If you enjoy belly dancing, Kairo Kafé is the place to be. Fridays and Saturday nights at 10pm the belly dancer can be found whirling and moving around the floor entertaining customers young and old.
 
Belly dance is a Western term for traditional Arab dance styles, especially raqs sharqi. It is sometimes called "Middle Eastern Dance" or "Arabic Dance" in the United States, or by the Turkish term ciftetelli. Belly dance is a misnomer as all parts of the body are involved in the dance, the most featured body part in raqs sharqi being the hips. Belly dance takes many different forms depending on country and region, both in costume and dance style, and new styles have been invented in the West as its popularity has spread worldwide.


In Egypt, three main forms of the traditional dance are associated with belly dance: Baladi, Sha'bi and Sharqi. Baladi is a folk style of dance from the Arab Tribes who settled in Upper Egypt.
 
Sharqi is based on the baladi style but was further developed by Samia Gamal, Tahiya Karioka, Naima Akef and other dancers who rose to fame during the golden years of the Egyptian film industry. Later dancers who based their styles partially on the dances of these artists are Sohair Zaki, Fifi Abdou, and Nagwa Fouad. All rose to fame between 1960 and 1980, and are still popular today.

Though the basic movements of Raqs Sharqi are unchanged, the dance form continues to evolve. Nelly Mazloum and Mahmoud Reda are noted for incorporating elements of ballet into belly dance, and their influence can be seen in modern Egyptian dancers who stand on relevé as they turn or travel in a circle or figure eight.

Irina is our resident Belly Dancer, and hails all the way from Russia. Her seductive moves combined with her good heart and intuition for amazing song selection is another reason to stop by Kairo on the weekends. You can catch her in all her glory on Friday and Saturday both upstairs and down. Read Irina's interview to learn more about what drives her, and what her favorite hookah flavor is.

Where did you grow up?
Irina: I came from a small town called Volgodonsk in Russia and lived there until I was 21 at which point I heard about this student exchange program. The program interested me so I decided to take the chance, and now I am here (smile).

How did you choose New Jersey?
Irina: Actually I was supposed to go to New Hampshire, but my sister lives in NJ, and I heard that NJ is one of the more upbeat states, so I decided to come here. Also it's close to New York, which is always fun.

Nice, well we are glad to have you hear, so what are some of your hobbies?
Irina: Dancing is one of my hobbies for sure. (thinks for a little) I have never had a collection of something or anything like that. I used to go to music school and play piano. I enjoy watching movies and also looking for new good music, especially club music. I like to go to the good night clubs and open air places in the summer time. I also love to cook international foods from different countries.

What do you like about dancing?
Irina: I have so much energy afterwards, and I like when people watch me. To see their eyes, and smiles, and seeing that I am making people happy because of my dancing makes me happy. I also feel beautiful and womanly in the costume. I love all types of dance, not just belly dancing. I think that when you dance you can to show who you are, what you feel, if you are sad or happy, and it's the best way to feel better, to feel yourself. Dancing makes me feel like a woman with a big W!

Where do you get inspiration for dancing?
Irina: I saw Shakira, singing "Whenever, Whenever," and I was shocked how she dances and how she moves, and thought to myself I wanted to do something like that. I took a couple of classes in Russia just for myself, I didn't dance in restaurants, or on stage, I just felt good learning to dance. I was 14 then, the age when a girl feels ugly, it’s a difficult age, but dancing helped me to love myself.

What are your goals for the future?
Irina: For dancing I will take classes in NYC and do it as a profession. I would like to travel to Egypt, because they have some of the most famous belly dancers in the world, as well as Morocco and Turkey. I would like to open my own beauty salon, it's a dream, it's my plan. I miss studying as well, so I will take some history classes soon too.

Nice so you want to travel! If you could travel any where you want where would it be? 
Irina: Egypt is my number one destination because of the culture, history, amazing deserts, architecture, and religion. I also want to go to brazil because I saw this beautiful movie called Clone and it is about a Brazilian guy and a woman who fall in love in Morocco. She was a dancer who had an arranged marriage, but loved the Brazilian man. She couldn't marry him because the difference in religion, and for 20 years they would get together and every time they would meet she would dance for him, and that’s why he fell in love with her. After 20 years they finally get married, and move to Brazil, and so some of the movie is shot in Brazil. That’s why I want to go there (giggle).

Okay awesome, so now that we are ordering food, what do you like on your pizza?
Irina: Do you have a menu? I like veggies with some meat. Broccoli and olives please.

Okay so last two questions, What is your favorite dish at kairo?
Irina: I love the Kairo Salad with Chicken, which is of course second to and their chocolate cake!

Okay now I'm defiantly hungry, and what is your favorite hookah flavor at kairo?
Irina: I love the Kairo Special in a fruit bowl.

Thanks so much for talking with me.
Irina: Thank you, lets eat.