Filler
Photo of Shira

 

 

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

Index to Belly Dance, Then and Now

 

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Table of Contents

In the Middle East

Through Foreign Eyes

 

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In the Middle East

 

Personalities: Alphabetical Order

These names are alphabetized according to the dancers' first names.

The above names reference the primary dancers featured in articles and photos. To see a more detailed list that include also-mentioned artists, see the Personalities of Belly Dance History Index to Resources.

 

The Articles

Amina Mohamed

Badia Masabni

Biographical
Badia the Club Owner
Interviews

ABOUT THE PHOTO: Badia Masabni remains a legend even today in Egyptian entertainment industry history.

Ads for Badia's Shows at Her Clubs

See the section below titled Advertisements and Flyers for translations of advertisements promoting shows at Badia Masabni's clubs.

Badia

Bamba Kashar

Beba Ezz El-Din

Beba Ezz el-Din was a Lebanese dancer who worked at Badia's clubs.

See the section below titled Advertisements and Flyers for translations of advertisements promoting shows at Beba's clubs.

ABOUT THE PHOTO: Bamba Kashar was one of the legendary dancers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Beba Ibrahim

Beba Ibrahim was an Egyptian dancer who worked at Badia Masabni's club for a time.

Dawlath Soliman

Bamba

Dina

ABOUT THE PHOTO: Dina performs at the nightclub in the Semiramis hotel in February 2017.

Ensaf Rushdie

See the section below titled Advertisements and Flyers for translations of advertisements promoting shows at the Rushdie Sisters' clubs.

Fairouz Arteen (Child Star)

Fifi Abdo

Gawaher

Dina

Hekmet Fahmy

See the section below titled Advertisements and Flyers for advertisements from the 1930's promoting shows at Badia Masabni's clubs, because several of these featured Hekmet Fahmy.

Hind Rostum

Houriya Mohamed

See the section below titled Advertisements and Flyers for advertisements from the 1930's - some promote shows featuring Houriya Mohamed.

ABOUT THE PHOTO: Hind Rostum embraces Omar Sharif in a scene from a movie they made together.

Imtithal Fawzy

See the section below titled Advertisements and Flyers for advertisements from the early 1930's promoting shows at Badia Masabni's clubs, because somel of these featured Imtithal Fawzy.

Isaac Dickson

Ismail Yassin

Hind Rostum and Omar Sharif

Kuchuk Hanem

Layla el-3amriya

Her real name was Juliet Masabni, the adopted daughter of Badia Masabni. Also known as Layla el-Chakraa and the Blonde Layla.

Lucy

Lucy

Mahmoud el-Meligy

Mary Mansour

See the section below titled Advertisements and Flyers for two advertisements from the 1930's promoting shows at Mary Mansour's clubs.

ABOUT THE PHOTO: Mary Mansour was a popular entertainer and club owner in Egypt in the 1920's and 1930's.

MaryEzz el-Din

See the section below titled Advertisements and Flyers for three advertisements from the 1930's promoting shows at Mary Ezz el-Din's clubs.

Mary Mansour

Nabaweya Moustafa

Naemet Mokhtar

Nagwa Fouad

ABOUT THE PHOTO: Nagwa Fouad poses in a publicity photo.

Naima Akef

Ratiba Rushdie

Safiya Helmi

Nagwa Fouad

Samia Gamal

ABOUT THE PHOTO: Samia Gamal performs in a scene from the movie Sigarah wa Kass (A Glass and a Cigarette).

Shafiqa el-Koptiyya

 

 

Samia

Taheya Carioca

ABOUT THE PHOTO: Taheya Carioca dances in a scene from the movie Shatie al-Gharam (Shore of Love).

Zeinat Olwi

Zouba el-Klobatiyya

Taheya Carioca

 

Photo Galleries

Photo by Van Leo

 

Historic Landmarks

 

Advertisements and Flyers

These advertisements and flyers promoted shows in Egypt featuring music, theater, and dance. Most of these were presented in Cairo, Giza, and Alexandria. Collectively, they offer a view of the types of shows being performed and who the prominent artists were.

Before 1920

Year

Name

City

Owner

Comments

1889 San Estefano Station Alexandria, Egypt Not identified Promotes a performance by a "Raqs Arabi" dance troupe. July 2, 1889.
1917 Abbaye des Roses and Casino de Paris Cairo, Egypt Not identified This club, next door to the restaurant Alfi Bey, was later known under the names Shahrazad and Casino Romance. February 1, 1917.

 

1920's

Year
Name
City
Owner
Comments
1920 El Bosphore Cairo, Egypt Not identified Promotes Na3ma el-Masreya, the Queen of Song. At Station Square (known today as Ramses Square). May 10, 1920.
1925 Ramses Theater Cairo, Egypt Youssef Wahbe Promotes a performance by Turkish dancer Blanche Hanem and her troupe. June 6, 1925.
1926 Theater el-Azbakiya Cairo, Egypt Not identified Promotes a performance by Oum Kalthoum. March 5, 1926.
1926 El Bosphore Cairo, Egypt Not identified Promotes Victoria Moussa Troupe in the rooftop cafe. A group who presented musical theater plays. October 31, 1926.
1926 Sala Badia Cairo, Egypt Badia Masabni Grand opening. Singing and dancing by Badia with her musicians. November 4, 1926.
1927 Sala Badia Cairo, Egypt Badia Masabni Promotes the guest singer and accompanying band. January 25, 1927.
1927 Sala Badia Cairo, Egypt Badia Masabni Promotes the musicians for the show. March 10, 1927.
1927 Sala Badia Cairo, Egypt Badia Masabni Promotes that evening's show. Also announces that Afranza Hanem has arrived in Cairo and will be dancing soon! March 29, 1927.
1927 Sala Badia Cairo, Egypt Badia Masabni Advertises the musicians for the current show and builds anticipation for Turkish dancer Afranza Hanem's performance the next day. March 30, 1927.
1927 Sala Badia Cairo, Egypt Badia Masabni Publicizes Turkish dancer Afranza Hanem as the headliner for the show. April 5, 1927.
1927 Sala Badia Cairo, Egypt Badia Masabni Promotes Samiha Baghdadi and Leyla as guest artists. November 20, 1927.
1927 Sala Badia Cairo, Egypt Badia Masabni Promotes the entertainers for the show. December 10, 1927.
1928 Sala Badia Cairo, Egypt Badia Masabni Musicians, dance, comedy impersonations. June 1, 1928.
1928 Sala Badia (Summer) Alexandria, Egypt Badia Masabni Grand opening. Music, comedy, and dance. June 16, 1928.
1928 Sala Badia (Summer) Alexandria, Egypt Badia Masabni A midsummer show with singing, dancing, and monologues. July 10, 1928.
1928 Sala Badia (Summer) Alexandria, Egypt Badia Masabni Promotes final show before closing in the autumn. September 8, 1928.
1928 Printania Theater Cairo, Egypt Not identified Promotes Afranza Hanem and Mounira al-Mahdiya. September 11, 1928.

1930's

Year
Name
City
Owner
Comments
1930 Sala Soad Mahasen and Sala Badia Cairo, Egypt Soad Mahasen and Badia Masabni Double ad promoting two nightclubs on Emad el-Din Street in Cairo - the ones owned by Soad Mahasen and Badia Masabni. April 5, 1930.
1930 Badia's Summer Casino Giza, Egypt Badia Masabni Grand opening. Music, comedy, and dance. May 8, 1930.
1930's None Cairo, Egypt Anissa and Nabaweya Masreya Promotes a troupe of awalem based on Mohamed Ali Street.
1930's None Cairo, Egypt Anissa and Nabaweya Masreya Promotes a troupe of awalem based on Mohamed Ali Street.
Early 1930's Badia's Summer Casino Giza, Egypt Badia Masabni Probably from the early 1930's.
Early 1930's Sala Badia Cairo, Egypt Badia Masabni Badia performing songs, monologues, and Tunisian dancing.
1930's El Khadawia Garden Asyut, Egypt Ensaf and Ratiba Rushdie Comedy, raqs sharqi, female impersonator, and more.
1930's El Sala El Masreya Cairo, Egypt Mary Mansour Show with Hekmet Fahmy, Fathya Fahmy, Karima Ahmed, Soad Osman, and Hind.
1930's Casino Alf Layla Alexandria, Egypt Beba Ezz el-Din At Raml Station. Previously the Ozonia.
1930's Casino Ezz el-Din Cairo, Egypt Mary Ezz el-Din and Youssef Ezz el-Din On Emad el-Din Street.
1930's Badia's Summer Casino Giza, Egypt Badia Masabni Referred to the location as Badia's Garden. The cast included heavenly creatures from Marrakech! The program included a play called Zaghrouta Ya Habaiab!
1930's Casino el Masry Alexandria, Egypt Fathya Ahmed At Camp Shizar on the Corniche. Includes a brief biography of Fathya Ahmed.
1931 Badia's Summer Casino Giza, Egypt Badia Masabni Emphasizes the facility (cinema, stage, and cabaret) rather than the show. Appeared May 17, 1931, which was two weeks before opening night.
1931 Badia's Summer Casino Giza, Egypt Badia Masabni Opening night advertisement, identifying the performers in the show. Appeared May 31, 1931.
1932 Sala Badia Cairo, Egypt Badia Masabni Promotes plays, sketches, monologues, and songs.
1932 Badia's Garden Giza, Egypt Badia Masabni Lists the performers. Says today are the horse races. 1932.
1933 Badia's Garden Giza, Egypt Badia Masabni Included a female impersonator on the roster.
1933 Badia's Summer Club Giza, Egypt Badia Masabni Promotes a show called The Eccentricities of Women which satirizes Hollywood women wearing men's clothing.
1933 Casino Camp Shizar Alexandria, Egypt Soad Mahasen First of two ads for the same show. Promotes a show at the beach.
1933 Casino Camp Shizar Alexandria, Egypt Soad Mahasen Second of two ads for the same show. Promotes a show at the beach.
1934 Sala Badia Cairo, Egypt Badia Masabni Included a play titled Kharouf el Eid, a title which referenced the Islamic holiday Eid el-Adha.
1935 Alhambra Theater Cairo, Egypt Not identified Unusual performance by Badia's troupe at a theater that Badia didn't own. Also some information about that theater building today. January 19, 1935.
1935 Sala Badia Cairo, Egypt Badia Masabni A cast of 60 people. Includes a Pharaonic-themed play titled Apis the Calf. February 7, 1935.
1935 Sala Badia Cairo, Egypt Badia Masabni Includes a play titled Battle of Dogs, Cats, and Rats. Promotes a show at Sala Badia with a Pharaonic musical segment, several comedies, Spanish dance with castanets, and more. March 15, 1935.
1935 Badia's Summer Casino Giza, Egypt Badia Masabni Mentions the show Famous Women as being part of the program. August 15, 1935.
1935 Badia's Summer Casino Giza, Egypt Badia Masabni Photo showing the cast of the play Famous Women.
1935 Badia's Summer Casino Giza, Egypt Badia Masabni Promotes Badia Masabni's final play before leaving the theater stage to pursue a movie career. September 10, 1935.
1935 Casino Rateba & Ensaf Rushdie Cairo, Egypt Ratiba and Ensaf Rushdie Promotes the grand opening of the Rushdie Sisters' new establishment on Alfi Bek Street. October 24, 1935.
1936 El Bosphore Cairo, Egypt Mary Mansour and Imtithal Fawzy Promoting a show that began eight days before Imtithal was murdered on her own stage.
1936 Casino Monte Carlo Alexandria, Egypt Mustafa Ibrahim The performers were the Houriya Mohamed Troupe. In the El Shatbi neighborhood.
1936 Casino Alf Layla Alexandria, Egypt Mohamed el Dibs At El Raml Station. Performance by Houriya Mohamed.
1936 Printania Theater and Sala Badia Cairo, Egypt Printania owner not identified. Sala Badia owner was Badia Masabni. Side-by-side ads promoting performances by Badia Masabni's troupe at two different locations. One for Sala Badia (Badia Masabni's club), the other for the Printania Theater. October 31, 1936.
1937 Casino Badia and Casino Rateba and Ensaf Rushdie Cairo, Egypt Badia Masabni and the Rushdie Sisters "Where Will You Go Tonight" in Al Ahram featured shows at Casino Badia and Casino Rateba and Ensaf Rushdie. February 27, 1937.
1937 Sala Badia Cairo, Egypt Beba Ezz el-Din Advertises Sala Badia now under Beba Ezz el-Din's ownership. Comedy play with music and dance. Information on show times. March 10, 1937.
1937 Badia's Summer Casino Giza, Egypt Badia Masabni Grand opening for the summer. A play, comedy, and dance show. April 30, 1937.
1937 Badia's Summer Casino Giza, Egypt Badia Masabni A cowboy show at Badia's summer club. August 10, 1937.
1938 Badia's Summer Casino Giza, Egypt Badia Masabni Show includes a play called Chokehold with comedy centering around gender confusion.
1938 Casino & Cabaret Badia Cairo, Egypt Badia Masabni Grand opening of Badia's new club on Emad el-Din Street, next door to her former Sala Badia. Taheya Carioca promoted as headliner.
1938 Casino Beba Cairo, Egypt Beba Ezz el-Din Promotes a show at Beba's nightclub (the one that used to be Sala Badia).
1939 Teatro Beba Cairo, Egypt Beba Ezz el-Din Promotes a show at Beba's nightclub. Ad appeared October 4, 1939.
1939 Casino and Cabaret Badia and Teatro Beba Cairo, Egypt Badia Masabni and Beba Ezz el-Din Rival ads, appearing side by side, for the two theaters next door to each other. For October 5, 1939 show.
1939 Casino & Cabaret Badia and Teatro Beba Cairo, Egypt Beba Ezz el-Din and Badia Masabni Rival ads, appearing one directly above the other, for the two theaters next door to each other. For October 31, 1939 show.
1939 Casino Ezz el-Din Cairo, Egypt Mary Ezz el-Din and Youssef Ezz el-Din Promotes October 15 show.
1939 Casino Ezz el-Din Cairo, Egypt Mary Ezz el-Din and Youssef Ezz el-Din Promotes October 31 show.

1940's and 1950's

Year
Name
City
Owner
Comments
1940 Badia's Summer Casino Giza, Egypt Badia Masabni Includes comments on the meanings of the terms "Sala", "Casino", and "Cabaret". The ad promotes performances by Taheya Carioca, Tsenrov Trio, and Ballet Madgishi. Also a 5-act play titled El Seet Walla El Ghena (Famous Rather than Rich)
1940 Casino Opera Cairo, Egypt Badia Masabni Announces the Grand Opening of the Casino Opera, scheduled for November 9. Promotes the first revolving stage in Egypt. Headliner was Taheya Carioca.
1940 Casino Opera Cairo, Egypt Badia Masabni Announces the Grand Opening of the Casino Opera, scheduled for November 14. Promotes the first circular stage to be used in Egypt.
1940 Casino Opera Cairo, Egypt Badia Masabni Show beginning November 30. Included Taheya Carioca and Ismail Yassin.
1940's Casino Opera Cairo, Egypt Badia Masabni and Beba Ezz el-Din Promotes Hoda Shems el-Din as the featured dancer. Says the Casino Opera will no longer allow artists to sit with patrons or drink alcohol with them.
1950 Casino Opera Cairo, Egypt Beba Ezz el-Din Grand opening under Beba Ezz el-Din's ownership after Badia Masabni sold to her and left Egypt. Play, stand-up comedienne, dance, singers, show times.
1950 Casino Romance and Luxury Auberge Cairo, Egypt Fathya Mahmoud The Casino Romance was previously known as the Abbaye des Roses (see link to 1917 ad above).

After 2000

Year
Name
City
Owner
Comments
2013 El Sawy Sakkiat Cairo, Egypt Mohamed el-Sawy International Day of Dance celebration for women.

 

Movie Advertisements

Year
Movie Title
Dancer
Comments
1935 El Dahya (The Victims) Houriya Mohamed Shows four different ads that were used for promoting the film.
1935 Dr. Farhat (Dr. Farhat) Taheya Carioca The dancing was not raqs sharqi.
1936 Malikat el-Masareh (Queen of Theaters) Badia Masabni Announces the premiere.
1936 Malikat el-Masareh (Queen of Theaters) Badia Masabni Flyer promoting the movie.
1936 Khafir el-Darak (The Night Watchman) Taheya Carioca Taheya Carioca's first performance of raqs sharqi in cinema.

 

The Working World

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

Sabriye Tekbilek

 

History & Folkloric Foundations

Ancient Times

Ka-Gmni

Medieval Times

Recent Centuries

Folkloric Styles

Reda Troupe
Other Folklore Topics
Almee

 

Society

ABOUT THE PHOTO: Ghawazee dancers, circa 1920.

 

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Through Foreign Eyes

Society

Media

Knowledge

PHOTO CREDIT: Photo by Bill Corwin, San Jose, California, 1986.

Shira

 

Product Reviews

PHOTO CREDIT: Photo by Randolph Lynch, Redwood City, California.

Shira

 

Dance Styles

ABOUT THE PHOTO: Photo of Arabella wearing a Pharaonic costume that she made.

Arabella

 

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