PHOTO CREDIT: Above photo by John Rickman Photography, San Jose, California.

• Personalities
  • Alphabetical Order by First Name
  • Chronological Order
• Working as a Dancer

• History
• Society

• Amina Mohamed
• Badia Masabni
• Beba Ezz El-Din
• Dawlath Soliman
• Dina
• Fairouz Arteen (Child Star)
• Fifi Abdo
• Hekmet Fahmy
• Hind Rostom
• Imtithal Fawzy
• Kuchuk Hanem
• Lucy
• Naemet Mokhtar
• Nagwa Fouad

• Samia Gamal
• Shafiqa el-Koptiyya
• Soheir Zaki
• Tahia Carioca
• Zeinat Olwi
• Zouba el-Klobatiyya

Kuchuk Hanem

• The Dancer of Esna. By William H. Peck. Placed online December 25, 2012.

Shafiqa el-Koptiyya

• Shafiqa el-Koptiyya: The Dancer Whose Horses Drank Champagne. A glimpse at the life of the most famous Egyptian dancer of the 19th century. Translated by Priscilla Adum.
• Shafiqa el-Koptiyya or Not? What do YOU think? Could this historic photo be the legendary dancer? By Priscilla Adum. Placed online January 6, 2013.

Bamba Kashar

• Bamba Kashar: A Legend of Raqs Sharqi. Profile of a legendary dancer. Translated by Priscilla Adum.
• Historic Photos of the Golden Era. Includes a couple of photos of Bamba Kashar. Collected by Priscilla Adum. Placed online January 14, 2013.

Zouba el-Klobatiyya

• Yousef El Sherif Discusses Zouba el-Klobatiyya. Reminiscing about when he interviewed her in 1960. Translated by Priscilla Adum.
• Lucy Talks About Zouba el-Klobatiyya. The dancer Lucy speaks about her family connection to this legendary dancer. Placed online January 7, 2013.

Hekmet Fahmy

• Hekmet Fahmy: Profile of a Spy. By Priscilla Adum. A brief look at the career of a legendary Egyptian dancer.
• Hekmet Fahmy, The Spy. A look at the events that ended the career of a woman who was once Egypt's leading dancer. Translated by Priscilla Adum.
• 1930's Ad for New Show at Mary Mansour's Sala. Promotes Hekmet Fahmy as the headliner. Translated by Priscilla Adum.

Badia Masabni

• The Life of Badia Masabni. 14-part article by Tarek Hasham, translated by Priscilla Adum.
  • Part 1, Queen of Misery
  • Part 2, Unlimited Pain
  • Part 3, Thwarted Marriages
  • Part 4, First Time in a Theater
  • Part 5, The First Big Break
  • Part 6, Pain in Damascus
  • Part 7, Beloved of the Public. Placed online January 4, 2013.
  • Part 8, The Seeker of Love. Placed online January 4, 2013.
  • Part 9, Crazy About Badia. Placed online January 4, 2013
• Badia Masabni: The Lady and Her Clubs. A history of the entertainment venues Badia owned over the course of 24 years. By Priscilla Adum.
• Badia Masabni Segment of 1928 Interview with Nagib el-Rehani. Translated by Priscilla Adum.
• 1938 Newspaper Interview with Badia Masabni. Badia talks about the new nightclub she is planning to open. Translated by Priscilla Adum.
• 1966 Television Interview with Badia Masabni. Badia reflects on her life and her career. Translated by Priscilla Adum. Placed online January 14, 2013.
• Historic Photos of the Golden Era. Includes a couple of photos of Badia Masabni. Collected by Priscilla Adum. Placed online January 14, 2013.
• Tahia and Badia Feeding the Chickens. Photos of Tahia Carioca's visit to Badia Masabni's farm in Lebanon. Translated by Priscilla Adum.

ABOUT THE PHOTO: Badia Masabni.

Ads for Badia's Shows at Her Clubs

• 1920's
  • 1926 Ad for Grand Opening of Sala Badia. Singing and dancing by Badia with her musicians. Translated by Priscilla Adum.
  • 1927 Ad for Musicians at Sala Badia. Promotes the entertainers for the show. Translated by Priscilla Adum.
  • 1928 Ad for Grand Opening of Badia's Alexandria Summer Club. Music, comedy, and dance. Translated by Priscilla Adum.
  • 1928 Ad for Closing of Badia's Alexandria Summer Club. Dance, comedy, and music. Translated by Priscilla Adum.
  • 1928 Ad for Badia's Show at Sala Badia in Cairo. Muscians, dance, comedy impersonations. Translated by Priscilla Adum.
• 1930's
  • 1930 Ad for Grand Opening of Badia Masabni's New Club in Giza City. Music, comedy, and dance. Translated by Priscilla Adum.
  • 1931 Ad for Grand Re-Opening of Badia Masabni's Remodeled Club in Giza City. Emphasizes the facility (cinema, stage, and cabaret) rather than the show. Translated by Priscilla Adum.
  • 1935 Ad Announcing Badia's Retirement from the Stage. Promotes her final play before leaving the theater stage for a movie career. Translated by Priscilla Adum.
  • 1937 Ad Announcing Grand Opening of Badia Masabni's Summer Casino in Giza. A play, comedy, and dance show. Translated by Priscilla Adum.
  • 1939 Rival Ads Promoting Badia's Club and Beba Ezz El-Din's Club. Play, comedy, dance. Translated by Priscilla Adum.
• 1940's
  • 1940 Ad Promoting New Show at Badia's Summer Club in Giza City. Translated by Priscilla Adum.
  • 1940 Ad Announcing Grand Opening of Casino Opera. Play, performance times, cover charges. Translated by Priscilla Adum.
  • 1940 Ad for New Show at Badia Masabni's Casino Opera. Translated by Priscilla Adum.
  • 1940's Ad for New Show Featuring Badia Masabni's and Beba Ezz El-Din's Dance Company. Show times, cast, etc. Translated by Priscilla Adum.

Beba Ezz El-Din

• 1930 Ad for Grand Opening of Badia Masabni's New Club in Giza City. Beba as a headliner dancer in Badia Masabni's club. Translated by Priscilla Adum.
• 1937 Ad for Sala Badia Under Beba Ezz El-Din's Ownership. Comedy play with music and dance. Information on show times. Translated by Priscilla Adum.
• 1939 Rival Ads Promoting Badia's Club and Beba Ezz El-Din's Club. Play, comedy, dance. Translated by Priscilla Adum.
• 1950 Ad Promoting Casino Opera Show Under Beba Ezz El-Din's Ownership. Play, stand-up comedienne, dance, singers, show times. Translated by Priscilla Adum.

Imtithal Fawzy

• Imtithal Fawzy: Extortion in the Golden Era. Protection money scandal in 1936. By Priscilla Adum.

Amina Mohamed

• Amina Mohamed in a Snake Dance. 1933 photo and descriptive caption. Translated by Priscilla Adum.

Tahia Carioca

• Tahia Carioca Interviewed by Mona Gaabr and Samia Gamal Interviewed by Tarik Habib. Transcript translated into English by Mahmoud Sami.
• Onscreen Special About the Documentary Carioca. Excerpt from a forthcoming documentary about Tahia Carioca. Translated by Priscilla Adum.
• Tahia Carioca: Dancing as Oum Kalthoum Sang. Anecdote from a newspaper article about Tahia Carioca which appeared in August 2012. Translated by Priscilla Adum.
• Tahia or Soheir? Similar Legends, Which Are True? There are similar urban legends surrounding Tahia Carioca and Soheir Zaki. This article examines the underlying facts.
• Tahia and Badia Feeding the Chickens. Photos of Tahia Carioca's visit to Badia Masabni's farm in Lebanon.

ABOUT THE PHOTO: Still image of Tahia Carioca from a scene in the motion picture Shatie el-Gharam.

Samia Gamal

• Samia Gamal Interviewed by Tarik Habib and Tahia Carioca Interviewed by Mona Gaabr. Translated by Mahmoud Sami. Transcript translated into English.
• Samia Gamal Interviewed by Fouad Moawad in 1968. Translated by Priscilla Adum.
• "Samia Gamal Danced with Me in Her 60's". Samir Sabry describes a stage production he put together in the 1980's featuring star entertainers of the black and white movie era.
• Historic Photos of the Golden Era. Includes a couple of photos of Samia Gamal. Collected by Priscilla Adum. Placed online January 14, 2013.

ABOUT THE PHOTO: Still image of Samia Gamal in a scene from the motion picture Sigara wa Kass.

Fairouz Arteen (Child Star)

• Fairouz the Movie Miracle: From Stardom to Obscurity. The adult Fairouz reminisces about her career as a child star. Translated by Priscilla Adum.

Naemet Mokhtar

• About Naemet Mokhtar. Translation of a biographical profile.
• Naemet Mokhtar Breaks 30 Years of Silence. Translated by Priscilla Adum.

Zeinat Olwi

• About Zeinat Olwi. Translated by Priscilla Adum.

Dawlath Soliman

• Dawlath Soliman: Dancing with a Gunshot Wound.

Hind Rostom

• Hind Rostom: A Great Loss to Egyptian Cinema & Dance. News story about Hind Rostom's August 2011 death. Translated by Priscilla Adum.

Nagwa Fouad

• Nagwa Fouad Interviewed by Magdy el Galad in Ramadan 2010. Transcript translated into English.

ABOUT THE PHOTO: Still image of Nagwa Fouad in a scene from her first motion picture, Sharia el Hob.

Soheir Zaki

• Tahia or Soheir? Similar Legends, Which Are True? There are similar urban legends surrounding Tahia Carioca and Soheir Zaki. This article examines the underlying facts.

Lucy

• Lucy Interviewed by Inas el Degheidy in Ramadan 2010. Translated by Priscilla Adum. Transcript translated into English.
• Lucy Talks About Zouba el-Klobatiyya. The dancer Lucy speaks about her family connection to this legendary dancer. Placed online January 7, 2013.

Fifi Abdo

• Fifi Abdo Admits She Is Jealous of Lebanese Women. Translated by Priscilla Adum.

Dina

• Dina Interviewed by Wafaa el Kilany in October 2010. Dina responds to criticism from Nagwa Fouad. Transcript translated into English by Priscilla Adum.
• Dina Interviewed by a French Television Channel in January 2011. Dina talks about the release of her autobiography. Translated into English by Priscilla Adum.
• Dina Interviewed in May 2011. Dina discusses her own plan for helping Egypt's economy recover. Translated into English by Priscilla Adum.

ABOUT THE PHOTO: Dina.

• Foreign Dancers in Egypt. Find out which dancers from around the world spent time working in Egypt.
• Working in the Middle East. By Sabriye Tekbilek.

ABOUT THE PHOTO: Sabriye Tekbilek performs at the Khaleej Palace Hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

• Did Napoleon Really Behead 400 Ghawazee? You may have seen it mentioned in books or web sites about belly dance, but did it happen?
• The Dancer of Esna. By William H. Peck. Placed online December 25, 2012.
• Imagining Movement: Orientalist Paintings & Photographs of Middle Eastern Dancers. The facts behind paintings of dancers from the 19th century. By Kristen D. Windmuller.
• Casino Opera Photo. Photo by Captain Charles M. Cook. Shows what Badia Masabni's legendary club looked like in September 1944.
• Farewell to the El Gandoul Nightclub on Pyramid Street. Historic club demolished in July 2011. By Priscilla Adum.
• Cross-Dressing in Middle Eastern Dance. When and where men in the Middle East performed dressed as women.
• The Required Qualities of Dancers. Translation by Dr. George Sawa of a 10th-century Syrian text.
• Fact Or Fantasy? Which Belly Dance Urban Legends Should You Believe? There are many incorrect beliefs about the history of Middle Eastern music, dance, and apparel. Which ones are true?
• Of Ballet and Belly Dancing. How much influence has ballet really exerted on belly dance? A historical look.

ABOUT THE PHOTO: Samia Gamal performs with a veil in a scene from the motion picture Sigarah wa Kass.

Ads and Flyers

Arranged in chronological order by when they appeared.

1920's

• 1926 Ad for Grand Opening of Sala Badia. Singing and dancing by Badia with her musicians. Translated by Priscilla Adum.
• 1927 Ad for Musicians at Sala Badia. Promotes the entertainers for the show. Translated by Priscilla Adum.
• 1928 Ad for Grand Opening of Badia's Alexandria Summer Club. Music, comedy, and dance. Translated by Priscilla Adum.
• 1928 Ad for Closing of Badia's Alexandria Summer Club. Dance, comedy, and music. Translated by Priscilla Adum.
• 1928 Ad for Badia's Show at Sala Badia in Cairo. Muscians, dance, comedy impersonations. Translated by Priscilla Adum.

ABOUT THE PHOTO: This is a scan of a 1926 ad promoting the grand opening of Badia Masabni's very first club, Sala Badia.

1930's

• 1930 Ad for Grand Opening of Badia Masabni's New Club in Giza City. Music, comedy, and dance. Translated by Priscilla Adum.
• 1930's Ad for New Show at Mary Mansour's Sala. Translated by Priscilla Adum.
• 1931 Ad for Grand Re-Opening of Badia Masabni's Remodeled Club in Giza City. Emphasizes the facility (cinema, stage, and cabaret) rather than the show. Translated by Priscilla Adum.
• 1935 Ad Announcing Badia's Retirement from the Stage. Promotes her final play before leaving the theater stage for a movie career. Translated by Priscilla Adum.
• 1937 Ad Announcing Grand Opening of Badia Masabni's Summer Casino in Giza. A play, comedy, and dance show. Translated by Priscilla Adum.
• 1937 Ad for Sala Badia Under Beba Ezz El-Din's Ownership. Comedy play with music and dance. Information on show times. Translated by Priscilla Adum.
• 1939 Rival Ads Promoting Badia's Club and Beba Ezz El-Din's Club. Play, comedy, dance. Translated by Priscilla Adum.

ABOUT THE PHOTO: This photo is a scan of a 1940's flyer promoting a new show featuring Badia Masabni's and Beba Ezz El-Din's new dance company.

1940's & 1950's

• 1940 Ad Promoting New Show at Badia's Summer Club in Giza City. Translated by Priscilla Adum.
• 1940 Ad Announcing Grand Opening of Casino Opera. Play, performance times, cover charges. Translated by Priscilla Adum.
• 1940 Ad for New Show at Badia Masabni's Casino Opera. Translated by Priscilla Adum.
• 1940's Ad for New Show Featuring Badia Masabni's and Beba Ezz El-Din's Dance Company. Show times, cast, etc. Translated by Priscilla Adum.
• 1950 Ad Promoting Casino Opera Show Under Beba Ezz El-Din's Ownership. Play, stand-up comedienne, dance, singers, show times. Translated by Priscilla Adum.

ABOUT THE PHOTO: Scan of 1940 flyer promoting the grand opening of Badia Masabni's final club, the Casino Opera.

Timing Unknown

• Awalem Newspaper Ad. Translated by Priscilla Adum.

• Raqs Sharqi Dancers Reject Wahda We Nos Dancers. Reactions to a new satellite television station that broadcasts exclusively raqs sharqi performances.
• A Dance For The Whole Family. Is it a dance of seduction, or a joyous family activity? Read this article to find out.
• Middle Eastern Dance: The Spiritual Connection. Use of movement meditation in traditional Middle Eastern spiritual practices.
• Why the Fuss Over Egyptian Style Music & Oriental Dance? Why so many people around the world believe Egyptian style is the "real" Oriental dance.
• Egyptian Movies With Dance Scenes. A partial list.
• Baladi. By Hossam Ramzy. The word "baladi" refers to a rich Egyptian cultural heritage. Egyptian musician Hossam Ramzy describes the culture that spawned the baladi dance style.

ABOUT THE PHOTO: An alley in Cairo where a wedding is taking place in January, 1999.