Thread: Who's Who of Egyptian Dance

Who would you name to a Who's Who of Egyptian dance? For the purposes of this discussion, let's say specifically dancers and choreographers who have been influential in the dance scene in Egypt proper, rather than Egyptian-style dancers elsewhere in the world.

Here's the list I came up with:

Shafiyya el Koptiyya
Zouba el Klobatiyya
Badia Masabni
Samia Gamal
Tahia Carioca
Hager Hamdy
Naima Akef
Mahmoud Reda
Farida Fahmy
Dr. Mo Geddawi
Raqia Hassan
Nadia Gamal
Nagwa Fouad
Soheir Zaki
Aza Sherif
Denise Enan
Khariya Maazin
Fifi Abdo
Mona el Said
Nadia Hamdi
Lubna Emam
Mohamed Kazafy
Aida Nour
Samasem
Mohamed Shahin
Dandash
Diana Tarkhan
Lucy
Dina
Soraya Zayed
Amani
Asmahan
Tito Seif
Randa Kamel
Nour
Leila

I tried to put it in rough chronological order, based on when the individual became well-known, which was more difficult than I had expected. I'm sure a number these names are completely misplaced! Please feel free to point out where you would adjust the order.

Who would you add to or remove from this list and why?

I love your list.

I would replace Leila with Dandesh.

Great thread!

I would definitely add Prof. Hassan Khalil to this list, alongside Naima Akef, Mahmoud Reda, Farida Fahmy and Dr. Mo Geddawi:

Prof. Dr. Hassan Khalil - ISOC - Cairo/Egypt



Khalida

Originally Posted by Michelle75

I would replace Leila with Dandesh.

I can see that. Although I love Leila, I wouldn't say she's been influencial yet, and she cites Dandash as her favorite teacher.

Does Sahra Saida belong on there? Someone on here mentioned that adding a drum solo to the end of the routine was considered "her thing" in Egypt but I don't know how true that is and if she was actually influencial.

Does Orit dance in Egypt much? Does Nour?

There are a few more that aren't on your list here:
Superstars main page

Shoo Shoo Amin? Did I go and kill your thread?? sorry.,f::

Originally Posted by nasila

Did I go and kill your thread?? sorry.,f::

**burn her at the stake, she's a thread killer**


steps back and looks for hysteria to break out.

I have to check up Denise Enan more,she worked with the man who is "guilty" of the Swedish bellydance scene,Bahi Barakat.
Most of the active "older"teachers like Susanne Abou-Shebika(Zeina)Ann Larsson(Aminah),Maria Hansson and Ulrika Hellqvist were in his troupe "The Nile Dancers".
He also wrote a book called "The Oldest Dance"that I really liked,
about maqams,rythms,instruments,props and costumes.
Sadly he passed away and I never got to study for him.

Have to dig it out to see his list of persons that had an impact,
I LOVE lists like this!(because styles can be traced "back")*puts on glasses*

Would include Ibrahim Akef and Naemet Mokhtar...love Lubna and think she deserves more "fame" as a choreographer.

Originally Posted by emma-bessa

He also wrote a book called "The Oldest Dance"that I really liked,
about maqams,rythms,instruments,props and costumes.
Sadly he passed away and I never got to study for him.

Ohhh, you know where a dancer could get hold of that book?

Originally Posted by david

Ohhh, you know where a dancer could get hold of that book?

I found it at Bokbörsen! ..l;,

Barakat Bahi, Den äldsta dansen. Orientalisk dans, BokBörsen köp och sälj begagnade böcker, kursböcker från antikvariat, bokhandel

I would also add Nadia Hamdi to the list for her shamadan work, and as one of (if not the last) Mohammed Ali street dancer(s).

Also, the Jamal twins should be on the list, somewhere between Tahia and Mr. Reda, I think?

Now we´re being Scandinavian! Bokbörsen?!:D

OT:
Seriously:
I need to check out Denise Eman more,
since she,Bahi and Ahmed(her husband)were all from the Kawmiyya troupe I recognize stuff from Swedish teachers at workshops with other former members like Freiz and Lubna.

I had a harder time adjusting to Reda style with Raqia Hassan,Randa and mdme Olfat!

Tidbit:
Katia´s older shows features Tito under the name Atia(or Attiah),
and I think he taught her some fun combinations while they were partners.

Faten Salama...

How can I describe her! She has a lifetime of experience, an expert at just about any Egyptian folkloric style and Raqs Sharqi, an excellent dancer, performer and instructor, troupe member of the Egyptian National Folkloric troupe for many years and soloist, internationally renowned and respected...

My blurp doesn't do her justice. Trust me, she's worthy of the list.

BDF/KJ

I have to check up Denise Enan more

She's lovely - you must try!

Originally Posted by emma-bessa

Now we´re being Scandinavian! Bokbörsen?!:D

OT:
Seriously:
I need to check out Denise Eman more,
since she,Bahi and Ahmed(her husband)were all from the Kawmiyya troupe I recognize stuff from Swedish teachers at workshops with other former members like Freiz and Lubna.

Bokbörsen... aaah, Im homesick. lol.
AH, you know emma - you just made my day. A few puzzles in my head fell into place now. Kawmiyya! Why didnt I figure that one out before. I knew I had seen the feel and expression of the Kawmiyya before I saw them on video or Lubna or Faten in person... I just didnt connect the dots. No wonder the Swedes have such great authorities and strong hitters in dance with the background they have. Dancers with Kawmiyya and Reda lineage, Samassem and Lena Helt...OK, definitely homesick now. Well, only one thing to do about that - gotta put on the DVDs from Sweden - AGAIN. :) thank you so much for this OT info.

I am really liking this thread - learning a lot!!

Great list!

Ummmm ya Sahra Saeeda must be added to that list!

Im not sure who told you that Nasila but its pretty much a standard thing to add a drum solo to the end of your routine (then exit music of course). Its not something she started....

Originally Posted by Bellydancefanatic

Faten Salama...

How can I describe her! She has a lifetime of experience, an expert at just about any Egyptian folkloric style and Raqs Sharqi, an excellent dancer, performer and instructor, troupe member of the Egyptian National Folkloric troupe for many years and soloist, internationally renowned and respected...

My blurp doesn't do her justice. Trust me, she's worthy of the list.

BDF/KJ

I couldn't agree more! She is great and so informative.

Amani? Egyptian? Are we thinking about the same one?

Shoo Shoo Amin must be on the list.
Raqia was a folklore dancer and didn't start teaching quite that early. She should be listed as later- when she started having an influence through teaching.
Whether Americans like her or not, Sahar Hamdi was enormously popular with Egyptians.
As we are including non-Egyptians on the list (such as Leila)- what about Katie. She was fantastic.

What was Katie's nationality? I know Shareen el Safy was impressed with her. I've only seen a few clips of her, but WOW!

How about Mohammed Khalil? Nagua Fouad seemed to think highly of him as a choreographer.

My fave oldies are Nabaweya Moustafa, Naamet Mokhtar, and Zizi Moustafa.

Originally Posted by aziyade

What was Katie's nationality? I know Shareen el Safy was impressed with her. I've only seen a few clips of her, but WOW!

How about Mohammed Khalil? Nagua Fouad seemed to think highly of him as a choreographer.

My fave oldies are Nabaweya Moustafa, Naamet Mokhtar, and Zizi Moustafa.

I second Na’amet Mokhtar. She was lovely!

Katie - I'm forgetting right now. I believe possibly Isreali- or maybe Israeli/Greek mix. She was in old Egyptian movies, though.

I would add Faten Salama's husband Shawki Naim and his brother Kamal Naim, as choreographers, soloists, and instructors for Kawmiyya and I believe very influential in their style. Kamal Naim was also Nagwa Fouad's choreographer (and husband) for a number of years, prior to or overlapping with her work with Mohamed Khalil.

Just as an aside, I didn't know about the Nagwa/Naim connection until a few years ago, when I ran across an older video in which Nagwa's sharqi looked rather shockingly like Faten's and Lubna's. Couldn't quite wrap my head around that because I had her "filed" under a different style of movement from the Khalil years. When I asked Faten about it, she laughed and said "well, we used to be sisters-in-law!"

Originally Posted by Zana

I would add Faten Salama's husband Shawki Naim and his brother Kamal Naim, as choreographers, soloists, and instructors for Kawmiyya and I believe very influential in their style. Kamal Naim was also Nagwa Fouad's choreographer (and husband) for a number of years, prior to or overlapping with her work with Mohamed Khalil.

Just as an aside, I didn't know about the Nagwa/Naim connection until a few years ago, when I ran across an older video in which Nagwa's sharqi looked rather shockingly like Faten's and Lubna's. Couldn't quite wrap my head around that because I had her "filed" under a different style of movement from the Khalil years. When I asked Faten about it, she laughed and said "well, we used to be sisters-in-law!"

Wow, cool tidbit! Very interesting. Thanks, Zana!

BDF/KJ

Sahar Hamdi and Shoo Shoo Amin are a must.
Nelly Fouad
Zizi Moustapha

Originally Posted by SamiraShuruk

I second Na’amet Mokhtar. She was lovely!

Katie - I'm forgetting right now. I believe possibly Isreali- or maybe Israeli/Greek mix. She was in old Egyptian movies, though.

Katy would not have been dancing in Egypt if she was Israeli! But I've heard she was Jewish. There was a large Jewish community in Egypt before the creation of Israel but many fled due to persecution. And it only got worse after the 1952 revolution that ousted King Farouk (who like his father, Kind Fuad had a certain fetish for Jewish women).

Also, Leila Murad a famous Egyptian singer was Jewish although she did "convert" to Islam (according to rumours, it was for cosmetic reasons).

Originally Posted by nasila

Does Orit dance in Egypt much? Does Nour?
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Orit is Israeli. She probably hasn't danced in Egypt at all.

Don't forget Bebe Ezzedine!