| The Lower-Class Belly Dance Night Clubs of Cairo by Cheri Berens |
COPYRIGHT 2003
Over the years I’ve written many articles about the dancing in Egypt’s 5-star hotels and nightclubs. This was because I preferred a full oriental
orchestra, a raised stage, and the professional performances that I observed in the 5-star venue. But my curiosity finally got the better of me, and
with the help of friends escorting me into these places, I slowly began entering the world of the 3 and 4-star nightclubs. I chose not to go into clubs
below the 3-star rating because I had been told they consisted mostly of prostitution. And now that I’ve frequented the 3 and 4-star clubs, I know
that I don’t ever want to venture into a club below 3-stars.
The predominant dancing style in the 3 and 4-star clubs is what I call "Ladies of the Evening" style. The dancers come out in tight fitting full length
slinky dresses that show off the body. These dresses look like a toss between an evening gown and lingerie. Some of these dresses are made of
an almost transparent cloth that leaves little to the imagination. The dancers move around the designated dance area in a very sexy way. Towards
the early morning hours as new dancers come out, some wear the 2-piece costume. The later the show, the better the dancer, or at least that’s
what I was told. But the only difference I’ve seen in these clubs is that the dancers that come on last are more beautiful or show more skin. The
dancing has never been anything I would judge as good.
The 4-star clubs that are geared to the Gulf tourists have good singers and just one or two belly dancers. But I’ve found that those clubs often
have lots of prostitutes in the audience, and many of these prostitutes get up and dance. These prostitutes are usually dressed in what we
westerners think of as casual wear---tight jeans and a short sleeve or sleeveless top. At first I thought these girls were there enjoying the music
and using the opportunity to get up and dance a bit. I was very surprised when my friends informed me that these girls were prostitutes. Now I pay
more attention and have seen that indeed, they are prostitutes. I often find them in the bathroom on their cell phones making dates, or schmoozing
with audience members trying to conjure up some business. Other than the prostitutes mingling around, the audience members in these clubs are
men only. In contrast, at the 5-star clubs, you will find the audience members include groups of females with children and couples. Often entire
families come to celebrate weddings and other occasions at the 5-star club.
Most of the dancers in the 3 and 4-star venue do not dance anything like what we as western belly dancers would call belly dance. Instead, they
move sexy to the music in an middle eastern way (undulations and a few subtle accents). Most dancers are rather lackluster, and many don’t even
smile. I’m always amazed at how many actually look extremely bored. They do not seem interested in putting on a good show, or doing a good
performance. When I first started going to these clubs I didn’t even think what they were doing was belly dance, but my friends reassured me that
indeed, this is considered belly dance. I am surprised at this because all Egyptians dance and they recognize good dancing. And I see fantastic
dancing in the homes of my friends and at weddings and other celebrations. But I have come to see that a paid (or professional) ‘belly dancer’ in
Egypt does not mean the same thing to Egyptians as it does to us westerners. And that the rating system, 3, 4, and 5-star, is the real way to gauge
dancing in Egypt. Or I should say, the way to judge whether it is worth going to see or not. The 5-star is the only venue where I’ve seen good
dancing--dancing that truly inspires me, excites me, and is where I get ideas for my own dancing. The dancers in the 3 and 4-star clubs are mostly
there to get the audience members to spend money, and as mentioned before, their dance style is often sexy movement rather than the dynamic,
polished choreography you see in the 5-star hotel nightclubs.
Most of the dancers, no matter what type of club they end up in, usually start by doing street weddings. The poorer people have their wedding
celebrations in the street. The middle and upper classes rent halls, nightclubs, hotels, etc. Most dancers come from poverty and broken homes,
where the father is away or doesn’t exist, and the mother has no financial resources. The girl looks in the mirror and sees herself as beautiful, but
because of her circumstances, she isn’t sought after for marriage. Sometimes she ends up in an affair and looses her virginity. Since she is not
educated or qualified for any skilled labor, and because most Egyptians learn to dance as children and know how to dance naturally, she ends up
dancing for money, usually to help support the family.
Most dancers need to be accompanied by a man, a body guard of sorts, and they don’t necessarily marry the body guard, although they often sleep
with him. He is in her life mostly to protect her, especially in the low class places and in the streets. Nightclub dancers almost always have trouble
with the nightclub owner or someone in the audience who comes regularly to see her. She is often harassed into having sex. The majority say yes
to sex for money, but if they are already making good money through their dancing, they might refuse. This ‘male protector’ helps her with these
problems and he also guards her from attacks, or helps her with problems getting her money. As dancers make their way to the higher nightclubs
(which doesn't happen very often), they graduate to hiring paid, professional body guards that they don’t have sexual relationships with. This helps
them to upgrade themselves to the 5-star status if they have talent and the right contacts.
The low class dancers sleep during the day, work at night, and their life is often filled with the activities of nightlife in Cairo, which usually includes
drinking, gambling and drugs. Along with a male protector, most nightclub dancers have a woman maid that takes care of her clothes, makes
appointments with doctors, arrangements for dance dates, and provides her meals and medicine. This maid often becomes her advisor and some
times, a friend. It is a rather lonely lifestyle.
Most tourists and visitors are guided away from the lesser clubs, as I was for many years. And I confess that when friends visit me, I do not want to
take them into this darker side of Egyptian dance, especially when there is so much good dancing to be seen in the quality, professional
environment of the 5-star venue.
orchestra, a raised stage, and the professional performances that I observed in the 5-star venue. But my curiosity finally got the better of me, and
with the help of friends escorting me into these places, I slowly began entering the world of the 3 and 4-star nightclubs. I chose not to go into clubs
below the 3-star rating because I had been told they consisted mostly of prostitution. And now that I’ve frequented the 3 and 4-star clubs, I know
that I don’t ever want to venture into a club below 3-stars.
The predominant dancing style in the 3 and 4-star clubs is what I call "Ladies of the Evening" style. The dancers come out in tight fitting full length
slinky dresses that show off the body. These dresses look like a toss between an evening gown and lingerie. Some of these dresses are made of
an almost transparent cloth that leaves little to the imagination. The dancers move around the designated dance area in a very sexy way. Towards
the early morning hours as new dancers come out, some wear the 2-piece costume. The later the show, the better the dancer, or at least that’s
what I was told. But the only difference I’ve seen in these clubs is that the dancers that come on last are more beautiful or show more skin. The
dancing has never been anything I would judge as good.
The 4-star clubs that are geared to the Gulf tourists have good singers and just one or two belly dancers. But I’ve found that those clubs often
have lots of prostitutes in the audience, and many of these prostitutes get up and dance. These prostitutes are usually dressed in what we
westerners think of as casual wear---tight jeans and a short sleeve or sleeveless top. At first I thought these girls were there enjoying the music
and using the opportunity to get up and dance a bit. I was very surprised when my friends informed me that these girls were prostitutes. Now I pay
more attention and have seen that indeed, they are prostitutes. I often find them in the bathroom on their cell phones making dates, or schmoozing
with audience members trying to conjure up some business. Other than the prostitutes mingling around, the audience members in these clubs are
men only. In contrast, at the 5-star clubs, you will find the audience members include groups of females with children and couples. Often entire
families come to celebrate weddings and other occasions at the 5-star club.
Most of the dancers in the 3 and 4-star venue do not dance anything like what we as western belly dancers would call belly dance. Instead, they
move sexy to the music in an middle eastern way (undulations and a few subtle accents). Most dancers are rather lackluster, and many don’t even
smile. I’m always amazed at how many actually look extremely bored. They do not seem interested in putting on a good show, or doing a good
performance. When I first started going to these clubs I didn’t even think what they were doing was belly dance, but my friends reassured me that
indeed, this is considered belly dance. I am surprised at this because all Egyptians dance and they recognize good dancing. And I see fantastic
dancing in the homes of my friends and at weddings and other celebrations. But I have come to see that a paid (or professional) ‘belly dancer’ in
Egypt does not mean the same thing to Egyptians as it does to us westerners. And that the rating system, 3, 4, and 5-star, is the real way to gauge
dancing in Egypt. Or I should say, the way to judge whether it is worth going to see or not. The 5-star is the only venue where I’ve seen good
dancing--dancing that truly inspires me, excites me, and is where I get ideas for my own dancing. The dancers in the 3 and 4-star clubs are mostly
there to get the audience members to spend money, and as mentioned before, their dance style is often sexy movement rather than the dynamic,
polished choreography you see in the 5-star hotel nightclubs.
Most of the dancers, no matter what type of club they end up in, usually start by doing street weddings. The poorer people have their wedding
celebrations in the street. The middle and upper classes rent halls, nightclubs, hotels, etc. Most dancers come from poverty and broken homes,
where the father is away or doesn’t exist, and the mother has no financial resources. The girl looks in the mirror and sees herself as beautiful, but
because of her circumstances, she isn’t sought after for marriage. Sometimes she ends up in an affair and looses her virginity. Since she is not
educated or qualified for any skilled labor, and because most Egyptians learn to dance as children and know how to dance naturally, she ends up
dancing for money, usually to help support the family.
Most dancers need to be accompanied by a man, a body guard of sorts, and they don’t necessarily marry the body guard, although they often sleep
with him. He is in her life mostly to protect her, especially in the low class places and in the streets. Nightclub dancers almost always have trouble
with the nightclub owner or someone in the audience who comes regularly to see her. She is often harassed into having sex. The majority say yes
to sex for money, but if they are already making good money through their dancing, they might refuse. This ‘male protector’ helps her with these
problems and he also guards her from attacks, or helps her with problems getting her money. As dancers make their way to the higher nightclubs
(which doesn't happen very often), they graduate to hiring paid, professional body guards that they don’t have sexual relationships with. This helps
them to upgrade themselves to the 5-star status if they have talent and the right contacts.
The low class dancers sleep during the day, work at night, and their life is often filled with the activities of nightlife in Cairo, which usually includes
drinking, gambling and drugs. Along with a male protector, most nightclub dancers have a woman maid that takes care of her clothes, makes
appointments with doctors, arrangements for dance dates, and provides her meals and medicine. This maid often becomes her advisor and some
times, a friend. It is a rather lonely lifestyle.
Most tourists and visitors are guided away from the lesser clubs, as I was for many years. And I confess that when friends visit me, I do not want to
take them into this darker side of Egyptian dance, especially when there is so much good dancing to be seen in the quality, professional
environment of the 5-star venue.
