April 29 is the International Dance Day. At Momondo we totally support a day dedicated to dancing and we've decided to celebrate the day too. Therefore we’ve asked our city bloggers to come up with their favourite spots to go and dance or watch others do it. So put on your boogie shoes and let our bloggers guide you through the best dance spots in cities across the world.
Let's dance #1: Cairo
Photo: Liber
Aside from historic belly dancing Cairo is not well known for its moves, but the glitz and glamour of Cairo’s upper class has not escaped the influence of Britney Spears, who sometimes moves her stomach, but mostly emanates the kind of sexuality considered ‘haram’ in the more conservative Middle East. Arab pop singers have been known to bust a scandalous move in a music video or two, but you won’t find that kind of dancing on just any street or in any Egyptian bar.
If you feel like letting loose, Cairo offers a few choice spots. I chose to embrace my longing to move at the Cairo Jazz Club, which alternates nights of live music with Djs mixing on turntables.
Inside the lights are dim, music thumps out of stacked speakers, and the crowd sways to the funk stylings of one of Cairo’s better known live bands ‘Wust El Balad.’ The club is decked out with long polished wooden tables, brown/orange burnish walls, cushions on couches and chairs patterned with orange and red zebra stripes that oscillate like they, or you, are on hallucinogens. My favorite feature is the lighting; Cairo Jazz Club is lit by colored glass lights on the ceiling and walls that evoke childhood memories of Mancala chips.
Travelers, ex-pats, and well-off Egyptians (read: burly men who just have to be hitting the gym hopped up on ‘roids’ more often than they should and women dressed quite differently than what you see on the street) literally rub shoulders while dancing or getting through the throng of people mobbed around the stage. Wednesday night is the night to go, but on a Tuesday the bar is crowded, as waiters pass out free shots of some kind of disgusting alcoholic orange fizz.
“Cheers,” I say to a group of Australian backpackers as we knock one back. “Gross,” we agree, “but free!” Everyone wins.
Cairo Jazz Club is not for a shoestring budget; in fact, it’s one of the more expensive places I’ve been, but the ambiance and chance to let loose is well worth the price. After enough free orange fizz is passed around, the night steadily progresses from people swaying in their seats to taking the floor and moving, uninhibited, to the beat.
Last call is at 3:30am and Cairo Jazz Club closes at 4am. Reservations are recommended and the more women you bring with you, the better chance you have of getting in. As we stagger out, we are greeted by a stuffed fox on top of a truck. Perhaps he too wanted to strut his stuff?
CAIRO JAZZ CLUB; 197, 26th of July St. Agouza; Cairo
Go further:
Let's dance #2: Swinging New York: Fancy a shag?
Let's dance #3: Dancing down the Spree
Let's dance #4: Dancing 'til dawn on the booze cruise
Let's dance #5: London's retro dance explosion