Raqs Nerd: What I'm reading right now

It's just a brief one this week, as I've been very busy here in Manchester doing all the final organising tasksfor Tevec's Turkish workshops this weekend (and by the way, I've just seen her slides for the "history and development of bellydance in Istanbul" lecture now, and as a nerd I am now VERY EXCITED for all the fascinating info and footage she's going to be sharing! Join it online here)

So in a departure from my normal long (and maybe slightly rambling) emails, here's a little insight into what I'm currently reading, and my to-read pile...

Just finished reading: "Core Connections: Cairo Belly Dance in the Revolution's Aftermath" by Christine M Shahin

I would recommend this to every dancer as essential background insight into the current realities of bellydance in Cairo. If you've travelled there and been to dance shows, it will add a lot of context to what you've experienced including from the points of view of the dancers themselves; if you haven't, it provides an important glimpse into the complex and shifting roles of bellydancers in Egyptian society. The writing style can be very academic at times, but it's worth pushing through and persevering!

Just started reading: "Media of the Masses: Cassette Culture in Modern Egypt" by Andrew Simon

I was tipped off to the existence of this book by my current favourite blog and I'm rather excited to get into it - it's basically a history of modern Egypt through the lens of audio cassettes... And therefore, inevitably, sha'abi music! I've only read the introduction so far, but it seems like it'll be a fascinating window into a recent era of Egyptian history, and the social role of singers like Ahmed Adaweya and Sheikh Imam...

Next on the "to read" pile: "The Othered Woman: How White Feminism Harms Muslim Women" by Shahed Ezaydi

I haven't started this one yet, but I strongly feel that this is an important topic, especially as a white woman and a feminist taking part in an art from predominantly muslim cultures. And having read some online articles on the topic by the author, Shahed Ezaydi, I look forward to reading more from her.

Next on the "to buy" list: "Manhood Is Not Easy: Egyptian Masculinities Through the Life of Musician Sayyid Henkish" by Karin Van Nieuwkerk

As you may have heard, Sayyid Henkesh - the oldest of the Henkesh brothers - passed away the week before last (الله يرحمه). I had not previously been aware that Karin Van Nieuwkerk (author of "A trade like any other: female singers and dancers in Egypt", which is an absolute must-read for dancers, and which also includes a lot of input from Sayyid and his family) published a whole book about his life, based on extensive interviews. But now that I do know, it is high up on my reading list.

With Love,

PS - every part of this newsletter is written by me, a flesh and blood human being, using my own thoughts, feelings, opinions, and writing style - now and always. This is a generative AI free zone 🚫🤖

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