do it.<\/p>\n

In all the arts, in all countries, the casting couch exists, but in Egypt, the idea of it seems interconnected with the dance profession and can cause a dancer no end of frustration. <\/p>\n

In Egypt, a club\u00a0 or hotel owner may try to form a relationship with a dancer he is hiring.\u00a0\u00a0 Sometimes his hints are subtle and sometimes he just states what he wants.\u00a0\u00a0 Sometimes he will hire you and let his affections be known over a period of months and if he realizes you are not interested, you will find yourself replaced.\u00a0\u00a0 Saying \u201cyes\u201d to a manager\u2019s affections can lead to a job–but not always.\u00a0 I have known of dancers who dated managers and never found their way to the stage.\u00a0 Saying \u201cno!\u201d does not always mean you won\u2019t get the job.\u00a0 A dancer develops a reputation in the industry here and if the manager knows he will not get anywhere with her from the start (and if she has large enough fan base) then negotiating the job becomes purely about business–because her name brings in guests.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/p>\n

It is when a dancer is new to Egypt that she faces the most harassment.\u00a0 Finding and keeping that first contract is difficult.\u00a0<\/p>\n

I would wager to say that most dancers who have danced, or tried to dance, in Cairo have faced harassment like this.\u00a0 I have lost jobs because I wasn\u2019t interested in being the manager\u2019s girlfriend.\u00a0 It is one of the most difficult situations to accept because you have no recourse.\u00a0 You can report the manager, but I have never heard of a manager being reprimanded.\u00a0\u00a0 By reporting someone in our industry you are labeled a \u201ctrouble maker\u201d and even respectable bosses become wary of you.\u00a0\u00a0 So you quietly move on to the next audition and hopefully the next job while trying to establish your name.<\/p>\n

\"Leila\"<\/p>\n

2009
\nParty at the Pyramisa Hotel<\/a><\/span>.  
\nCostume: Eman Zaki<\/span><\/h6>\n

Hotels usually have an impresario who handles their artist.\u00a0 This is not a manager but the go-between for the hotel and artist\u2019s management or the person who brings the entertainment to weddings.\u00a0 This is a very competitive and dirty business.\u00a0\u00a0 Sometimes a performer must ally herself with an impresario to get or keep a job, and he can take as much or more money than the performer–just for booking her into the venue.\u00a0 Some dancers choose to work with only one impresario and others will work with many.\u00a0 I have known of dancers who lost their jobs because their particular impresario lost the hotel contract and all his artists had to leave with him.\u00a0 If you choose to work with many impresarios, then you have more options for work, but they have no real stake in finding you a job unless you tip them more than the other dancers do.\u00a0 My first contract in Cairo was with a very powerful impresario in a restaurant with it\u2019s own band.\u00a0\u00a0 If I called in sick, the impresario would send his own doctor to verify that I was actually ill and not working somewhere else.\u00a0 If the doctor said I could work, then I would work no matter how sick I was.\u00a0 There were constant fights with the band who worked for him, not me, and who took tips to play whatever song the guests requested, whether I knew the song or not.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

It is always risky to try not to pay the impresario\u2019s commission and to go direct to the hotel.<\/p>\n

Their hold on the industry is strong and they usually find a way to punish you by ruining future jobs, especially if they have a score to settle.\u00a0 Over the years, I have worked with almost every impresario in Cairo.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Some are honest and some are thieves.\u00a0 For two years, I worked exclusively with one impresario for weddings in Alexandria.\u00a0\u00a0 I worked a lot, but I was not happy with the price.\u00a0 He claimed that if I increased my price, I would lose the work.\u00a0 It happened that a guest called me direct to ask me to give them a discount.\u00a0 I was confused as I felt my price was more than fair.\u00a0\u00a0 The guest told me how much the impresario was charging for me and it turned out that he was adding another 70% to the money he was giving me and my price was one of the highest in the market!\u00a0\u00a0 I called all the other impresarios in Alex that same day.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

Dealing with impresarios is like walking in a minefield until you establish yourself.\u00a0 It is a battle you must face if you want to work.<\/p>\n

For the last 15 or so years, the old regime had not been friendly to dance.\u00a0\u00a0 They informally banned dance performances from television and although shows about dance would surface now and then, they never lasted very long.\u00a0 (Since the Revolution, at least 3 TV channels are running programs with dancers-one 24 hours a day!)\u00a0 Performers ran the constant risk of upsetting the wrong government person and finding themselves finished as a dancer.\u00a0 There is the famous story of the Syrian dancer who was dancing at a party with the ex-president\u2019s son.\u00a0 She asked him to dance with her, and when he refused, she chided, \u201cAre you afraid of daddy?\u201d\u00a0 She found herself on a plane back to Syria that evening!\u00a0 My own experience was less dramatic–most likely because I am American.\u00a0 I unknowingly took the job of the girlfriend of a top government official.\u00a0 The next night, the nightclub manager showed up at my door begging for the contract I had signed.\u00a0 Over the next month, it became apparent that my work visa had disappeared!\u00a0 For three months, I sat without working because my paperwork had been lost.\u00a0 Finally, I appealed to someone in the National Security and told him my story.\u00a0 He called the next day to tell me to go back to work, but strangely, two of the hotels where I had been working had taken me off their schedules.\u00a0 It was only after the Revolution, years later, that the hotels called asking me to come back to work.\u00a0 They told me that a government official, now safely in jail, had blacklisted me.\u00a0 The only reason I still work in Egypt is because the National Security agent had warned the official that loosing an Americans\u2019 work visa would result in an investigation.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

Until recently I didn\u2019t know who was behind this.\u00a0 I had falsely blamed an impresario with whom I\u2019d had a dispute over tips.\u00a0 After an amir\u2019s birthday party, where tips were flying, I was called into his office; with two big body guards present, he demanded 2\/3 of the tips instead of the half I had given him.\u00a0 He threatened that I would never work in Egypt again if I didn\u2019t give him my tips.\u00a0 I refused–and a few weeks later, my work visa disappeared.\u00a0\u00a0 It is nice to know that the person actually responsible is in jail, and I have since worked with this same impresario in many weddings.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

For this same reason, dancing at the top military or government weddings was always full of stress.\u00a0 I have danced at the wedding hall across the road from the ex-president\u2019s old residence. (I am the only foreigner and Dina<\/a><\/span> is the only Egyptian to dance there in the 8 years it has existed.) <\/p>\n

The amount of security and rules pertaining to how the show proceeds is staggering!\u00a0 <\/p>\n

As a foreigner, I couldn\u2019t recognize top officials by sight; so I was assigned a secretary to follow me to and from the stage and tell me which tables I could go near and which ones were off limits.\u00a0 In a banquet hall that seats more than 1,000 guests, this could become confusing quickly.\u00a0 At one point during a wedding an \u201coff limits\u201d minister was motioning me toward his table and my secretary was shaking his head \u201cno.\u201d\u00a0 It was comic and unnerving at the same time! Also, when Mama Suzan<\/span>, as they called her, would decide to make her entrance to the wedding, my show would be brought to an end; she did not watch dancers publicly.\u00a0 We were apparently not on her list of approved entertainment. <\/p>\n

Early in my career in Egypt, I learned not to mix art and politics.\u00a0 I was dancing at a live TV show for the Eid holiday and the presenter, knowing I was American, asked me about my opinion of our then president Bush.\u00a0 I commented that I did not agree with his domestic or foreign policies, especially pertaining to the Middle East (Axis of Evil and all).\u00a0 When we went to break, the people in the studio looked worried and expressed concern that I voiced such a strong opinion.\u00a0 In fact, the next day, Al Akbar Newspaper<\/span> ran a short blurb that I had bashed my president on television.\u00a0 I got calls from everyone who had seen the show and a few journalists telling me I should be careful.\u00a0\u00a0 I was on edge for weeks.\u00a0 Until the revolution of January 25th, I never again talked about politics in a public arena.<\/p>\n

\"Leila\"<\/p>\n

2010
\nPerforming on Nile Maxim<\/a>.<\/span>  Costume: Leila Farid<\/a><\/span><\/h6>\n

The whole idea of working in Egypt, at least for me, was to become known to the Egyptian public.\u00a0 I had a great bit of luck in that I acted and danced in a comedy early in my career that was banned from the theaters the day after it was released.\u00a0 The court case was eventually settled, but it left everyone<\/em> wanting to see the film.\u00a0 The film was picked up by every major cinema channel in the Middle East and became a cult classic.\u00a0 It was a huge boost to my career!\u00a0 In fact, every well-known dancer in Egypt has danced in a film or on television.\u00a0 It puts her name out to a wider audience.\u00a0 It also helps her build fans.\u00a0 Fans are what you hope for as an artist, but they can also be overwhelming.\u00a0 Some of the weddings in which I have danced have gotten out of control with people wanting photos and rushing the stage.\u00a0 I have been pushed, my feet trampled, my hair tangled in the string of a lens cap of a video camera.\u00a0 I\u2019ve almost had my arm pulled off by an old man, with a surprising strong grip, who would not let go until he had taken a photo with me.\u00a0 (The problem was my bodyguard who was trying to pull me through the crowd was unaware of the grip the old fellow had on my arm.)\u00a0 <\/p>\n

Recently, my car was surrounded on 6th October Bridge by cars of guests coming out of a wedding at the same time I did.\u00a0 They were shooting off firecrackers through the sunroofs and yelling funny things to me on a megaphone; unfortunately, they didn\u2019t see the guy on the motorcycle.\u00a0 They hit him, he went down, my car crashed into the cars in front of me, and the rest piled into the back of me.\u00a0 Although the father of the bride apologized profusely, it did quite a bit of damage to my car.\u00a0\u00a0 Gratefully, the guy on the motorcycle was able to walk away. <\/p>\n

On the flip side of the coin are the anti-fans.\u00a0 Anti-fans use YouTube as their platform for voicing their opinion.<\/p>\n

Dancing in Egypt brings a particular kind of scrutiny from the dance community.\u00a0\u00a0 Dancers outside of Egypt generally have very strong ideas about what makes a dancer\u2019s style\u00a0 \u201dEgyptian\u201d or not, and you must fulfill these notions to pass board.\u00a0\u00a0 In Russia they have a name for it: \u201cArabism\u201d–gestures and facial expressions that signify you are dancing like an Egyptian.\u00a0 In the past few years, there have been one or two fellow dancers who have taken it upon themselves to visit every YouTube clip of me and leave scathing comments about my dance.\u00a0\u00a0 I don\u2019t fit into their idea of what a dancer should be in Egypt.\u00a0 They accuse me of things like not having Egyptian feeling, to being too tall and thin to be a Belly dancer.\u00a0 Then there are the more personal comments about what I must have done to become successful in Egypt (Surely, it wasn\u2019t my dancing!) even going as far to bring my family into it.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

Everyone is free to like or dislike a performer, but there is something about the anonymity of the Internet that seems to bring out the worst in some members of our community.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Many times, dancers criticize the Egyptian view of Belly dance, saying dancers are not respected here. However, sometimes I feel that we don\u2019t respect each other within our own community.\u00a0 I have never had an Egyptian attack me verbally or criticize my dance; on the contrary, people are generally respectful and excited that an American is succeeding at their dance.\u00a0 If they don\u2019t want to watch the show, usually based on religious reasons, they just leave and do not stalk me later on the Internet.\u00a0 Belly dancing is extremely personal; so I understand that dancers become passionate about other performers but such negativity is rarely constructive.\u00a0\u00a0 Since I most likely will not become shorter (and it remains to be seen if I will become more fat) hopefully, my anti-fans can accept that it takes all types.<\/p>\n

\"Leila\"<\/p>\n

2010
\nPosing with the guests at a wedding in Meridian Heliopolis Hotel<\/span>.  
\nCostume: Leila Farid<\/a><\/span><\/h6>\n

One of the important struggles facing every dancer in Cairo is the same that faces a dancer around the world: finding her own style.\u00a0 In Cairo, the parameters for dance may be more rigid in that the Egyptian public expects certain things from a dancer that foreign audiences may not.\u00a0 The dance usually follows a traditional format, but dancers are expected to have their own, individual style and personality.\u00a0 Fusing nontraditional elements into the show can make you stand out, but if you deviate too far<\/em><\/strong> from the expected–very strange costuming, non-Arabic music, too many non-Arabic or aggressive movements–you will lose your audience and your chances of success.\u00a0 Dancing in touristic venues does give more freedom of style, but for Egyptian audiences, developing a style is subtler inside Egypt than outside.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/p>\n

The path to discovering your own voice in the dance is sometimes the most frustrating and difficult challenge.<\/p>\n

When I first arrived, the trend for new dancers was to copy Dina.\u00a0 She was, and still is, the only major Egyptian star to work consistently. (Lucy<\/a><\/span> could still be seen at The Parisiana<\/a><\/span>, but she has been focusing on her acting for the last few years.)\u00a0 Although Dina is one of my favorite dancers, I made a decision to try not to copy her although her influence on the dance has been so strong that was hard to avoid.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

In my first year, I studied with Mdm. Raqia Hassan<\/a><\/span> and Mdm. Aida Noor<\/a><\/span>, both powerhouses of Egyptian technique and choreography in very different ways.\u00a0 In my first year in Egypt, they choreographed everything I put on stage.\u00a0\u00a0 My manager, Safaa Farid<\/a><\/span>, was also helpful, having worked with dancers for 25 years.\u00a0 His advice was usually in the form of song suggestions and admonitions such as \u201cDon\u2019t do that again!\u201d whenever I did something incomprehensible to Egyptian audiences.\u00a0 I was lucky to see both Dandesh<\/span> and Safwa<\/span> perform a couple of times before they retired.\u00a0 Dandesh had a profound influence on my dance because she was so subtle and funny.\u00a0 Safwa was tall and thin (plus, she wore very high heels!) with a stoic grace that drove the guests nuts.\u00a0 Neither of them used choreography.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

After a few years, I started to leave choreographed dance behind in order to improvise more.\u00a0 I put new numbers in the show every few weeks.\u00a0 My band would freak out when I would request a song on stage that we had not rehearsed.\u00a0 At times, it went well, but sometimes it was horrible.\u00a0 This was probably the most inconsistent dancing I have done in my life, but I learned so much from that time!\u00a0 I paid attention constantly to the feedback from the audiences. <\/p>\n

I was working continually: sick, tired, inspired at times by my progress, and sometimes, completely depressed by my lack of understanding. <\/span>\u00a0<\/p>\n

I took a year off, and when I came back to work, with a good bit of experience under my belt and much better Arabic, I decided to do everything myself-to make the show more \u201cme.\u201d\u00a0 I choose all the music for the show and designed my own costumes.\u00a0 My choreography was simple and left room for improvisation and interaction.\u00a0 I discovered a stronger connection to the music and the guests.\u00a0\u00a0 My feedback from Egyptian audiences was extremely positive.\u00a0 The number of weddings at which I danced increased exponentially. It was shortly after this that the nasty comments on the Internet started.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

Unfortunately, if you gain one audience you may lose another.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

All I can hope is that I continue to develop.\u00a0 It was this psychological process of artistic self-discovery that was probably the most difficult part of my Cairo dance experience.\u00a0 I hope it may also be the most rewarding.<\/p>\n

The months following the Revolution of Jan 25th, there was essentially no work, but as the summer approached, things started to pick up.\u00a0 I had one of the best wedding seasons I\u2019ve ever had.\u00a0 There was a sense of euphoria and freedom and the Egyptian people were in the mood to party.\u00a0 Even before the curfew was lifted, I was dancing weddings at 5 p.m.\u00a0 Before the revolution, it had become trendy to have only a DJ at your wedding, but now, everyone seems to want live entertainment.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, as the political and economic uncertainty continues, weddings have started to drop off.\u00a0 Even with the decline in weddings, I am lucky that they have always been my bread and butter because the work that relied on tourism is suffering.\u00a0 On the Nile Maxim<\/a><\/span>, we went from working three cruises a day to one, usually at half capacity.\u00a0 I have heard similar stories from other boats and hotel nightclubs.\u00a0 Harem Street<\/a><\/span>,<\/a> which has been restored close to its former glory, is working but definitely feeling the absence of Arab tourists.\u00a0 The huge parties for tourist and investors that were held at the pyramids and in Luxor and Sharm el Sheik have disappeared.\u00a0 As for the dance festivals here in Egypt, the attendance numbers are low. I will continue with the live music dance camp that I run (The first two camps in 2010 and early 2011 were sold out, but the event in September 2011, after the Revolution, ran at 1\/3 capacity.) Hopefully, Egypt will secure a stable government that will inspire confidence in the country for it\u2019s own people–as well as tourists.\u00a0 Optimistically, our next Camp Negum<\/a><\/span> is scheduled for April 2012.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

Since the Revolution, I have been part of a team working on a large-scale fundraiser for children\u2019s music and art programs, inspired (in part) by Amina<\/a><\/span> of San Francisco and with the support of Debbie Smith<\/a><\/span> of Cairo.\u00a0 However, with the tragic clashes between the demonstrators and police this November in Tahrir Square, our corporate sponsors have been discouraged, and it has become next to impossible to secure permits from the Egyptian army for a large event.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

We will try to find a way, through art, to help kids who live in the poorest sections of Cairo, but we will have to postpone everything until after the presidential elections.<\/span> \u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

With the Parlamentary elections complete, a majority Islamic government has been elected.\u00a0 We can only speculate as to what effect this could have on the dance industry here in Egypt.\u00a0 We may have jumped out of the flying pan and into the fire.\u00a0 For the moment, we are free to reflect and discuss and to hope for change for the better for all people, even dancers.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

What are my plans in Egypt?\u00a0 I suppose that as long as there is work as a dancer, I\u2019ll dance, and as long as I feel like a contributing part of the society here and the society accepts me and my profession, I\u2019ll stay.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

One thing I have learned from dancing in Egypt is that things never come easy, but when they finally happen, it is usually worth the effort.<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\"Leila
\nclick for enlargement<\/a><\/p>\n

2012
\nWedding at the Sonesta Hotel<\/span>.  
\nCostume: Leila Farid<\/a><\/span><\/h6>\n

 <\/p>\n

More Photos!
\n<\/h1>\n

Photos 2002-2004, 2005-2008<\/a>, 2009-2012<\/a><\/h2>\n

\"Leila\"<\/p>\n

2003
\nMy first job with my own band on Nile Pharoan<\/a><\/span> and Golden Pharoan Boats<\/span>.
\nCostume: Eman Zaki.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Leila\"\n<\/p>\n

2004
\nDancing on Nile Pharoan Boat<\/a><\/span>.  
\nCostume: Nousa<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Leila\"<\/p>\n

2002
\nMy first job in Shereton Cairo Aladdin Restaurant<\/a><\/span>.  The band was hired by the hotel.  
\nCostume: Hekmet<\/span>, Photo: Kay Taylor<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Leila\"<\/p>\n

2002
\nDancing 7 days a week in Aladdin in Shereton Cairo<\/a><\/span>.  
\nCostume: Eman Zaki<\/span> (one of her first costumes), Photo: Kay Taylor<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Leila\"<\/p>\n

2002
\nPerforming in Candles Bar in Shereton Cairo<\/a><\/span>.  Pictured with Sayed Lacky<\/span>, Sagat.  
\nMy show time was daily at 4am.  Costume: Hannan<\/span>, Photo: Kay Taylor<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Leila\"<\/p>\n

2003
\nPosing on Golden Pharon Boat<\/a><\/span> with Saed Amr<\/span> the tanoura.  
\nCostume: Amira Kattan<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/a>2005-2008<\/h2>\n

\"Leila\"\n<\/p>\n

2005
\nBack to work on the Golden Pharon<\/a><\/span>.  Costume: Eman Zaki<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Leila\"<\/p>\n

2005
\nOpening of the first Nile Group Festival<\/a> <\/span>in Movempick Harem.  
\nCostume: Nousa<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Leila\"
\n2006
\nIn 2006 I started working on Nile Maxim<\/a><\/span>.  
\nCostumes: Eman Zaki<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Leila\"
\n2006
\nIn 2006 I started working on Nile Maxim<\/a><\/span>.  
\nCostumes: Eman Zaki<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Leila\"\n<\/p>\n

2008
\nParty at the Kolkel Restaurant<\/span>.  
\nCostume: Eman Zaki<\/span>, Photo: Wagdi<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Leila\"<\/p>\n

2007
\nBeledi Tableaux at the Nile Maxim<\/a><\/span>.  
\nCostume: Aida Nour<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Leila\"<\/p>\n

2008
\nNew Year’s Eve Party 2008.
\n Costume: Eman Zaki<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/a>2009 -2012<\/h2>\n

\"Leila\"\n<\/p>\n

2009
\nDancing on Nile Maxim<\/a><\/span> with a blondish wig (gotta try it once).
\nCostume: Eman Zaki<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Leila\"<\/p>\n

2009
\nWedding at Quat il Gaweya<\/span> (Airforce House).
\nCostume: Eman Zaki<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Leila\"<\/p>\n

2011
\nDancing at Ahlan Wa Sahlan Festival<\/a><\/span>.  
\nCostume: Leila Farid<\/a><\/span>, Photos Andre’ Elbing<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Leila\"<\/p>\n

2010
\nAhlan Wa Sahlan Festival. <\/span>
\nCostume: Leila Farid<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\"Leila\"<\/p>\n

2010
\nDancing with the Groom at a wedding in the Hilton Green Plaza Alexandria
\n<\/span>(the bride was Nacab and had her own wedding downstairs).  
\nCostume: Leila Farid<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

\"Leila\"<\/p>\n

2011
\nWedding at the Fairmont Heleopolis Hotel.  <\/span>
\nCostume: Leila Farid<\/a><\/span>, Photo: Amer<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Leila\"<\/p>\n

2012
\nDancing with the guests at a wedding Sonesta Hotel<\/span>.  
\nCostume: Leila Farid<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Leila\"<\/p>\n

2012
\nWedding at the Semeramese Hotel.<\/span>  
\nCostume: Leila Farid<\/a><\/span>, Photo: Mohab Magdy<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Leila\"<\/p>\n

2012
\nWedding at the Semeramese Hotel. <\/span>
\n Costume: Leila Farid<\/span><\/a>,<\/span> Photo: Mohab Magdy<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"use<\/p>\n

\n

Have a comment? Use or comment section at the bottom of this page or Send us a letter!<\/a>
\nCheck the "Letters to the Editor<\/a>" for other possible viewpoints!<\/p>\n

Ready for more?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n