Saturday, May 23, 2015
The Queens of Belly Dancing in Egypt’s Modern History
Bamba Kashar
Nationality: Egyptian
Reign: 1880s-1920s
Bamba Kashar
Born in an affluent and noble family. Her father was a popular reciter of the Quran who died when she was 14. She and her sisters deserted their mother when the latter married another man. Little Bamba Kashar later met a Turkish belly dancing master who placed her foot on the first steps towards stardom.
Bamba Kashar became Egypt’s number one belly dancer. She performed at the mansions of princes and pashas. Egyptians used to nickname her “set el kol”, the literal translation is “everyone’s mistress”. And the word mistress here refers to the feminine of “master”. Bamba Kashar became so rich to the extent that she used to dance while carrying a tray full of money or jewelry on her head.
Badia Masabny
Nationality: Syrian/Lebanese
Reign: 1920s-1930s
Badia Masabny
Queens such as Tahia Karioka and Samia Gamal were graduates of Masabny’s dancing school. They all performed with Masabny, before they themselves become queens of course. Her nightclub, located where the Cairo Sheraton stands now, was considered to be the Moulin Rouge of the East. Masabny’s contribution to Egyptian entertainment was tremendous. She was married to the beloved Egyptian/Iraqi comedian Naguib El Rehany.
Continue reading at:
The Big Pharaoh The Queens of Belly Dancing in Egypt s Modern History
The Queens of Belly Dancing in Egypt’s Modern History
Bamba Kashar
Nationality: Egyptian
Reign: 1880s-1920s
Bamba Kashar
Born in an affluent and noble family. Her father was a popular reciter of the Quran who died when she was 14. She and her sisters deserted their mother when the latter married another man. Little Bamba Kashar later met a Turkish belly dancing master who placed her foot on the first steps towards stardom.
Bamba Kashar became Egypt’s number one belly dancer. She performed at the mansions of princes and pashas. Egyptians used to nickname her “set el kol”, the literal translation is “everyone’s mistress”. And the word mistress here refers to the feminine of “master”. Bamba Kashar became so rich to the extent that she used to dance while carrying a tray full of money or jewelry on her head.
Badia Masabny
Nationality: Syrian/Lebanese
Reign: 1920s-1930s
Badia Masabny
Queens such as Tahia Karioka and Samia Gamal were graduates of Masabny’s dancing school. They all performed with Masabny, before they themselves become queens of course. Her nightclub, located where the Cairo Sheraton stands now, was considered to be the Moulin Rouge of the East. Masabny’s contribution to Egyptian entertainment was tremendous. She was married to the beloved Egyptian/Iraqi comedian Naguib El Rehany.
Continue reading at:
The Big Pharaoh The Queens of Belly Dancing in Egypt s Modern History
