Thread: Qawlia-Dance

Is anybody familiar with this, or knows of someone who is?
I have seen that there was a dancer "Shahla" teaching at Raqs Britannia, however, I could not find any way to contact her (no link nor anything at google).
Who can help?

Thanks!

Interesting.
The Qawliya are a minority group in Iraq.

When I was in Cairo a few years back a friend's brother had just moved back to Egypt after over fifteen years living in Iraq. He mentioned Kawliya as popular entertainers all around Baghdad, and said that along with their own dances they also did some raqs sharqi. Purely anecdotal as a reference, of course, but I kept notes about it to perhaps research in the future. I also had heard that they were of Romany descent, but have no reference for that. (It also makes me wonder if many ethnic minorities in Iraq are not lumped together under the name Qawliya.)

I believe they are not faring well during current the war/invasion. I fear that is stating the obvious, but it should be said I suppose.

Look forward to learning more from y'all.

Thanks Monica for your answer.
Well, from that what i was able to find out in our family the qawliya were and are very discriminated. However, they are well known as entertainers. The women are often booked as dancers for "sort of special parties". The Iraqis consider them as gypsies/Romany and watching some of their dances I tend to think this might be correct. I do not mean the steps but more the way they present themselves.
Anyway I am very interested in learning more about their dancing and music, background etc. and reading about that dancer in UK it seemed that she had some sources and could teach. We will see...

And right now, nobody is well living in Iraq..