Belly Dancers | National Geographic

it’s as if it was in her blood belly

it’s as if it was in her blood belly dancing is my life

dancing is my life

dancing is my life when I’m dancing I’m happy I’m elated

when I’m dancing I’m happy I’m elated

when I’m dancing I’m happy I’m elated when I’m not on the stage I’m without a

when I’m not on the stage I’m without a

when I’m not on the stage I’m without a soul but she wasn’t born with this

soul but she wasn’t born with this

soul but she wasn’t born with this traditional Egyptian dance

traditional Egyptian dance

traditional Egyptian dance suryya Carvalho is six thousand miles

suryya Carvalho is six thousand miles

suryya Carvalho is six thousand miles away from her native Brazil a

away from her native Brazil a

away from her native Brazil a professional belly dancer working in

professional belly dancer working in

professional belly dancer working in Cairo the entertainment capital of the

Cairo the entertainment capital of the

Cairo the entertainment capital of the Arab world I came here for the art I

Arab world I came here for the art I

Arab world I came here for the art I worked in Brazil for ten years but I

worked in Brazil for ten years but I

worked in Brazil for ten years but I came here because the art is very

came here because the art is very

came here because the art is very special I feel a big responsibility to

special I feel a big responsibility to

special I feel a big responsibility to get the dancers right because there are

get the dancers right because there are

get the dancers right because there are no Egyptians that I’m a foreigner

no Egyptians that I’m a foreigner

no Egyptians that I’m a foreigner carrying on this tradition some people

carrying on this tradition some people

carrying on this tradition some people believe belly dancing dates back to the

believe belly dancing dates back to the

believe belly dancing dates back to the time of the Pharaohs others say had

time of the Pharaohs others say had

time of the Pharaohs others say had developed as a pelvic exercise a way to

developed as a pelvic exercise a way to

developed as a pelvic exercise a way to help women in childbirth feel less pain

this is the oldest loot store in Cairo

this is the oldest loot store in Cairo for almost a hundred years it’s been

for almost a hundred years it’s been

for almost a hundred years it’s been crafting the instrument of the dance Eid

crafting the instrument of the dance Eid

crafting the instrument of the dance Eid Muhammad Ali has witnessed the rise and

Muhammad Ali has witnessed the rise and

Muhammad Ali has witnessed the rise and fall of the art from right here in his

fall of the art from right here in his

fall of the art from right here in his neighborhood years ago you would find

neighborhood years ago you would find

neighborhood years ago you would find belly dancers and musicians standing

belly dancers and musicians standing

belly dancers and musicians standing outside ready to go to weddings or

outside ready to go to weddings or

outside ready to go to weddings or parties but now it’s different in the

parties but now it’s different in the

parties but now it’s different in the last 20 years as Islamic conservatives

last 20 years as Islamic conservatives

last 20 years as Islamic conservatives have preached a more puritanical

have preached a more puritanical

have preached a more puritanical morality some people have come to

morality some people have come to

morality some people have come to believe that belly dancing is Haram or

believe that belly dancing is Haram or

believe that belly dancing is Haram or taboo that attitude upsets foois woozy

taboo that attitude upsets foois woozy

taboo that attitude upsets foois woozy she’s one of the few Egyptians taking it

she’s one of the few Egyptians taking it

she’s one of the few Egyptians taking it up professionally

up professionally

up professionally by the government it’s legal and we have

by the government it’s legal and we have

by the government it’s legal and we have licenses it’s not something embarrassing

licenses it’s not something embarrassing

licenses it’s not something embarrassing I’m not embarrassed I don’t listen to

I’m not embarrassed I don’t listen to

I’m not embarrassed I don’t listen to them I believe in what I’m doing to me

them I believe in what I’m doing to me

them I believe in what I’m doing to me what I’m doing is right and I’m not

what I’m doing is right and I’m not

what I’m doing is right and I’m not going to pay attention it would others

going to pay attention it would others

going to pay attention it would others say some Egyptians who remember that

say some Egyptians who remember that

say some Egyptians who remember that special magic feel that for all their

special magic feel that for all their

special magic feel that for all their skills up incoming dancers like seraya

skills up incoming dancers like seraya

skills up incoming dancers like seraya still lack something essential the

still lack something essential the

still lack something essential the foreigners they learn faster than

foreigners they learn faster than

foreigners they learn faster than Egyptians but they have the fitness for

Egyptians but they have the fitness for

Egyptians but they have the fitness for it but on the other hand they don’t have

it but on the other hand they don’t have

it but on the other hand they don’t have a feeling for the music where the dance

a feeling for the music where the dance

a feeling for the music where the dance itself it’s not like you can teach

itself it’s not like you can teach

itself it’s not like you can teach someone and should just go out and do it

someone and should just go out and do it

someone and should just go out and do it no you have to reveal it and they’ll act

no you have to reveal it and they’ll act

no you have to reveal it and they’ll act the Egyptians sense of it but after

the Egyptians sense of it but after

the Egyptians sense of it but after years of study it’s second nature for

years of study it’s second nature for

years of study it’s second nature for Sariah her dedication is putting her in

Sariah her dedication is putting her in

Sariah her dedication is putting her in the spotlight Kairos Sheraton hotel is

the spotlight Kairos Sheraton hotel is

the spotlight Kairos Sheraton hotel is one of the best places in the city to

one of the best places in the city to

one of the best places in the city to perform a stage many dancers dream of

perform a stage many dancers dream of

perform a stage many dancers dream of tonight she gets to live that dream