From Wael El Ebrashy´s program. This is the same episode of the show 2X2 which featured the interview with Nagwa Fouad. Both dancers appeared on this episode. The interviewer is Wael El Ebrashy. I have divided Dina's interview into 2 parts. This is part 1
Q: Dina, why are you always the subject of scandal? Who is at fault?
A: I don't want to say who's at fault while you are here. (she means the fault lies in the media)
Q: It's ok to say that newspapers are at fault. Not all of them are angels.
A.It's mainly the media's fault. It's as if you direct people's attention. They find a target and start taking shots and more shots at it.
Q: And people find this interesting?
A: Yes, and it may be that the personality and the public persona are interesting to people.
Q: Why, why is Dina's public persona always the protagonist of all that?
A: Because it's the first time that there's a dancer who has a University degree. And its also the first time that a dancer comes from a normal home, and not a dysfunctional one. And people have become accustomed to dancers not having any other qualifications other than being able to dance.
Q: (dancers who)...comes from a specific social background and escaped from her family (etc)......Ok, but this will make some people wonder and ask "what kind of family accepts that their daughter dance while she's still a student in high school?"
A: I'm from a normal family. My mother and father lived in Europe and I was born in Italy. I came to Egypt when I was six years old. My father was an open minded man. He was a Communications Engineer and my mother was a secretary at the Indian Embassy in Rome and both of them were very open minded, they both understood that when one is determined, then there is no stopping them.
Q: If they had prevented you, you would still have worked as a dancer
A: Yes, I would have still worked as a dancer
Q: If they'd tried to stop you from going out the door then you would have jumped out the window
A: Yes, and proof of that is that other dancers have done just that.
Q: There are two opposing views in society. People like to have their pictures taken with Dina, but if their son says to them I want to marry Dina, or Dina's daughter, or Dina's son, his family will say to him Oh what a big scandal!
A: You're right, but that's not the case in all social classes and societies. Proof of it is that I married and I had a wedding and a reception just like any normal girl.
Q: You married into the same business, show business. That's why.
A: No, it was the opposite of that. If you look at marriages within the artist's media you will find that they usually marry outside the media.
Q: Some artists lead more restricted lifestyles than ordinary people.
A: Yes exactly.
Q: For example, Adel Imam stated that he wouldn't want his daughter to become an actress nor participate in kissing scenes.
A: Yes but I'm not talking now about who is restrictive or not. Anyone can talk and say "Dina's work is inappropriate" Ok fine, but then don't invite Dina to lunch at their house.
Q: They invite Dina to lunch?
A: Yes. And then when it comes to accepting Dina as a member of their family they refuse. If they're going to refuse that, then they have to refuse it all.
Q: Ok so these are contradictory viewpoints in the way people see Dina. They like Dina but when it comes to marriage or (her) problems they see her as part of the shameful side of society.
A:(laughing) Yes, that's pretty much their viewpoint. I think that looking at art as a shameful thing is really something quite strange. Why is that only when it comes to raqs sharqi but yet they see ballet dancing in a positive light, as a good art.
Q: Yes, raqs sharqi. So whenever there's a problem (scandal) they see Dina as the guilty party from the start.
A: Yes exactly. Before I can even defend myself. I'm used to that, so I must always begin by defending myself.
Q: Athar el Hakim for example, refused to do a scene with you because your clothes were very inappropriate.
A: But my clothes were not unsuitable at all. They were like this and like this.. (Dina gestures to her arms to show it was just a sleeveless dress, and then gestures to below her knees to show the length of the dress) The scene was in a tv soap opera that was set in the 60's and the wardrobe department was in charge of choosing the clothes that I was supposed to wear. I wore the clothes that they brought me. I'm not the one who chose them.
Q: So you aren't the one who chose the clothes?
A: Exactly. Because I don't have 1960's style dresses in my closet. Athar el Hakim over reacted in an abnormal way.
Q: Did you get angry at her reaction?
A: Not angry, I just laughed at it. I didn't understand Athar's viewpoint because I'm free to wear whatever I want as long as I'm not causing harm to anyone.
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You're welcome!
lebdancer 1 year ago