There are many people who have made my journey as a dancer more rewarding, more exciting, more inspired, and more passionate by sharing their gifts and their time.
Master dancers who have inspired me:
- Hadia (what would I do without Auntie Hadia?!)
- Tahia Carioca (what a goddess!)
- Sahra Saeeda Kent
- Cassandra Shore
- Mona Said
- Souhair Zaki
- Dina (The Best, ever!)
- Lucy
- Randa
- Mahmoud Reda
- Denise Enan
- Gene Kelly
- Cyd Charisse
- Donald O’Connor
Favourite, most worthwhile workshop experiences:
- Hadia
- Sahra Saeeda Kent
- Cassandra
- Denise Enan
- Dina of Cairo
- Ranya Renee
Favourite videos/DVDs:
- Hadia’s videos, volumes 1-6; new series (all!)
- Cassandra’s Performance videos, volumes 1 & 2
- Sahra Saeeda’s
- Ranya Renee’s
- Nagwa Fouad and Souhair Zaki Live in Abu Dabi
- “Stars of Egypt: Tahia Carioca”
My favourite songs, albums and artists:
- “Ya Amarti” and “Mashaal” – the versions on Jalilah’s Raks Sharqi series
- Om Khoulsom
- “Leylet Hob”
- “Olulu”
- 1002 Nachts by Mohammed Ali
- Faddah and Source of Fire by Hossam Ramzy
- “Ana Fi Intizarak”
- “Enta Omri” (1–Hossam Ramzy’s version)
- Amar 14— but truly the entire Jalilah’s Raks Sharqi series (volumes 1-6) is all you really need if you were stranded on a deserted island! Thank-you, Jalilah, for giving us all this gift of great music.
- anything by Musiciens du Nil
- Fatme Serhan