Et voila... Fall came overnight.
Ismael Ludman and Maria Mondino have left Cairo after a beautiful weekend of classes and dancing... And the few of us who are obsessed with Argentine Tango here in Egypt seem to be feeling an acute withdrawal after such a high. Or I am, at least. Photos went up all over facebook, people were excited, and everyone's iPod went on Piazzolla overload. For the first time in months, I was happy to wake up in the morning: I quit everything for 4 days, skipped my Egyptology courses, and surrendered to the world of tango. For 4 days I dreamt that I had nothing else to do with my life, and by the end, was convinced that there is nothing else to do with my life...
Now some are asking the question: how do we keep the tango community alive in Cairo? Not only alive but passionate, humble, beautiful...? I am now asking, how do I keep myself alive when I am NOT dancing tango? It sounds like awful melodrama but I find when I am not dancing tango, listening to tango, thinking about or talking about tango, I am moody, generally pissed off, and bored. I spend my time looking up videos on YouTube, perusing studio websites of all the places I will be in the next 6 months, and stretching my feet, my legs, my hips, and my back.
On Friday, I went to Pelusiam, close to the Suez Canal, where the Egyptians chopped off Pompey's head while he was fleeing the armies of Julius Caesar. The Egyptians then presented the head to Caesar, who feigned disgust and then shacked up with Cleopatra.
On Saturday, there was a milonga at Bian Caffé in Mohandiseen.
j.a.
