"The Oriental Café Podcast"
by Joana Saahirah
A place where we´ll meet, every two weeks, for an intimate yet universal conversation about Egyptian Dance, Personal Empowerment and Life.Solo and with hand-picked guests, we´ll exchange, laugh, build bridges of understanding and mutual inspiration around a good cup of tea, in the warmth of a cafe where the world is one.
Episodes
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Episode #59 - Opening an Oriental Dance School in Tunisia
Welcome to episode #59 of "The Oriental Café" podcast hosted by Joana Saahirah, where we receive Mina Ali, a professional oriental dancer and teacher, a gutsy businesswoman, and the creator of "Studio Mina Ali" in Tunisia. In this episode, we explore how it feels to grow up between cultures -...
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5 Sacred Keys to Unlock the Soul of Belly Dance - Episode #58
Welcome to "5 Sacred Keys to Unlock the Soul of Belly Dance", episode #58 of "The Oriental Café" Podcast hosted by Joana Saahirah🌞🙏🎙️ In this episode, I share 5 keys that unlock the soul, the magic, and the real purpose of Egyptian Dance, commonly and erroneously called "belly dance". 🎁To…
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Episode #57 - A Turkish Romani Dancer in the World
Welcome to episode #57 of "The Oriental Café" podcast with Eva Cernik, our guest, a world-known Turkish Romani Dance Master and Researcher with more than 50 years of experience in the field, hosted by Joana Saahirah. In this episode, we dive into what it takes to create and sustain a long-term...
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Dance as a Bridge to Human Connection - Episode #56
Welcome to episode #56 of "The Oriental Café" podcast with Marianne Jost, Relationship Coach & Partner Dance/Movement, and Joana Saahirah, your host. In this episode, we explore dance as a tool for human connection, the polarity that connects us to others - I versus Us -, the importance of...
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Episode #55 - The Routines of a Professional Belly Dancer
Welcome to episode #55 of "The Oriental Café" podcast hosted by Joana Saahirah🎙️🧿💜 In this episode, I share the routines of a professional oriental dancer (aka "belly dancer"). What matters, and what doesn´t. And what it takes to materialize the dance career of your dreams in its different...
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The Serpent of the Nile Speaks: Belly Dance Revolution and Authorship - Episode #54
Welcome to episode #54 of "The Oriental Café" podcast with Wendy Buonaventura, the author of the iconic book "The Serpent of the Nile", and a renowned dancer and teacher in the field of Oriental Dance. In this episode, I, Joana Saahirah, your excited host, and our guest, one I´ve been dreaming...
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Episode #53 - How to deal with Stage Fright in the field of Belly Dance
Welcome to "How to deal with Stage Fright in the field of Belly Dance", episode #53 of "The Oriental Café" podcast by yours truly, Joana Saahirah🎙️🧿💜 In this episode, I share a lot of my experience as a professional oriental dancer on the stages of the world, starting in Egypt where I launched...
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Creating Your Identity in Belly Dance - Episode #52
Welcome to episode #52 of "The Oriental Café" podcast by Joana Saahirah, where we receive Ahmed Refaat, a pioneering master dance teacher in the fields of Egyptian Oriental and Folkloric Dance. In this episode, we´re digging into the art of creating your own identity as a dancer, what it takes to...
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Episode #51 - Powerful Mindset Rules for Belly Dancers
Welcome to "Powerful Mindset Rules for Belly Dancers" (Oriental Dancers, if you wish to say it correctly), episode #51 of "The Oriental Café" podcast by yours truly, Joana Saahirah🎙️🧿💜 In this episode, I share game-changing mindset rules that empower the dance and life of oriental dancers, aka...
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The first foreign belly dancer in Egypt - Episode #50
Welcome to episode #50 of "The Oriental Café" podcast with our guest, Judy Reda, the first foreign oriental dancer in Egypt. In this episode, Judy tells us about the life of the first professional foreign oriental dancer in Egypt in the golden days. We talk about her relationship with musicians,...
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O Poder da Dança Feminina e da Individualidade - Extra episode, recorded in Portuguese, with Paula Lena Karima
Bem-vindos ao episódio "O Poder da Dança Feminina e da Individualidade", um bónus do podcast "The Oriental Café", gravado em Português, com a convidada Paula Lena Karima, a fundadora do Movimento NeoBaladi. Neste episódio, falamos em profundidade sobre o Feminino, as Danças Árabes e do Norte de...
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Episode #49 - How to Create a Fabulous Egyptian Drum Solo
Welcome to episode #49 of "The Oriental Café" Podcast hosted by Joana Saahirah. 🎤🎧✨In this episode, I share guidance on how to create a fabulous Egyptian Drum/Tabla Solo. 🎤🎧✨To listen to our Podcast on the usual audio platforms (Spotify & Apple Podcasts), follow this link:...
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Music & Intimacy with my Husband - Episode #48
Welcome to episode #48 of "The Oriental Café" podcast, the 1st in our 3rd season, with our second-time guest, my husband, Miguel, hosted by yours truly, Joana Saahirah🎙️🌞 In this episode, we go deep into Music and Intimacy, two of our favorite subjects. 👉🎶Musical References mentioned in this...
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Episode #47 - Kristin Cyclone and The Art of Resilience
Welcome to episode #47 of "The Oriental Café" Podcast by Joana Saahirah. 🎤🎧✨In this episode, improvised and recorded in exile, I tell you about how it felt going through cyclone Kristin, a weather disaster that destroyed a good portion of Portugal; and how to master the Art of Resilience.…
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The Fascination of the East & the Golden Era in Egypt - Episode #46
Welcome to episode #46 of "The Oriental Café" Podcast with Raphael Cormack, hosted by Joana Saahirah. Raphael Cormack is an author, Assistant Professor of Arabic at Durham University, researcher of Middle Eastern Culture and Language, and a traveler. In this episode, we discuss the West´s...
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Episode #45 - Beauty Standards and Ageism in the field of Egyptian Dance
Welcome to episode #45 of "The Oriental Café" podcast by Joana Saahirah🌹 🎤🎧✨In this episode, I discuss the pressures of beauty standards and ageism in the field of Egyptian Dance, aka belly dance. True to my nature, I tell the truth and drop a few bombs on your lap. With love. To inspire,...
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Egyptian Dance History, Culture & Anthropology - Episode #44
Welcome to episode #44 of "The Oriental Café" podcast with Dr. Tamer Yehia Aziz, hosted by Joana Saahirah. In this episode, I receive Dr. Tamer Yehia Aziz, a respected Egyptian dancer, teacher, and scholar, a passionate advocate for his country, art, and culture. We talk about a wide range of...
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Episode #43 - How to Create Your Unique Dance Style
Welcome to episode #43 of "The Oriental Café" Podcast hosted by Joana Saahirah. In episode #43 of "The Oriental Café" podcast, I, Joana Saahirah, your passionate host, share guidance on how to create your unique dance style, your personal dance language within the universal language of Egyptian...
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Psychology and the Transformative Power of Belly Dance with Jadranka Trickovic-Mohr - Episode #42
Welcome to episode #42 of "The Oriental Café" podcast with Jadranka Trickovic-Mohr, a psychologist, curious soul, and a passionate advocate for Egyptian Dance, hosted by Joana Saahirah. In this episode, I talk with our brilliant guest about psychology, the transformative power of Egyptian Dance -...
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Episode #41 - The Principles of Belly Dance Technique
Welcome to episode #41 of "The Oriental Café" podcast by Joana Saahirah🧿🌙✨ In this episode, I share the principles of Egyptian Dance - aka "belly dance" - Technique. What you need to know and develop if you wish to call yourself an oriental dancer. From the most obvious principles to the ones...
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What it means to be a Legend & a Free Spirit in Egyptian Dance with Mo Geddawi - Episode #40
Welcome to episode #40 of "The Oriental Café" podcast with Dr. Mo Geddawi, a legend in the field of Egyptian Dance (aka "belly dance"), hosted by Joana Saahirah. In this episode, I pick Dr. Mo´s amazing brain and ask him about his exceptional career as a dancer, choreographer, and teacher; his...
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Episode #39 - How to Become a Self-Confident Goddess
How to become a Self-Confident Goddess with unbeatable faith in yourself - as a dancer and a person, on stage and in life🌞💪💋 In episode #39 of "The Oriental Café" podcast, I, Joana Saahirah, your passionate host, share a few powerful strategies for real and long-lasting self-confidence. I draw...
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How to be a Multi-Passionate Creative Goddess with Allegra Aleya Pena - Episode #38
In episode #38 of "The Oriental Café" Podcast, I invite Allegra Aleya Pena, an oriental dancer, healer, and multi-passionate entrepreneur, for a real, bullshit-free, down-to-earth, empowering conversation. We talk about the savage and fascinating world of professional "belly dance" in Egypt, the...
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Episode #37 - How to create an Extraordinary Belly Dance Performance
Welcome to episode #37 of "The Oriental Café" Podcast, hosted by Joana Saahirah, on how to create an extraordinary belly dance performance. In this episode, I draw from more than 25 years of career in the field of Egyptian Oriental and Folkloric Dance - what people tend to call "belly dance"…
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Dancing in Egypt in the 80´s & the Essence of Belly Dance with Leyla Amir - Episode #36
Welcome to episode #36 of "The Oriental Café" Podcast by Joana Saahirah. In this episode, we receive Leyla Amir, the first foreigner who danced professionally in Egypt; a fierce advocate for the art of Egyptian Oriental Dance - aka "belly dance" -, a brilliant businesswoman, and one of the most...
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Episode #35 - Books and Movies recommended for belly dancers
The books and the movies every "belly dancer" - oriental dancer is the correct term - should read and watch. In episode #35 of "The Oriental Café" podcast, I, Joana Saahirah, your host, share my passion for books and movies and what I consider the basics of education for "belly dancers" (oriental...
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Originality in Egyptian Dance and Women´s Empowerment with Elena Chikhladze - Episode #34
Welcome to episode #34 of "The Oriental Café" podcast hosted by Joana Saahirah. In this episode, I invite a fierce, original, and super talented dancer - that´s the fabulous Elena Chikhladze. We met at work, at festivals around the world, and I was immediately in love. Elena is everything I love...
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Episode #33 - The Many Lives of a Professional Belly Dancer
Welcome to episode #33 of "The Oriental Café" Podcast, hosted by Joana Saahirah, on the many lives of a professional oriental dancer (aka "belly dancer"). In this episode, I´m drawing from a successful 25+ year career in the field of Egyptian Oriental & Folkloric Dance - in Egypt and the...
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Tarab, Maqamat, and the Magic of Arabic Music & Dance with Maya Youssef - Episode #32
Welcome to episode #32 of "The Oriental Café" Podcast by Joana Saahirah. In this episode, we receive Maya Youssef, a Syrian musician and composer based in the United Kingdom and master of the qanun🌺🪘🎼 In this episode, Joana Saahirah invites Maya Youssef to discuss Tarab, Maqamat, Taksim & the...
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Episode #31 - The loss of the Soul in Egyptian Dance (and how to bring it back)
Welcome to episode #31 of "The Oriental Café" Podcast, by Joana Saahirah. 🎤🎧✨In this episode, I expose the loss of the soul in Egyptian Dance - aka "belly dance" - and how we can bring that soul back. The soul of the dance and our soul. I point out a few elephants in the room - a dance trend...
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Marketing your Dance & the Joys of Living in Egypt with Katie el Shaarany - Episode #30
How to sell your Egyptian Dance services like a professional; the joys and challenges of living in Egypt; why tapping into your Masculine Polarity may be the most urgent thing you need to do right now - to move the needle in your dance and life -; and much more. In episode #30 of "The Oriental...
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Episode #29 - How I launched my dance career in Egypt
Welcome to episode #29 of "The Oriental Café" podcast hosted by Joana Saahirah. 🎤🎧✨In this episode, I tell the truth about becoming a successful professional oriental dancer in Cairo, Egypt, the Mecca of Egyptian Dance - aka "belly dance". 🎤🎧✨Without sugar-coating it, I share: 1. The first...
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A Male "belly dancer" in a Woman´s World with Arturo Casco - Episode #28
Being a male "belly dancer" in a world of women; the art and preparation behind an exceptional dance performance; and how to erase prejudice with love. This, and more, is what you´ll find in episode #28 of "The Oriental Café" Podcast with our special guest, the talented dancer, Arturo Casco.…
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Episode #27 - Tradition versus Modernization in Egyptian Dance
Welcome to episode #27 of "The Oriental Café" Podcast, by Joana Saahirah. 🎤🎧✨In this episode, I expose the polemic subject of tradition and modernization in Egyptian Dance - aka "belly dance" - and how that confuses and limits the experience of dancers. 🎁To check our Free Learning Resources…
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50 Years in the Belly Dance Business with Mesmera Merkaba - Episode #26
With five decades of work in the field of "Belly Dance", Mesmera Merkaba shares the essentials of her craft, what she values in dance - and life -, and why longevity doesn´t have to be boring or scary. A provocative and deeply stimulating conversation with one of the first oriental dancers I ever...
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Episode #25 - What I´ve learned from my career in Egypt
Welcome to episode #25 of "The Oriental Café" Podcast, by Joana Saahirah. 🎤🎧✨This episode, the first in the second season of the podcast, revolves around what I´ve learned from my dance career in Egypt. 🎁To claim the Gift offered in this episode - the Free Ebook "3 Rules for Success" (for...
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8 Steps to a Happier Life - Episode #24
Welcome to episode #24 of "The Oriental Café" Podcast, by Joana Saahirah, on 8 steps to a better life. 🎤🎧✨In this episode, the last in the 1st season of our podcast, I share 8 steps - or awareness points - that´ll make you happier. 🎁To claim the Gift offered in this episode - a Free Egyptian...
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The Arts & Vulnerability with Eduardo Barreto - Episode #23
I cried and laughed hard when I revised this episode for publication. Eduardo Barreto, a Portuguese-born artist who´s been living and creating in London for more than 30 years, sat with me and reminded me why it´s worth remaining human. He´s a theater and cinema director, screenwriter; initiator…
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What we gained and lost in Egyptian Dance - Episode #22
In episode #22 of "The Oriental Café" Podcast, by yours truly, Joana Saahirah, I share what we´ve gained and lost in the field of Egyptian Dance - aka "belly dance" - in the last decades. 🎤🎧✨I draw from my in-depth experience as a professional dancer and teacher - in Egypt and around the world…
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Arabic Music and Tarab with George Sawa - Episode #21
The magic of Egyptian Music and Dance, Tarab, living between the East and the West; how to deal with tricky musicians, the books that feed our soul, and more. That´s what you´ll find in episode #21 of "The Oriental Café" Podcast with our special guest, Mr. George Sawa. George Sawa is an...
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5 Steps to Become a More Creative Dancer - Episode #20
Welcome to Episode #20 of "The Oriental Café" Podcast by Joana Saahirah about 5 steps you can use to become a more creative dancer🎉 🎤🎧✨In this episode, I share 5 keys to unlock your Creativity and I also answer questions from our podcast community. 🎁To claim your Bonus Sheet with the list of…
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Mahraghanat Dance & Freedom with Hend Elbalouty - Episode #19
Welcome to Episode #19 of "The Oriental Café" Podcast with Hend Elbalouty (by Joana Saahirah). 🎤🎧✨In this episode, I invite Hend Elbalouty, the author of the book "Mahraghanat Dance in Egypt: Between Acceptance and Rejection" to discuss "Mahraghanat" Music and Dance, Patriarchy, what it´s like…
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How to Become a Professional Bellydancer - Episode #18
Welcome to episode #18 of "The Oriental Café" Podcast, hosted by Joana Saahirah, on what it takes to become a professional Oriental Dancer. In this episode, I´m drawing from a successful 20+ year career in the field of Egyptian Oriental & Folkloric Dance - in Egypt and in the International…
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How to be a Multi-Passionate & Ageless Goddess with Jian Sakakeeny - Episode #17
Welcome to episode #17 of "The Oriental Café" Podcast about the Art of Being a Multi-Passionate and Ageless Goddess, an episode featuring one of the dearest members of our global dance community, Jian Sakakeeny. 🎤🎧✨In this episode, I invite Jian Sakakeeny, Miss Senior Universe, to talk about…
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Self-Empowerment Lessons from Egyptian Dance - Episode #16
Welcome to Episode #16 of "The Oriental Café" Podcast by Joana Saahirah about the Self-Empowerment Lessons I´ve learned from Egyptian Dance. 🎉 🎤🎧✨In this episode, I reveal a few of the life-changing lessons I learned from my practice of Egyptian Dance - as a performer, teacher, researcher, and...
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Life in Upper Egypt, Sufism, & Hopping Off the Mouse Wheel with Brian Flynn - Episode #15
Welcome to episode #15 of "The Oriental Café" Podcast dedicated to Life in Luxor, Sacred Art, Sufism, and hopping off the Mouse Wheel, with my guest, the Painter Brian Flynn, a long-time resident in Egypt, a Sufi, and a Seeker. 🎤🎧✨In this episode, I invite Brian Flynn, who has been living and...
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What Makes Egyptian Dance a Magical Art Form - Episode #14
Welcome to Episode #14 of "The Oriental Café" Podcast about "What makes Egyptian Dance a Magical Art Form"🎉 In this episode, I draw from my experience as a professional oriental dancer, in this field, at the highest level, for more than 20 years, and I share the keys to the magic of Egyptian...
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Feminine Power, Persian Roots, and Sufism with Schirin Chams-Diba - Episode #13
Welcome to episode #13 of "The Oriental Café" Podcast dedicated to the Power of the Feminine, Persian Roots, and Sufi Magic with our guest, Schirin Chams-Diba 🎤🎧✨In this episode, I invite Schirin Chams-Diba, a multi-passionate and gorgeous dancer, teacher, and searcher, for a deep and…
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The Egyptian Dancers who Shaped Me - Episode #12
Welcome to Episode #12 of "The Oriental Café" Podcast by Joana Saahirah about the Egyptian Dancers and Teachers who shaped my vision of dance and life🎉 🎤🎧✨In this episode, I celebrate iconic dancers and teachers like Souhair Zaki, Mona el Said, Mahmoud Reda, and more, who educated, inspired…
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Personal Freedom, Astrology, and Friendship - Episode #11 with Susana Vitorino
Welcome to episode #11 of "The Oriental Café" Podcast dedicated to Personal Freedom, Astrology, Friendship (and more), with one of my best friends, Susana Vitorino. 🎤🎧✨In this episode, I invite Susana Vitorino, a professional actress, author, shaman, astrologer, soul whisperer, teacher, and…
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About this show
A place where we´ll meet, every two weeks, for an intimate yet universal conversation about Egyptian Dance, Personal Empowerment and Life.Solo and with hand-picked guests, we´ll exchange, laugh, build bridges of understanding and mutual inspiration around a good cup of tea, in the warmth of a cafe where the world is one.
Hosted by
Joana Saahirah
Categories