Who am I in my artistic life?

I am a dancer, specializing in Egyptian-style raqs sharqi (aka middle eastern dance, for lack of a better English term), with over 30 years of experience in this field. I am a performer, a writer and an educator.

My approach is to look at and consider this dance within its cultural context, which includes not just dance knowledge and steps, but also music, language, social customs and mores ("الاصول والتقاليد"), as well as an awareness of history, politics and religion and how they affect society and culture. 

What enables me to do this is a combination of experience, study, and living and working in Egypt (though not as a dancer) for extended periods over the last 15 years, as well as an abiding love and respect for all that is wonderful about Egyptian and Arab culture.

As a performer, I am inspired stylistically by the great Egyptian dancers and guided by a very close relationship to the music. I’m a believer in “less is more” and in the power of subtlety. In addition to performance, I do workshops, classes and talks that allow me to share my dance and cultural knowledge from a nuanced and informed perspective.

I have a BA in Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Texas in Austin, a degree path I embarked upon because I realized that to continue to learn about and present a culturally specific dance form like raqs sharqi as an American, without having at least some knowledge and understanding about the history and politics of the region, how international political agendas and interventions shaped it, and the linguistic, religious, social and cultural similarities and differences between countries, was irresponsible. Although I had no idea during the time of my studies that I would end up living and working in Egypt, the knowledge I gained has continuously informed my path as a dancer and in my professional life.

Who am I in my professional life?

I have over two decades of professional experience as an arts administrator (or, as they say in Egypt, “cultural manager”), encompassing everything from program management and development to proposal writing and fundraising, to production and event management, and anything else that might be part of running an arts and culture organization. I began this work in San Francisco and my career continued once I moved to Egypt.

I now do this work on a freelance basis as an independent consultant and work with clients in the United States, Egypt, and Lebanon. The values that guide my work in this regard are providing access to arts and culture for all, bringing artists/organizations and resources together, and creating a space in the cultural landscape for a diversity of artistic “voices” and practices. For more details about working with me or my qualifications please get in touch.

Who am I in my personal life?

My husband Yasser and I currently divide our time between Cairo, Egypt (population 20,000,000) and Bald Knob, Arkansas (pop. 2500) and so we like to think we have the best of both worlds.