We associate Egypt with its ancient civilisation and its conservative reality now, and pole dancing with sleazy clubs for gentlemen, to use a lovely euphemism.
This gallery is not necessarily aiming to change this perception completely, but to challenge it and add a few more shades of grey in between.
In other words, what happens if you mix the two? Who are the Egyptian girls who do pole dancing, and why do they do it?
Uploaded on: 2018-02-17.
Map showing Cairo, Egypt location (opens in OpenStreetMap)
This photo story would not be possible if it wasn't for the help of Olivia who is a pole dancing instructor in Cairo, and helped me to get permission to photograph her classes.ISO 100, 14mm, f/4.0, 1/1000s.
When I visited Egypt, Olivia lived in the studio itself. She's originally from Mexico, and had had serious doubts about coming here, aware of Egypt's reputation and its dominant religion - Islam. "Wait, so I'll have to live in Egypt for one year?"ISO 450, 14mm, f/2.0, 1/50s.
Olivia's backround is quite fascinating. After practising synchronised swimming and ballet, and even artistic roller skating, she was captivated by pole dancing and pole fitness. She says it offers more freedom than ballet, and it combines strength, flexibility, and acrobatics to an extent ballet does not.ISO 1250, 48mm, f/2.8, 1/80s.
The origins of pole dancing may not be what you expect. Apparently, it began as a male-only discipline in India, and hundreds of years ago at that. It was only in the late 19th century US that it acquired its form, or at least what we most commonly associate it with. [1]ISO 2000, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/80s.
The studio is located at Zamalek, a fairly tolerant and affluent area, and in fact an island on the Nile. Here, many embassies are located, and many expats live. If you read Naguib Mahfouz, you will be familiar with this neighbourhood.ISO 100, 14mm, f/4.5, 1/500s.
While she was changing, I inspected other rooms - this is where you warm up, and spend the first days as a student, so you don't hurt yourself with the pole. You build up some strength that pole fitness requires.ISO 160, 14mm, f/2.0, 1/50s.
You can tell Olivia is a professional - she was actually bothered to do her warm up. I can't remember the last time I did that, and I hit the gym on a regular basis (although my friends say it's not to exercise but to practice cool poses in the mirrors - those are damned lies).ISO 1000, 14mm, f/1.8, 1/50s.
This pose is called handspring fang. I was interested in capturing the physical effort and strain that pole dancing and pole fitness require.ISO 900, 14mm, f/1.8, 1/200s.
Most pole dancing and pole fitness photos are glamourised - I was looking for a more realistic representation that would allow you to appreciate what it takes to do this stuff.ISO 560, 14mm, f/1.8, 1/125s.
Olivia says that people tend to underestimate how difficult pole fitness is because performers smile. It's an act though, as pole requires remarkable levels of fitness and core strength.ISO 1400, 14mm, f/1.8, 1/125s.
There are three basic types of poles - they differ in diameter. 45 mm being the industry standard, 40 mm for those with a small grip, and then there's 50 mm. Poles with diameters in between can also be found. These here are 45 mm.ISO 1000, 48mm, f/2.8, 1/80s.
The view from the studio. The traffic in Egypt is quite bad, but not as bad as in Iran or Thailand, according to official statistics. [3]ISO 100, 14mm, f/4.5, 1/800s.
The studio is in an inconspicuous building, and there are no signs or ads here. "All advertisement is done online", says Lamia, the owner. It's easier that way.ISO 100, 14mm, f/3.5, 1/125s.
In the West, we think of pole dancing as something sleazy. In Egypt, surprisingly, it's not necessarily so. It's meant to be perceived as yet another Western influence, yes, but Egypt has no strip clubs, and so it's not necessarily associated with the sex industry.ISO 2500, 28mm, f/2.8, 1/80s.
The fact that men are not allowed here makes it easier for the neighbours to accept the place, and they think it's an ordinary fitness place anyway.ISO 720, 14mm, f/1.8, 1/50s.
I got Olivia to pose here, and the people were thrilled to look at her.ISO 100, 34mm, f/2.8, 1/320s. This image has been flipped horizontally for Western viewers.
The street was originally called Soliman Pasha Street after a French-born general under Muhammad Ali, but it was renamed in 1954 to remove reminders of the Muhammad Ali dynasty and British occupation era. Regardless, the buildings here are clearly inspired by the French neoclassical architecture, so the attempts to mask colonial Egypt's history have not been entirely successful. [2] This place could not be more different from your typical Egyptian tourist destination. When I took a photo here, I heard a police siren, and someone came to me to assure me it wasn't about me, while another person stopped to talk to me about the history of the neighbourhood. No "special price just for you!" here.ISO 100, 14mm, f/4.0, 1/250s.
This is where I met one of Olivia's students - Aya. Her husband contrasted the relatively cool, narrow streets of Old Cairo with these - even Egyptians can't take the heat in summer, so all homes come with air-conditioning. But then ambulances and fire brigades can access these streets, so it's a trade-off.ISO 100, 24mm, f/7.1, 1/640s.
Aya told me she was bored to tears by the gym, and decided to try pole fitness instead. Aware of the negative connotations, she hesitated to tell about it her then boyfriend and future husband, Hamid (who took it stoically, after all).ISO 100, 50mm, f/1.6, 1/100s.
Olivia on Egypt: "In spite of the fact that 9 years ago (2009) I had the opportunity to visit Egypt as a tourist, I knew living in an Arab country will not be exactly the same as the experience of a one-off traveler. I did not know what to expect as a young woman from abroad in the Muslim world. News about religious and political conflicts were the only thing we hear in Mexico from Egypt... But something helped me change my mind."ISO 100, 50mm, f/1.4, 1/6400s.
If Hamid was reluctant at first, he then appreciated the pole. While most newly wed couples turn the spare room into a future baby room, they instead turned it into a gym.ISO 180, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/100s.
Aya said fitness in general is relatively new to Egyptian society. "Our parents' generation - they don't really get it." But as more and more people have sitting jobs, being physically active at least a few times per week becomes a necessity.ISO 560, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/100s.
But these women were not children. They seemed to me strong and confident, in a society that doesn't leave a lot of room for women at all.ISO 640, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/50s.
Olivia on why she decided to move to Mexico: "Why not learn from the inside about a complete different culture and, share my passion for pole to other women at the same time?"ISO 1600, 66mm, f/2.8, 1/80s.
Her thoughts on Egypt: "Surprisingly, I was wrong [about Egypt's reputation]. Egypt welcomed me in every sense. The food is very delicious, a very interesting cultural heritage, and Arabic... well, that wasn't so easy, to be honest, but I became motivated to explore it a bit."ISO 250, 14mm, f/1.8, 1/50s.
Olivia was instrumental in opening the studio: "Moving to the other side of the world, being part of the opening of a brand-new studio and training can be overwhelming. Fortunately, the girls made it easy. Egyptians are friendly and kind. Women are much more open-minded than what I have imagined. Eager to learn about these aerial arts, committed and persevering. In general terms, they are hardworking and independent."ISO 560, 32mm, f/2.8, 1/50s.
To me, the girl on the right, Hadil, was the bravest. She was only just beginning to learn pole dancing, and she was very clearly terrified by my presence. But she came to be photographed nevertheless.ISO 450, 56mm, f/2.8, 1/50s.
Aya mentioned to me what society expects of Egyptian women. "We're to move in the streets like we weren't there. There's no room for femininity. Training here gives an opportunity to feel like a woman again".ISO 560, 70mm, f/2.8, 1/50s.
No men other than her husband, father, brothers, and sons can see Aya's hair. Men are permitted to see her hands, feet, and face.ISO 720, 70mm, f/2.8, 1/50s.
She would not mind exercising among men, but they would not be allowed to touch her. Olivia, being a female instructor, can.ISO 500, 70mm, f/2.8, 1/50s.
Olivia on her students: "From kids, to students, full-time moms, professionals, self-employers, owners, famous belly dancers; all of them with the only purpose of become better, and for me, it was a pleasure to be part of this adventure."ISO 800, 24mm, f/3.2, 1/50s.
The girls talked about the pole dance perception in Egypt, saying more and more people appreciated their strenght and did not think of them as strippers. [4]ISO 320, 14mm, f/1.8, 1/50s.
Olivia estimates only 1% of injuries are caused by falls. Most of them are injuries of the shoulers - caused by poor technique.ISO 640, 36mm, f/2.8, 1/50s.
"There is sexual harassment in the streets in Egypt, so many girls are afraid to walk with their heads up," said Nouran. "I've learned to hold my head high because of how strong pole dancing makes me feel." [4]ISO 2000, 60mm, f/2.8, 1/50s.
Olivia says that the only significant difference she found between Egypt and Central America was the option to do female-only classes—in her country, mixed classes are commonplace. [4]ISO 500, 14mm, f/1.8, 1/50s.
The cloth is used to wipe the pole clean when it gets too wet from the sweat (which makes it difficult to get a proper grip).ISO 640, 45mm, f/2.8, 1/80s.
The studio has recently invited children as well - to further promote the image of pole fitness being indeed a fitness activity.ISO 2200, 32mm, f/2.8, 1/80s.
Olivia says " at the end, they were not my students anymore: They became my family." Big thanks to Olivia, Aya, Nouran, Hadil, and Lamia for making this photo story possible!ISO 1800, 24mm, f/5.0, 1/50s.Sources
