The Cleopatra Wig in My Future

It’s August: the one month I take off from teaching each year to enjoy my family and the sun, and to replenish those creative juices.  It’s also the time that I start planning for my students’ next dance season that culminates in our annual Belly Dance Spectacular in May and the Mediterranean Fantasy Festival in July.  This year, I’m cooking up something that has me prickling with excitement.  Starting in the fall, we’re going totally ancient Egypt, baby.  We’ll be immersing ourselves in the history, the art, the women and the goddesses in all of their iconic glory.  Is there a connection to modern Egyptian belly dance? I don’t know, but that’s what we’re going to find out.  By May, not only will we have fabulous new dances and costumes, we will know a little more about our history as human beings.

I’m excited about the ancient Egyptian direction for another reason: I’m considering including Cleopatra wigs with our troupe costumes. It’s partly selfish on my part since I’m about to lose my hair.

Exactly one hour before our last troupe practice for the summer, I learned I have breast cancer.  Two strawberry-sized lumps that had surfaced when breastfeeding my now nine-month old baby girl turned out to be cancerous. In a couple of weeks, I will start chemotherapy, followed by surgery and then radiation.  Fortunately, it looks like I’ll be done with treatment before our May show, and in time to wear a Cleopatra wig.

I have decided to anchor my cancer story within my dance life for several reasons.  For one, I’d rather keep what I am going through separate from the PR firm that I run in my non-dance life. I will share what I need to with my clients, but they certainly don’t need to know every detail.  My main reason, however, is I feel in my heart that my dance community will be a source of strength.  Over my 20 years as a belly dancer, I’ve found the dance community to be endlessly supportive, overwhelmingly loving, and tirelessly life-affirming. 

I have a lot to live for.  I have a wonderful husband, two sweet little children, truly amazing friends, a supportive family and a large and loving extended family through dance.  These next few months aren’t exactly going to be a picnic, but prospects look good.  I trust my doctors at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, I believe in the path we are taking, and they are confident that I’m going to kick this thing and go on to live a long and happy life.  Of course, the happy part is up to me, but thanks to my friends, family and dance community, happiness is well within my reach.

To get updates on how things are going with the big “C,” you can follow this blog.

Information about classes and shows is available on my website: www.AmiraBellyDanceSeattle.com

And, if you’re curious about ancient Egypt stuff, here’s some inspiration: http://www.pinterest.com/amirabellydance/cleopatras-closet/