Belly dancers lose court battle

Up to a third of the dancers in Cairo clubs were foreign, it was estimated.

An Egyptian court has upheld a ruling banning foreign women from working as belly dancers in the country many consider to be the home of the dance.

The court rejected an appeal by Russian and Australian dancers who worked in night clubs in Egypt until the ban came into effect on 1 January.

A recent influx of foreigners eager to undertake the often well-paid work was thought to be behind the ruling.

"Oriental" dancing, as it is known, is big business in Cairo's night spots.

A top belly dancer commands about $3,145 a night - a price foreign dancers had been happy to undercut.

The administrative court at the Council of State in Cairo ruled that the Ministry of Manpower had been empowered to prevent non-Egyptians working in certain professions, reported Reuters news agency.

Caroline Evanoff, an Australian dancer who brought the action with another dancer, said she was unsure what she would do - especially given that competition for dancing jobs in other Middle Eastern countries was fierce.

Previously, foreign women had been thought to account for up to a third of all oriental dancers in Egypt.

'Creative'

Some night clubs expressed anger that they are no longer allowed to employ them.

"The foreigners were creative, looking at old Egyptian movies to come up with new routines," one night club manager told the New York Times.

"They are not like the Egyptians, who think they just know how to dance and because they are Egyptian, everyone will love them automatically."

But other Egyptians argue that only Egyptians can be genuine practitioners of the dance.

The problem is, say correspondents, that although many Egyptians are keen to preserve the tradition, few parents would like their own daughters to become dancers.