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Travel Times
Need exercise? Relaxation? Take the first step
By Tamer Hafez
Life in the business world can be a pressure cooker and decompressing at the end of the day is often easier said than done. So why not invest in something that is virtually guaranteed to pay off in fun, exercise and stress relief – Latin dancing.
The options are many. Argentine tango is a timeless dance in which connection and passion between partners is more important than complexity of steps. Salsa and cha-cha-cha have fun-filled songs with lots of turns and fancy moves that can make dancers come alive. In rumba, a slow variation of the salsa basic step, dancers use the sway of their hips and upper body movements to express emotions generated by the music. The waltz is a dance of love that transports dancers to a different time and place with its exaggerated moves and postures.
Dance classes are available at many Cairo area health clubs. Dansation, in Mohandiseen, offers tango, salsa and rueda (a round-dancing variation of salsa) and Latin classes that bundle eight dances into two levels. Samia Allouba Center has branches throughout Cairo and offers six Latin dances, while Arthur Murray in Maadi offers 11.
“Latin dancing is a social dance,” says Mourad Abdallah, a professional dancer and owner of Dansation. “Ten years ago, society was not really accepting of such dances, but now the community is open.”
Getting started
It is natural to feel intimidated when facing a new challenge, but “everyone can do it if they train with a professional who has a proper curriculum,” says Abdallah. “It is all about your personality and preferences.”
Karim Ezz, a 41-year-old business owner, had never considered dancing. “When I was young, my friends would go to a disco and I would sit by the side and not even think about dancing – not even moving to the music.” At the time, Ezz was a martial arts expert, but an accident ended his fighting career. “After two years of therapy, I started going to the gym and from there was introduced to salsa. I was so shy that I literally had my back to the wall in the first class.” After 12 years of salsa, he recently moved to tango. “I feel that tango is a more elegant dance; the amount of concentration and listening to the music transports you to another place. It is also good for your posture; I feel taller when I walk.”
Ola Zayan, a mother of two in her late 30s, used to be stressed by the demands of running her own business and a home. “I never really liked exercising or walking – they are boring – and I always liked Latin dancing. At the beginning, I took dancing as an alternative to sports, with the added benefits of having music and interaction with new people. I took it as a kind of meditation and self expression.” Zayan took up tango last year and found that it was a good way to block out everything in the outside world and re-energize. “I am a much calmer and happier person now. I have stopped rushing things. Because of this, my ability to handle problems has improvedsignificantly. Physically, my posture while sitting at a computer is correct, I feel taller while walking and somehow feel healthier.”
For Jaine Aziz, an NGO administrator in her early 50s, tango has been much more than a stress reliever. “Since I began dancing tango about a year and a half ago, life has taken on a new meaning. I’ve learned to appreciate an entire new genre of music, as well a dance form that is elegant, centered and full of soul,” she says. “Being part of the tango world has offered me a new language, a shared passion for dancing and countless places to which I can travel to find venues to dance and people to dance with.”
Where to go
Latin nights typically run from 9pm to midnight. Saturday is tango night at Dansation and nearby Bian Café. At Samia Allouba in Maadi, Saturday is for tango beginners with Thursday reserved for experienced dancers. At the Swiss Club in Kit Kat, Tuesday is for all levels For LE 20, the club offers a less formal session from 8pm to 11pm where people can simply dance or learn and practice steps with attending instructors or advanced dancers. For those with deeper pockets, the Conrad Cairo Hotel sets aside one night a month for tango. Saturday is tango night at the Portuguese Club in Alexandria’s Kafr Abdo district. Admission is LE 30.
Salsa lovers can pretty much dance all week: Sunday at Stiletto across from the Sheraton Cairo in Dokki; Monday at the Nile Maxim in Zamalek; Wednesday at the Hard Rock Café in Garden City; and Thursday at Bian Café in Zamalek. Admission prices start from LE 50 and all start about 9pm.
Facebook can be an excellent means to keep up with Cairo’s dance community, with several groups posting regular updates. Among the most active are two Tango Club Egypt groups – in Cairo and Alexandria, the Swiss Club “practica” group, Salsa Club Egypt and Egypt Salsa Mania. Dansation, Samia Allouba and Latino Dance Studio also make use of the social networking site.
What to wear
The most important thing is the shoes. Nonetheless, without professional dancing shoes, classic shoes should suffice for beginners. If you’ll be stepping out often, however, you may want to step up to some good shoes. Dansation offers a wide selection of men’s and women’s tailor-made dancing shoes for about LE 300. Buying online is another option.
Men’s shoes, whether professional or classic, should have smooth, flexible soles for easy spot-turning or pivoting, and should fit perfectly. If the soles are rubber-based, they need to be dense to provide stability when pivoting. Women’s shoes should be comfortable, with heels generally ranging from 5cm to 8.5cm.
The smart-casual nature of Egypt’s Latin dance nights requires little more than a pressed shirt and matching pants for men, while women favor comfortable dresses or skirts. Whatever the wardrobe, comfort is the priority.
Dance etiquette
The man usually initiates the dance, and he has no more than 30 seconds after the music begins to do so. He should maintain eye contact and speak clearly to his prospective partner, then lead her onto the floor. Then he should take a moment to connect with his partner and the music before starting to dance.
If at all possible, it is considered good form to complete at least two dances. The first is usually an exploration dance, so keep it simple. Partners should use the pause between dances to introduce themselves, and wait five or six seconds after the second song starts before continuing to dance. And remember, it’s up to the woman to determine a comfortable distance from her partner.
Two golden rules for dancers: never apologize when a miscommunication occurs; try to correct the step or start over, and never stop in the middle of a dance to correct your partner.
“Learning Latin dancing can change your life,” Abdullah says. “It is all about having fun.”
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