Ep 165. Luna of Cairo: Life Beyond Dance

Luna is an international belly dance star who performed in Egypt's top hotels and Nile cruises from 2009 to 2018. She has an exceptionally exciting style of dance, and has been featured on Egyptian television. Luna has also appeared in the music videos of some of Egypt's most popular singers, and was a featured dancer in several movies. Luna is in high demand to teach belly dance workshops around the world. She has taught all over the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, Egypt, England, Poland, Japan, China, and Vietnam. She is also a regular teacher at Raqia Hassan’s Ahlan wa Sahlan Festival, which takes place every summer in the Mena House Hotel.In addition to her dancing, Luna holds a Master’s degree in Middle Eastern Studies from Harvard University. She studied radical Islamist movements in the Arab world. She is fluent in Egyptian Arabic, Spanish, and English, and holds a B.A. in journalism and political science.In this episode you will learn about:- Life after Cairo- Applying for a ‘regular’ job after 10 years of dance career- Dealing with stigmas and stereotypes about the belly dance profession- Performing to a diverse Arabic audience- Learning by observingShow Notes to this episode:Find Luna of Cairo on Instagram, FB, and Youtube. Her blog "Kisses from Kairo".Previous episode with Luna:Ep 17. Luna of Cairo: Is Belly Dance Life in Cairo Always a "Fairy Tale"?Follow Iana on Instagram, FB, and Youtube . Check out her teaching platform: the Iana Dance Club. New YouTube show “Artist Date” is available HERE.Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast