Ishraq's Dance Recital
Presented at the International School of Brussels Annual Fair
Ishraq and Richard met and married in 1993 in Egypt.  She was account manager for Saatchi and Saatchi, he was Marketing Manager for P&G's Egyptian subsidiary.   Several country and company moves later, Richard became manager of the Israeli subsidiary of Benckiser (a European consumer products company), whereupon Ishraq undertook to extend its business to the till-then undeveloped Arab community there, propelling the business well out in front of its competitors, who were not similarly blessed in having a rare Arab marketing talent in Israel.   Subsequently Ishraq and Richard were transferred to Europe, but Ishraq remained on retainer with the Israeli business.  Then, with the onset of the Intifada, her trips to Israel had to be curtailed and she was forced to look elsewhere for an outlet for her energies.

So Ishraq decided to offer belly-dancing lessons as a form of aerobics at the British Athletic Club of Brussels, an offer that was enthusiastically received.  (Young girls in Egypt take belly-dancing much as their counterparts in the West take ballet.  Ishraq had in fact started with ballet before moving on to belly-dancing, and proved to be exceptionally talented in both.)   Her classes became quite popular in the Brussels expat community, and when the International School of Brussels (ISB) planned its 2004 Spring Fair, Ishraq was requested to put on a dance exhibition.    Enthusiastically agreeing,  she recruited moms from her classes as a chorus (Richard observed that they had to be the bravest gals in the Benelux), whom she put through an intense six-weeks of  rehearsals.    She also selected music, created choreography, designed scenery, and flew to Cairo to have costumes made.    All worked well - and proved to be well worth while.....  the show was a smash.

ALSO SEE STILL PICTURES OF:             The 2005 Show           Ishraq Dances for Omar Sharif