| I Love Lucie by Cheri Berens |
COPYRIGHT 2003
One of the good things about living in Egypt is that friends who had always wanted to travel to Egypt but were afraid to, suddenly find it less
frightening if they know someone actually living here. At first I usually receive e-mails inquiring about Egypt’s political climate, and of
course, many questions regarding safety. But eventually they take the plunge and come to visit me. Recently a friend of mine who knows
very little about belly dancing visited me. When I suggested some belly dance nightclubs she said it sounded “interesting” and that she
was game to check it out. My husband and I decided to take her to a 3-star and a 5-star nightclub. We wanted to get her impressions of
both since she had no pre-conceived ideas about what she was about to see.
The dancing at the 3-star clubs is a little sleazy, but there’s more to a 3-star club than just dancing. The fun at a good 3-star club comes from
the music and the audience. We had a terrific time. The full Egyptian band was great and even though my friend had never heard Egyptian
music before, she enjoyed it very much. She especially enjoyed the nationalistic pride and enthusiasm the different audience members
expressed when their countries were announced by the singer. The singer goes around from table to table and finds out which Arabic
countries the audience members are from and then he sings a popular song from each of the different countries.
It’s always exciting to see people get emotional and animated when they hear music from their homeland and my friend enjoyed this emotion
and excitement very much. But as expected, the belly dancing wasn’t very good and my friend could easily distinguish this fact. The
dancers were very lackluster and used very little variation of movements. A different dancer came out about every half hour and only one
showed any real dancing talent. My friend became more preoccupied with the dancers all being ‘overweight’. I had to explain that they
weren’t considered overweight and that flesh is sexy and desirable in the Arab world. The dancers in this type of club are mostly there to
encourage the men to get up and dance, have a good time, and of course, stay a long time and spend money. And as mentioned before, the
fun in these clubs comes from watching the audience members dance and enjoy themselves.
My first choice for the 5-star club was Lucie’s nightclub, the Parisiana. Lucie has been very busy acting in movies and television mini-
series, so I was worried that she might not be performing. When we got to her club I told my husband to ask the doorman if Lucie was going
to be there. My friend and I would stay in the taxi so we could dash off to another club in case Lucie wasn’t performing. My husband took
what felt like forever (a very common occurrence in Egypt--no one seems to have any concept of time here), but when he returned he said,
“She wasn’t going to be here tonight, another dancer is ready to begin, but I explained that I had two Americans waiting in a taxi and that
they wanted to see Lucie”. The doorman called Lucie on his cell phone and explained what my husband said. Lucie said she’d be there
within the hour.
Lucie’s nightclub is 5-star all the way and my friend was impressed at the service. Before she could get a cigarette out of the pack, a waiter
was there with a lighter ready and lit. A few minutes later, several packets of my friend’s brand were put on the table. Before a glass was
empty, a waiter appeared out of nowhere to refill it. I asked for some apricot shisha (a water pipe with apricot flavored tobacco) and when
they took a little longer than normal to bring it, they came and explained that they didn’t have apricot flavored but had sent someone out to
get it especially for us. It would be arriving any moment. The food was excellent and when we received much more than what we had
ordered, it was explained to us that Lucie had given us a tray of goodies ‘on the house’.
After about an hour, Lucie’s orchestra came out and began tuning up. A full oriental orchestra is always an impressive and exciting sight.
As they tuned up, the floor was mopped for Lucie’s bare feet. Audience members were no longer allowed onto the dance floor so they
would not disturb its cleanliness for Lucie. Our empty food trays and dishes were taken away so there would be no distractions while she
performed. The orchestra quieted themselves and waited for their cue. The silence was broken with the classic Um Kolsoum song, Inta
Omery.
Lucie made a dramatic entrance wearing a two-piece costume that was perfect for the long and emotional knee shimmy that she performed
to the intense kanoun part of the musical piece. At that point my friend, knowing nothing about the art of belly dance said, “Wow”. My
husband and I nodded to each other and smiled in agreement.
After Inta Omery the orchestra segued into a rousing upper Egyptian piece. Additional band members came out dressed in upper Egyptian
galabeyas and playing saiidi drums. Lucie finished the first performance with a fabulous saiidi dance.
Lucie’s second entrance was even more outstanding. She had on a hot pink 2-piece costume. Instead of the usual skirted bikini bottom,
the bottom was transparent leggings with hot pink spandex covering the necessities. It was sexy, but extremely tasteful. Lucie danced and
then sang. She is an incredibly talented performer and her voice is strong and powerful.
Next Lucie came out wearing a beledi style costume made out of assuit cloth. It had a village flair and she danced to Egyptian beledi music.
Audiences always react well to Lucie’s beledi dancing. My friend leaned over and said, “She’s great!”
Lucie broke up this last performance with a comedy skit performed with a male singer. My friend said that even though she didn’t
understand a word of it, she got the jist of it and found it quite fun. The skit had light, PG13 sexual innuendo in it about a husband and wife
preparing to go to bed. Lucie’s shows are always tasteful and are never sleazy. Her shows are very entertaining. There are often families
with children in the audience.
Lucie finished with an exciting Egyptian beledi that had every heart in the audience pumping. I was happy to have had the opportunity to
introduce my friend to quality Egyptian music and dance. And as usual, I left the Parisiana saying once again, “I love Lucie”.
frightening if they know someone actually living here. At first I usually receive e-mails inquiring about Egypt’s political climate, and of
course, many questions regarding safety. But eventually they take the plunge and come to visit me. Recently a friend of mine who knows
very little about belly dancing visited me. When I suggested some belly dance nightclubs she said it sounded “interesting” and that she
was game to check it out. My husband and I decided to take her to a 3-star and a 5-star nightclub. We wanted to get her impressions of
both since she had no pre-conceived ideas about what she was about to see.
The dancing at the 3-star clubs is a little sleazy, but there’s more to a 3-star club than just dancing. The fun at a good 3-star club comes from
the music and the audience. We had a terrific time. The full Egyptian band was great and even though my friend had never heard Egyptian
music before, she enjoyed it very much. She especially enjoyed the nationalistic pride and enthusiasm the different audience members
expressed when their countries were announced by the singer. The singer goes around from table to table and finds out which Arabic
countries the audience members are from and then he sings a popular song from each of the different countries.
It’s always exciting to see people get emotional and animated when they hear music from their homeland and my friend enjoyed this emotion
and excitement very much. But as expected, the belly dancing wasn’t very good and my friend could easily distinguish this fact. The
dancers were very lackluster and used very little variation of movements. A different dancer came out about every half hour and only one
showed any real dancing talent. My friend became more preoccupied with the dancers all being ‘overweight’. I had to explain that they
weren’t considered overweight and that flesh is sexy and desirable in the Arab world. The dancers in this type of club are mostly there to
encourage the men to get up and dance, have a good time, and of course, stay a long time and spend money. And as mentioned before, the
fun in these clubs comes from watching the audience members dance and enjoy themselves.
My first choice for the 5-star club was Lucie’s nightclub, the Parisiana. Lucie has been very busy acting in movies and television mini-
series, so I was worried that she might not be performing. When we got to her club I told my husband to ask the doorman if Lucie was going
to be there. My friend and I would stay in the taxi so we could dash off to another club in case Lucie wasn’t performing. My husband took
what felt like forever (a very common occurrence in Egypt--no one seems to have any concept of time here), but when he returned he said,
“She wasn’t going to be here tonight, another dancer is ready to begin, but I explained that I had two Americans waiting in a taxi and that
they wanted to see Lucie”. The doorman called Lucie on his cell phone and explained what my husband said. Lucie said she’d be there
within the hour.
Lucie’s nightclub is 5-star all the way and my friend was impressed at the service. Before she could get a cigarette out of the pack, a waiter
was there with a lighter ready and lit. A few minutes later, several packets of my friend’s brand were put on the table. Before a glass was
empty, a waiter appeared out of nowhere to refill it. I asked for some apricot shisha (a water pipe with apricot flavored tobacco) and when
they took a little longer than normal to bring it, they came and explained that they didn’t have apricot flavored but had sent someone out to
get it especially for us. It would be arriving any moment. The food was excellent and when we received much more than what we had
ordered, it was explained to us that Lucie had given us a tray of goodies ‘on the house’.
After about an hour, Lucie’s orchestra came out and began tuning up. A full oriental orchestra is always an impressive and exciting sight.
As they tuned up, the floor was mopped for Lucie’s bare feet. Audience members were no longer allowed onto the dance floor so they
would not disturb its cleanliness for Lucie. Our empty food trays and dishes were taken away so there would be no distractions while she
performed. The orchestra quieted themselves and waited for their cue. The silence was broken with the classic Um Kolsoum song, Inta
Omery.
Lucie made a dramatic entrance wearing a two-piece costume that was perfect for the long and emotional knee shimmy that she performed
to the intense kanoun part of the musical piece. At that point my friend, knowing nothing about the art of belly dance said, “Wow”. My
husband and I nodded to each other and smiled in agreement.
After Inta Omery the orchestra segued into a rousing upper Egyptian piece. Additional band members came out dressed in upper Egyptian
galabeyas and playing saiidi drums. Lucie finished the first performance with a fabulous saiidi dance.
Lucie’s second entrance was even more outstanding. She had on a hot pink 2-piece costume. Instead of the usual skirted bikini bottom,
the bottom was transparent leggings with hot pink spandex covering the necessities. It was sexy, but extremely tasteful. Lucie danced and
then sang. She is an incredibly talented performer and her voice is strong and powerful.
Next Lucie came out wearing a beledi style costume made out of assuit cloth. It had a village flair and she danced to Egyptian beledi music.
Audiences always react well to Lucie’s beledi dancing. My friend leaned over and said, “She’s great!”
Lucie broke up this last performance with a comedy skit performed with a male singer. My friend said that even though she didn’t
understand a word of it, she got the jist of it and found it quite fun. The skit had light, PG13 sexual innuendo in it about a husband and wife
preparing to go to bed. Lucie’s shows are always tasteful and are never sleazy. Her shows are very entertaining. There are often families
with children in the audience.
Lucie finished with an exciting Egyptian beledi that had every heart in the audience pumping. I was happy to have had the opportunity to
introduce my friend to quality Egyptian music and dance. And as usual, I left the Parisiana saying once again, “I love Lucie”.
