The shows that we host stage dancers from all team?
over the UK and beyond. Also, with celebrities in
our audience: Natacha Atlas, Hossam and Ser- Without the Team there is no Planet Egypt. They
ena Ramzy, Yasmina of Cairo, Aziza from Port- are integral to it. We all have forged deep and
land Oregon, as well as well known musicians lasting relationships with each other. Mostly they
Ooojami, Abdel Kader Sadoun, Aziz Chabdis, are unassuming and like being low key. I tend
Sheikh Taha and many more, many high profile to get a lot of credit when really they are just as
teachers, a large number of Arabs and an ex- important as I am. The new website will inform
cited approving audience, mean that what we our supporters about the individual members.
offer is unique. This drives up demand even
more. Moreover, with so many Team members Many of the Team have skills to offer the Com-
on hand, our performers are offered a well man- munity. I am galvanising them to get them out
aged, well staged and slick operation that they there and use Planet Egypt as a resource and
relish being a part of. They know that they can stepping stone to do so. I have taken them to
relax and give their best performance. other events to encourage them to venture fur-
ther a field. Many of them have been with us for
As our events incorporate audiences joining in, years. The longest serving member is Sabeena.
we limit times of shows so that we can make our No get out of Jail card free for her!
events a participatory experience. In addition,
with audiences coming from the West Country, (Evete) What has been your biggest chal-
Cambridge and South Coast, we have to finish lenge in terms of promoting belly dance as
on time so that audiences and performers can an art?
travel home safely. This is a major factor.
(Anne) Well this is a huge question and I hope
We also try and feature a performer every year I can do it justice. Let’s answer it backward.
or two so that they remain fresh and there is Now and for many years we are only featuring
the promise of more for our audiences. Also, it’s professionals who are dedicated to their craft,
fairer to others that want to dance for us as well. so we are already fulfilling our remit. I am very
Due to demand, I only perform once every year involved with Arab Culture, hence my opportu-
and a half or so. Many people don’t even know I nity to work with Egyptian Superstar Hakim. I
perform as I so rarely do. can rely on cultural endorsement for our name,
brand and audience.
Behind the scenes I am allocating performance
spaces until 2013. I have been delayed consid- Moreover, the new website addresses any po-
erably from accepting more dancers / allocat- tential lack of knowledge for UK Teachers of the
ing them as a result of completely re-writing the Dance. We address professional standards and
new website which has been a major time factor conduct, as well as basic information that they
for me. There have also been issues in my per- may find useful in their Teaching Practice. This
sonal life which have delayed me somewhat as is because there are many teachers around who
well. I hope when we launch the new website to may not have had (or chosen to have) formal
concentrate on attending to the long waiting list Teacher Training in this dance and may need
of those who want to dance for us. some support to “raise their game”. I say this,
as I receive swathes of emails from Teachers
(Evete) Is there any possibility that there will (especially those arriving in the UK) who want
be another venue with another Planet Egypt to teach, establish a teaching practice and then
show in the future? ask me things like: what is public insurance, PP1
and where can I get music? I hope that this new
(Anne) Oh yes…. I’m trying to dovetail this with information will be as warmly received as it is
the launch of the new website – around late given. Out of love and respect for this dance.
September I hope! More details to follow later.
Watch this space! Finally, we all have to deal with negative per-
ceptions of this dance. There have always been
(Evete) Can you tell me a bit about your rogue operators. The more we aim to deliver the
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