Filler
Photo of Shira

 

 

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

Articles & Translations
by Priscilla Adum

 

---------------

Table of Contents

 

---------------

General Middle Eastern Culture Notes

Cuisine

Holidays and Customs

Dates

 

---------------

Cinema

Opera Cinema

 

---------------

Music

Sayed Darwish

 

---------------

Dance-Related News

 

 

---------------

Egyptian Golden Era Belly Dance

Historic Articles

Historic Nightclubs

Casino Opera

Historic Photos

Galleries

Group Photos

1930's
1960's
Van Leo Photo

Celebrity Articles & Interviews

Badia Masabni

Badia Masabni

Beba Ezz El-Din

Dina

Fairouz Arteen (Child Star)

Fifi Abdo

Beba Ezz el-Din

Hekhmet Fahmy

Imtithal Fawzy

Lucy

Naemet Mokhtar

Imtithal Fawzy

Samia Gamal

Shafiqa el-Koptiyya

Samia Gamal

Taheya Carioca

Taheya Carioca

Others

Personality Profiles
Naima Akef
Multiple Celebs in One Article
New and Second-Hand Costumes

Newspaper Advertisements

Entertainers

These ads feature the services of a troupe of Awalim for family parties and weddings. They weren't working with a nightclub.

Ads for Salas, Casinos, Theaters

Arranged in chronological order by when they appeared. Click on the venue name to see the advertisement.

I think one of the best sources of informatiom about dance history are old flyers, magazines, and newspaper articles written at the time that important events were taking place. Back in the day, Egyptian newspapers and magazines were filled with news, gossip, and assorted tidbits about the dance and about performing arts in general. There even used to be a section in Al Ahram that appeared weekly called "Where Will You Go Tonight?" It listed all the entertainment options that were available in Cairo that particular week.

I've gathered a collection of flyers and news articles from old magazines and newspapers from as early as 1925, which tell a fascinating story about Egyptian raqs sharqi and how it evolved since the beginning of the 20th Century. I've translated only about 45 or so, but there are literally hundreds of them.

Before 1920

Year
Venue
City
Comments
1889 San Estefano Station Alexandria, Egypt Promotes a performance by a "Raqs Arabi" dance troupe
1917 Abbaye des Roses and Casino de Paris Cairo, Egypt This club, next door to the restaurant Alfi Bey, was later known under the names Shahrazad and Casino Romance.

1920's

Year
Venue
City
Comments
1920 El Bosphore Cairo, Egypt Promotes Na3ma el-Masreya, the Queen of Song. At Station Square (known today as Ramses Square).
1925 Ramses Theater Cairo, Egypt New! Promotes a performance by Turkish dancer Blanche Hanem and her troupe. June 6, 1925. Placed online July 31, 2019.
1926 El Bosphore Cairo, Egypt Promotes Victoria Moussa Troupe in the rooftop cafe. A group who presented musical theater plays.
1926 Theater el-Ezbekia Cairo, Egypt Promotes performance by Oum Kalthoum.
1926 Sala Badia Cairo, Egypt Owned by Badia Masabni. Promotes the grand opening. Singing and dancing by Badia with her musicians. November 4, 1926.
1926 Sala Badia Cairo, Egypt New! Promotes the guest singer and accompanying band. January 25, 1927. Placed online July 29, 2019.
1927 Sala Badia Cairo, Egypt Owned by Badia Masabni. Promotes the musicians for the show. March 10, 1927.
1927 Sala Badia Cairo, Egypt New! Promotes that evening's show. Also announces that Afranza Hanem has arrived in Cairo and will be dancing soon! March 29, 1927. Placed online July 29, 2019.
1927 Sala Badia Cairo, Egypt New! Advertises the musicians for the current show and builds anticipation for Turkish dancer Afranza Hanem's performance the next day. March 30, 1927. Placed online July 28, 2019.
1927 Sala Badia Cairo, Egypt New! Owned by Badia Masabni. Publicizes Turkish dancer Afranza Hanem as the headliner for the show. April 5, 1927. Placed online July 28, 2019.
1927 Sala Badia Cairo, Egypt New! Owned by Badia Masabni. Promotes Samiha Baghdadi and Leyla as guest artists. November 20, 1927. Placed online July 28, 2019.
1927 Sala Badia Cairo, Egypt New! Owned by Badia Masabni. Promotes the entertainers for the show. December 10, 1927. Placed online July 28, 2019.
1928 Sala Badia (Summer) Alexandria, Egypt Owned by Badia Masabni. Grand opening. Music, comedy, and dance. June 16, 1928.
1928 Sala Badia (Summer) Alexandria, Egypt New! Owned by Badia Masabni. Music, comedy, and dance. July 10, 1928. Placed online July 26, 2019.
1928 Sala Badia (Summer) Alexandria, Egypt Owned by Badia Masabni. Promotes final show before closing. September 28, 1928.
1928 Sala Badia Cairo, Egypt Owned by Badia Masabni. Musicians, dance, comedy impersonations.
1928 Printania Cairo, Egypt Promotes Afranza Hanem and Mounira al-Mahdiya

1930's

Year
Venue
City
Comments
1930 Sala Soad Mahasen and Sala Badia Cairo, Egypt New! Double ad promoting two nightclubs on Emad el-Din Street in Cairo - the ones owned by Soad Mahasen and Badia Masabni. Placed online July 25, 2019.
1930 Badia's Garden Giza, Egypt Grand opening. Music, comedy, and dance. May 8, 1930.
1930's Badia's Garden Giza, Egypt Shows cast members for the shows. Probaby from 1930 or 1931.
1930's El Khadawiya Garden Asyut, Egypt Owned by Ratiba and Ensaf Rushdie, the sisters of Fatma Rushdie. Show included raqs sharqi, female impersonator, monologues, music.
1930's El Sala El Masreia Cairo, Egypt Owned by Mary Mansour. Mentions "modern raqs sharqi".
1930's Casino Alf Layla Alexandria, Egypt Owned by Beba Ezz el-Din. Dancers, singers, plays.
1930's Sala Casino el Masry Alexandria, Egypt Owned by Fathya Ahmed. At Casino Camp Shizar on the Corniche. Thee link includes some biographical information about Fathya.
1930's Casino Ezz el-Din Cairo, Egypt Owned by Mary Ezz el-Din and Youssef Ezz el-Din.
1930's Badia's Garden Giza, Egypt Owned by Badia Masabni. Photos of the cast members. Probably early 1930's.
1930's Badia's Garden Giza, Egypt Owned by Badia Masabni. The cast included heavenly creatures from Marrakech!
1930's Sala Badia Cairo, Egypt Owned by Badia Masabni. Songs, monologues, Tunisian dancing.
1931 Badia's Garden Giza, Egypt Owned by Badia Masabni. Grand re-opening, remodeled. Emphasizes the facility (cinema, stage, and cabaret) rather than the show. Appeared on May 17, 1931, two weeks before the opening date.
1931 Badia's Garden Giza, Egypt New! Owned by Badia Masabni. Promotes the content of the show. Appeared on opening night, May 31, 1931.
1932 Sala Badia Cairo, Egypt New! Owned by Badia Masabni. Promotes monologues, sketches, and songs. Placed online July 6, 2019.
1932 Badia's Garden Giza, Egypt New! Owned by Badia Masabni. Says today are the horse races. 1932. Placed online July 23, 2019.
1933 Badia's Garden Giza, Egypt Owned by Badia Masabni. Includes a female impersonator on the roster.
1933 Sala Soad Mohasen Alexandria, Egypt Owned by Soad Mohasen. At Casino Camp Shizar on the Corniche. (On the beach.) Singer, dancers, monologuist. 1st of 2 ads for the same show.
1933 Sala Soad Mohasen Alexandria, Egypt

Owned by Soad Mohasen. At Casino Camp Shizar on the Corniche. (On the beach.) Singer, dancers, monologuist. 2nd of 2 ads for the same show.

1934 Sala Badia Cairo, Egypt Owned by Badia Masabni. Show's opening coincided with the Islamic holiday Eid al-Adha.
1935 Alhambra Theater Cairo, Egypt A show by Badia Masabni's troupe at a different location from her own club. Features Badia, Ismail Yassin, Hekhmet Fahmy, and more. Includes information about the Alhambra Theater's building today. January 19, 1935.
1935 Sala Badia Cairo, Egypt Owned by Badia Masabni. Features a cast of 60 people, including Houriya Mohamed. February 7, 1935.
1935 Sala Badia Cairo, Egypt Owned by Badia Masabni. Pharaonic musical segment, several comedies, and a Spanish dance with castanets. Includes a show titled Battle of Dogs, Cats, and Rats. March 15, 1935.
1935 Badia's Garden Giza, Egypt Owned by Badia Masabni. Includes information about English Bridge and Badia's club there. Promotes shows titled Famous Women and The Eggplant of Art, as well as a special performance by the Berezov Troupe. August 15, 1935.
1935 Badia's Garden Giza, Egypt Owned by Badia Masabni. Promotes Badia's final live performance before leaving the theater stage to pursue a movie career. September 10, 1935.
1935 Casino Rateba & Ensaf Rushdie Cairo, Egypt New! Owned by Rateba and Ensaf Rushdie. Promotes the grand opening of their new establishment on Alfi Bek Street. October 24, 1935. Placed online July 21, 2019.
1936 El Bosphore Cairo, Egypt Owned by Mary Mansour and Imtithal Fawzy. Promotes a show that began eight days before Imtithal was murdered on her own stage.
1936 Casino Monte Carlo Alexandria, Egypt Houriya Mohamed's theater company. Play, dance, monologue, singing.
1936 Casino Alf Layla Alexandria, Egypt Houriya Mohamed's theater company. Plays, skits, dancing, singing.
1936 Printania Theater Cairo, Egypt New! 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. Placed online July 21, 2019.
1937 Casino Badia and Casino Rateba & Ensaf Rushdie Cairo, Egypt New! "Where Will You Go Tonight" in Al Ahram featured shows at Casino Badia and Casino Rateba and Ensaf Rushdie. February 27, 1937. Placed online August 1, 2019.
1937 Sala Badia (under Beba) Cairo, Egypt Owned by Beba Ezz el-Din. Comedy play with music and dance. March 10, 1937.
1937 Badia's Garden Giza, Egypt Owned by Badia Masabni. Grand opening of summer season. Play, comedy, dance. April 30, 1937
1937 Badia's Garden Giza, Egypt New!A cowboy show at Badia's summer club. August 10, 1937. Placed online July 20, 2019.
1938 Badia's Garden Giza, Egypt Owned by Badia Masabni. Advertises Chokehold, a comedy whose humor centers on gender confusion. Also, the Byron International Troupe for the first time in Egypt.
1938 Casino & Cabaret Badia Cairo, Egypt Grand opening of Badia Masabni'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 New!Owned by Beba Ezz el-Din. Advertises a show with music and dance. Placed online July 12, 2019.
1939 Teatro Beba Cairo, Egypt New! Promotes a show at Beba's nightclub. Ad appeared October 4, 1939. Placed online July 20, 2019.
1939 Casino Badia (in Majestic Theater) and Teatro Beba Cairo, Egypt New!Casino Badia owned by Badia Masabni, Teatro Beba owned by Beba Ezz el-Din. Rival ads, side by side. Badia's show included Ismail Yassin, Taheya Carioca, and Beba Ibrahim. Beba Ezz el-Din's show included a play, herself in a dance, and a monologuist. For the October 5, 1939 show. Placed online July 13, 2019.
1939 Casino Badia (in Majestic Theater) and Teatro Beba Cairo, Egypt Casino Badia owned by Badia Masabni, Teatro Beba owned by Beba Ezz el-Din. Rival ads, side by side. For the October 31, 1939 show.
1939 Casino Ezz el-Din Cairo, Egypt Owned by Mary Ezz el-Din and Youssef Ezz el-Din. October 15 show.
1939 Casino Ezz el-Din Cairo, Egypt Owned by Mary Ezz el-Din and Youssef Ezz el-Din. October 31 show.

1940's & 1950's

Year
Venue
City
Comments
1940 Badia's Garden Giza, Egypt Owned by Badia Masabni. Also comments by Priscilla on use of the terms "cabaret" vs "casino".
1940 Casino Opera Cairo, Egypt Owned by Badia Masabni. Grand opening of the new Casino Opera. Starting date of November 9.
1940 Casino Opera Cairo, Egypt Owned by Badia Masabni. Grand opening of the new Casino Opera. Starting date of November 14.
1940 Casino Opera Cairo, Egypt Owned by Badia Masabni. A new show with 7-act musical revue, dance, comedy.
1940's Casino Opera Cairo, Egypt Owned by Badia Masabni. New show featuring Badia's and Beba Ezz el-Din's dance company. Show times, cast, etc.
1950 Casino Opera Cairo, Egypt Owned by Beba Ezz el-Din (new ownership after Badia sold it to her). Play, stand-up comedienne, dance, singers, show times.
1950 Casino Romance Cairo, Egypt Owned by Fathya Mahmoud. Next door to Alfi Bey restaurant, was previously known as Abbaye des Roses (in 1917) and Shahrazad (before 1950). Today, once again known as Shahrazad.

 

---------------

About Priscilla

Priscilla is a dancer of Lebanese heritage who enjoys researching the Golden Era of Egyptian dance. She owns a collection of more than one hundred classic black and white Egyptian films which is continually expanding.

Priscilla has also gathered a large library of dance related articles and clippings from Middle Eastern magazines and newspapers, many of which she has translated from the original Arabic to both English and Spanish.

Priscilla currently resides in Central America where she is a dance instructor. 

Priscilla

 

 

---------------

Copyright Notice

This entire web site is copyrighted. All rights reserved.

All articles, images, forms, scripts, directories, and product reviews on this web site are the property of Shira unless a different author/artist is identified. Material from this web site may not be posted on any other web site unless permission is first obtained from Shira.

Academic papers for school purposes may use information from this site only if the paper properly identifies the original article on Shira.net using appropriate citations (footnotes, end notes, etc.) and bibliography. Consult your instructor for instructions on how to do this.

If you wish to translate articles from Shira.net into a language other than English, Shira will be happy to post your translation here on Shira.net along with a note identifying you as the translator. This could include your photo and biography if you want it to. Contact Shira for more information. You may not post translations of Shira's articles on anybody else's web site, not even your own.

If you are a teacher, performer, or student of Middle Eastern dance, you may link directly to any page on this web site from either your blog or your own web site without first obtaining Shira's permission. Click here for link buttons and other information on how to link.

 

 

Explore more belly dance info:

Top >
Belly Dancing >
Top Contributors to This Site

 

Share this page!

On Facebook
 

 

 Top > Belly Dancing

| Contact Shira | Links | Search this Site |