History & Background of Classic Egyptian Music & Dance

The Art of Belly Dance, or raks sharqi (a.k.a. Oriental dance) as we know it today, is only about 100 years old. As the Golden Era of Hollywood made stars of the dancing and singing duo, Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire, so too did the Golden Era of Egyptian Cinema with Samia Gamal and Farid al Atrache.

In 1926, Badia Masabni, an actress and dancer, opened the famous Casino Opera, modeled after the cabarets of Europe, which gave rise to the Egyptian nightclub scene. Many of the era’s dance stars, such as Samia Gamal, got their start on the Casino Opera stage. The popular music of this period and the dance stars who performed to them, endure as a popular source of inspiration for today’s dance stars all over the world. This genre of music is known as classical Egyptian, Golden Era or simply belly dance classics.

The works of four legendary artists, all of whom have passed on, comprise the essential classical Egyptian music genre. Farid al Atrache, Mohamad Abdel Wahab, Abdel Halim Hafez, and the incomparable Om Kulthum can still be heard on the radio and orchestrated in nightclubs throughout the Arab world as well as belly dance performances worldwide.Their classic songs take us on a journey. With a variety of flavors such as folksy, dramatic, melancholy, and uplifting, classic songs inspire movement, evoke emotion, and awaken our artistic expression if we try to learn what they can teach us.

Further Reading

This list will grow. Check back often to see additions!

Web Articles

Hossam Ramzy: http://www.hossamramzy.com/articles/

The Stars of Egypt

Been There, Done That

Zeinab

Drumming for Dancers

You Are Musical Instrument

Egyptian Dance Aesthetics for Bellydancers by Farida Fahmy

Books

Images of Enchantment, Edited by Sherifa Zuhur.

ISBN: 978-9774244674
While not specifically about dance, this is an academic book that explores the arts of the Middle East. Comprised of 18 articles and essays about music, dance, painting, and cinema, it delves into the societal and cultural nuances that shape the perception of art and artists.

The Soul of Belly Dance in Color: History and Culture, by Mezdulene Bliss, Shira Elliot, and Morocco (C. Varga Dinicu).
ISBN: 978-1502549747

This book explores the music, culture and history of belly dance. Three prominent experts share their research and experiences.