Spotlight On- Ada Bobola!

1. You’ve performed extensively in Cairo and now book talent in Orlando. How has your experience on stage shaped the way you curate performers for events? 

So…it’s a very Western mindset that when you perform, you are being viewed, and you are separate from the audience. I’ve noticed in Orlando/Florida, that a lot of the dancers don’t intuitively interact with the audience. To me it is very important that the performers for events know how to interact with the audience. And each venue will have you interacting differently, but there has to be a connection somehow. 

2. What are the biggest differences you’ve noticed between audience expectations in Cairo versus Orlando, and how does that influence your booking decisions?

This is a great piggy-back off the first question. And I go back to the being watched vs the connecting. The other huge difference. PROPS. No one gives a flying flip if you’re doing props or not. Mainly because i can’t really bring my props from Orlando to Cairo, i have only used a veil, or my nice Abbaya as an entrance prop. I’ve used my veil draped and tucked into my costume for a song just because I felt there needed to be a softer more romantic look to the costume, but then i take it off after the song is finished. Neither the venue nor the audience cares about me having props. They also don't care about “tricks” during your dance. I’ve done a few belly flutters once or twice cos the music called for it, and no one reacted the way American audiences do. They smiled, but it wasn’t something that “captured” them. They want to see/participate in actual talent and charisma. Allllll that to say, when I look for dancers for my venue, or even to recommend, I need to know they actually can capture an audience with nothing but their stage presence, skills, and music. Do they actually know how to dance, or are they just stringing together a collection of party tricks, and holding a sword cos it will wow the audience?

3. When building a lineup for a show, what qualities do you prioritize beyond technical skill? What makes a performer truly “event-ready” in your eyes?

I’m gonna talk about this in no particular order cos it’s all important. And no, funny enough, technical skill isn’t the most important. I’ll take someone whose technique isn’t perfect, but who has the rest perfected. Do they know how to build their show? Meaning do they know how to pick and order their music correctly. Sure, there isn’t an exact, right order, but there’s always a “correct” order for the songs you’ve chosen, and there’s certainly wrong choices in music. Whether it’s in general, or wrong for that venue or event. Does the dancer understand the music they’ve chosen? What is it about? What’s the title even mean? Where does it fit in, culturally speaking? Is the dancer charismatic? Each dancer has their own personality, and that needs to be showcased. That individual energy needs to be felt as soon as the audience sees your pinky toe from the wings. Does the dancer know how to emote? I am real tired of seeing Barbie-smiles pasted on dancers throughout their whole show. There are more emotions other than just, plastered smile. Does the dancer understand how to act towards an American audience vs a MENA/SWANA audience? Can the dancer be flexible? Sometimes things change. Sometimes you’re asked to change or add music. Maybe your music isn’t working and now the DJ will play whatever for your set. As I learned is a common saying in Egypt: a la tool. The literal meaning is straight ahead, but it’s very commonly used to mean, just go; whatever happens.

4. As someone who understands both sides of the industry, what are common disconnects between performers and producers that you wish more people were aware of?

Woo, that’s a question. I think it’s the typical “the boss doesn’t know what the workers go through” that is so often seen in all industries. The dancers need to understand that it’s not as easy as just, walking into a venue, saying you’re a dancer, and expecting to be hired right away, and establishing a show. I mean I won’t say never, cos that’s kinda how I got my venue, and kinda how another one I’m waiting for happened, B U T, it was still not as easy as it seems. For the venue I just started, I’ve been waiting for them since like May 2025. FINALLY, week of February 14, 2026, they were ready to start. But even then, it hasn’t been super smooth. We haven’t had bookings every week, and while I like the owner, he’s been really easy going, I get VERY frustrated that he doesn’t always answer me when I ask if he wants to book that week. And also, as a producer, they have to understand how dancers will absolutely go to first-come, first-serve bookings. Or the higher paying gig. If you want a dancer, guaranteed, ask with AT LEAST a week in advance, but even then that’s not always ample time. And restaurant owners need to understand that showing up to work and there not being an audience still requires pay. The dancer still put their bag together, put their makeup on, put music together, and drove all the way to your venue ready to work. It was not their fault that it was a slow night. At any other job, the employee gets paid regardless of amount of work or amount of clients. Also, dancers need to understand that the producer, if they are good of course, is always going to fight for the rights of the dancers. They will ask for the highest pay and best benefits. But sometimes compromises need to be made in order for things to be fair for both sides. And everyone needs to understand there’s growing pains from each side until things smooth out. 

5. What challenges come with booking performers for multicultural audiences, especially when presenting Middle Eastern dance in a Western context?

Hmm. I think the first challenge is, does the dancer actually understand the dance. Not, does the dancer know how to move. That’s like the basic, bar is set low. Beyond that, does the dancer understand the music enough to know that if debke is playing, they will not be doing hip drops or shimmies because the music doesn’t call for that. I don’t know how else to explain it. I’m not saying everyone has to know every single style, but know enough to know what not to do. You don’t use an assaya for Greek music. You use it for Saidi, some beledi, and some debke. I’ve watched a girl literally do a whole Greek pop song with an assaya, and it was embarrassing by proxy. Know your limits. Know what you do and don’t know. There’s power in admitting “I’m not the person for this style; I don’t know it”. It’s our responsibility as dancers of a cultural dance to make sure we are celebrating the culture and art form correctly, and presenting it correctly. Also be sensitive in what songs you should and shouldn’t dance to. Especially during the current political climate. Know you audience, know your venue. 

6. You’ve worked within two very different production environments. What lessons from Cairo’s entertainment scene have you brought into your work in Orlando?

As with anywhere, your audience and venue dictate strongly how your show will go. Meaning, you won’t dance the same at a club/hookah lounge than you would at a family resort/Nile dinner cruise. And same in America: lounges look one way, restaurants look another. However, in Cairo, at the restaurants and hotels they want a full show. Mejance, beledi, etc. They want to watch this. They want to see you dance. At clubs, you better know how to shaabi. You better know how to be a little more “grown up” if that makes sense. And you can get away with less tricks (this is across venues in Cairo). No one cares that you can belly flutter coming out of an arabesque. They want to see you interpreting the music, they want to see you feel it, and they want to feel it too. I’ve heard it from everyone here: “why do I care how perfect of a dancer you are if you are not dancing with your soul. Your technique could be textbook perfect, but you are not listening to the music, you are not dancing with your heart, and you are not connecting with your audience. How boring.” Even in the clubs they want to see shaabi done with feeling. So to me, bringing this back to Orlando even more. I think I mentioned it in another question. It’s a western ideal that when you dance, you are behind a fourth wall. Like being watched on tv basically. It seems western dancers are there to be watched. In Egypt you have to present. Regardless of what venue or what audience you are catering to, you must be present. You should be wearing your heart and soul all over your body.

7. For dancers who want to transition into booking or production, what skills or mindset shifts are essential to succeed behind the scenes?

Honesty. You have to be honest from the get go with your venue/potential client, and with your dancers. Also don’t back down from your standards. What kind of show quality will you bring to this venue? What kind of dancers are you bringing? What will you and won’t you accept. As the booker/scheduler/whatever you wanna call it, you should be the person that your dancers trust to take care of things. Negotiating fair pay, getting a meal, being treated with respect, making sure that if a dancer shows up, she will get paid regardless of whether there was an audience or not (she still blocked out her night, did her makeup, put her show together, spent time, money, and gas to get to the venue, etc. That’s still work. It’s no one’s fault it was a slow night). Etc. Are you treating your dancers like a number, or are you building a small group of the best dancers who will support each other? You HAVE to remember that this is your reputation as well. Eventually it will get out to other dancers and venue owners what kind of ship you run. And unfortunately negative reviews spread faster. So if you are a crap scheduler, constantly have girls calling out, and are being forced to slap Sally from next door with a hip scarf on, or are just putting in your students who aren’t ready for shows yet, and your venue is known for not paying on time or for not paying cos it was slow, etc. My dear, it will get out faster than you know that perhaps getting into one of your venues will lead to a headache. Don’t be that booker. Be the one that makes a reputation of being fair, supportive, honest, and who will protect her dancers. A good reputation goes a long way. 

 8.  Many people are afraid to or unaware of how to approach venues to pitch shows, dancers or entertainment.  What advice would you give?

See above. Lol! Not but seriously. I’m gonna start with honesty here. Honesty is best for everyone. But also, and I sincerely hope anyone reading this, no matter how much time has passed, if they take nothing away from this interview, take this: DO NOT be a shady dancer and swipe the venue out from under someone else. That is not how things are done; that’s not how we build community. If there’s already a scheduler at that venue move on, or contact the scheduler about getting on a backup list if you really wanna dance there. I’ve literally just done searches online for Italian, Greek, Middle Eastern, Egyptian, Moroccan, etc venues. I try to do as much research as possible to find out if there’s already dancers there. I don’t want to go where there’s already dancers. I want to go to untouched territory. Once i find some places, I will either call, or if I’m out and about, I’ll grab my business cards and head right inside. I ask to speak to a manager or owner, and go from there. If they say no thank you, that’s it. You can re visit in a few months if you want, but it’s not against you. Move on. But if they say they are interested, then you go from there. Also, me personally, I don’t like to have a “menu of girls”. That feels sleazy to me. Yes entertainment is about looks, but it’s also about talent. I do not want the manager to say no to someone who is fantastic just cos the dancer “isn’t their type”. Gross. You either trust me or you don’t. And this goes back to honesty LOL. If at the end of the day, the owner doesn’t like so and so, it will be for something other than looks. And that can be talked about. Is it a costume issue, an attitude issue? The dancer wasn’t well received by the audience? That’s a later issue. But what i will do when pitching, is show MY pictures and videos, so they see that I am serious and professional. Again, honesty. If they see the quality of my work, and hear my pitch, when I say “I’m not an entertainment company, and I don’t manage dancers. I’m a solo dancer, but I would be the one scheduling a small group of professional dancers that I hand-picked, that match my standards for what a fantastic show quality should be. That way you can focus on restaurant stuff, and I got the entertainment side. At the end of the day, you are the venue owner, and you have final input”. That usually lets them feel comfortable that you aren’t gonna take over, but also shows them that you aren’t here to play around.