The Five Elements by Dondi Dahlin

Author:Dondi Dahlin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2016-09-09T10:19:32+00:00

The World’s Handsomest Earth

I was looking into the eyes of one of the most mesmerizing men in the world, spinning and swirling with my diaphanous veils while he smiled and clapped to the rhythm of the drums. He seemed to reach into my soul and touch my heart with his large, deep-set, smiling eyes. Omar Sharif was a legend, and I had been hired to perform for his sixtieth birthday on a small island near Miami.

I was twenty-three years old, and even though Doctor Zhivago and Lawrence of Arabia were movie hits before my time, I was fully aware of Omar Sharif and the magnetic power of this dark, handsome man who epitomized the term movie star.

From the moment I made my entrance at the pool area of the large estate and laid eyes on him, I could tell that he exuded the kinesthetic warmth of an Earth element. Every gesture supported me as a performer, and he embraced me with his attentiveness. He was fully present and giving me his all as an audience member.

I had chosen my music carefully, opening with an Egyptian classic from 1957 called “Tamra Henna,” meaning “Lotus Flower.” Omar was obviously pleased as he tapped his feet and swayed to the music. My second song was “Miserlu,” and again Omar seemed happy with my choices and rose from his chair to dance with me. I was in heaven, dancing with Omar Sharif and hypnotized by his happiness and generous spirit as we held each other’s hands over our heads, laughed, and shared the beauty of Middle Eastern dance, which means so much to Egyptian culture.

As my third song started, within seconds I knew it was not a good choice. But in 1992, my career in the Middle East wouldn’t start for another six years, and minding cultural taboos of Middle East relations had not yet become second nature to me. I had always been friends with both Jews and Arabs and I didn’t understand the faux pas I was making by choosing an Israeli singer to honor an Arab.

The artist I chose for my third song was Ofra Haza, a singer of Yemeni descent. Her music was a glorious celebration of love, life, and people. It had an Arabic flavor and rhythm and was popular throughout the Middle East. But she was Israeli.

As my song started and Hebrew singing came through the speakers, Omar’s eyes widened. He slowed in his dancing and said to me softly and plaintively, “Is this Israeli music?”

I smiled enthusiastically and said, “Yes!”

He gently smiled back and said he couldn’t dance with me anymore. He sat down.

The faux pas that I had made hit me in an instant and I responded with concern on my face about the confused look on Omar Sharif’s face. He encouraged me to keep dancing. He sat at the edge of my stage, watched me intently, smiled, clapped, and continued to be the best audience member I had ever had, despite my making one of the worst cultural mistakes that one could make.

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