Gypsy In Cairo

A pioneer in theatrical belly dance, Johara has brought her unique vision to the stage since 2001. Her theatrical productions began as fundraising events supporting human rights organizations that assist victims of human trafficking.

Her shows featured Snake Dance Company and special guest performers presenting Johara’s innovative choreographies. These works range from traditional Middle Eastern dance to creative fusions with Latin, contemporary, and Hollywood-inspired fantasy, all woven together through dramatic storytelling, lighting, costume design, casting and multimedia presentations.

In her debut show, Celestial Bodies: 2001 Bellydance Odyssey, she channeled her theme of the five senses into original poetry, choreography and costumes artfully represented in the production. Her 2003 show, East Meets West: America Arabian- Style, expressed an intricate and complex theme of the historical and ongoing intercultural exchanges of dance and popular culture between the US and Egypt, and included such sub themes as the orientalist perceptions of the dance. In 2005, Johara created one of her most extravagant productions, A Gypsy in Cairo, in which she added a complex story line, narration, acting, elaborate set design, and a 36- member cast – one of her largest casts ever. It was a full year in the making, and brought down the house at the sold-out Regent Theater in Arlington, Massachusetts. In 2009, Johara returned to the Regent Theater with Harvest Moon in which she added original film backdrop by Garabed Setrakian for her gothic story- dance trilogy, Vampire Bride. Johara has continued to push the boundaries of her genre with such dances as Un-caged, a dance fantasy with giant Isis wings performed to Led Zeppelin’s Kashmir, and Maypole, incorporating the pagan ritual dance of weaving ribbons around a maypole. She continues her exploration of middle eastern folk dance with her Egyptian Saidi stick and Gawazee dance and Saudi Khaleeji.