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(updated February 2010). Updated with more pictures of current stars, links to interviews and videos,Also a look at some of the very early dancers we can see on film. Additional dancers-information and clips added.
Some of these dancers were not Egyptian or Middle Eastern at all and were filmed by Thomas Edison company at Great Exhibitions around the end of the 19th century. From 1895 Princess Ali-this dance looks very Algerian From 1904 Princess Rajah-don't try this at home!!!
She became a dancer after a tough early life and came to work in Cairo. In 1926 she opened the Casino Badia nightclub in Cairo. It was very successful and she later opened another club Casino Opera in the 1940s Amazing vintage footage of a cinema advert for her club Casino Badia. She is singing and playing sagat. Tahia Carioka is one of the backing dancers. More information on Badia Masabny Article from on line magazine Gilded Serpent
Many dancers of the past became famous because of the films they were in. Ordinary Egyptian people can not afford to go to the clubs and see the dancers but dancers(up to stars of the 1990s) can be seen regularly today on television-so people know the old stars better than the recent ones. There are DVDs you can buy where you can clips of the dancing from the older films.A lot of this dancing is done and staged for the films so it is not like it would be done in real life performance but it is an indication of the styles of the time.
Music for Naima Akef and watch her dance.
Aziza-Naima starred in the film of the same name and danced to this piece of music which is one of the most famous in the Arab world.Nice version of it on the CD Tabel Ya Issam. Naima dancing to Aziza
This is a compilation of different clips of Naima from various films put together to the music Aziza. Its is particularly interesting to see the styles of costume from the era Watch her in the classic film Tamr henna Naima Akef stars as Tamr henna a gypsy dancer who is pursued by 2 men one rich and one poor. Unbeknown to her the rich one makes a bet that he can pass her off as a middle class girl. The girl he has cast aside for Tamr henna finds out who she is and tells everyone in the middle of a party where her old gypsy colleagues have been asked to entertain. Betrayed Tamr henna runs upstairs and finds her poor suitor waiting for her. He stabs in her in the back!!!! and she realises she loves him all along. English subtitles ( not always reliable English but you can get the gist)Buy from www.rashid.com Please note- These films are great for the slice of 1950s Egyptian culture and attitudes that you get to see, also to help you with your Egyptian language lessons and to see dances in context that previously you may have only seen on clips.They would not appeal to everyone. They are stories with a few musical numbers not films about dancing. Both these 1950's films-this one and Afrita Hanem starring Samia Gamal are in black and white and are light hearted with a good bit of humour.
Music for Samia Gamal and watch her dance
One of my favourite clips of Samia dancing Samia in colour. Here is a clip of her dancing in the Hollywood film Ali Baba and the forty thieves
Music for Tahia Carioka and watch her dance
Clip of Tahia dancing in a film from 1950 "the shore of love"
For more information Article on Tahia Cairoka from the online magazine Gilded Serpent
Dancing in Egypt is not always exclusively Egyptian. Badia Masabny, the biggest influence on the dance, was Syrian or Lebanese. Many popular musicians and singers are Lebanese not Egyptian. Katy was actually Greek. She appreared in ten films. Not much else is known about her. I think she is charming.She always looks so happy when she dances.
I've no idea if these ladies were twins or sisters but they were very together without loosing any of their individual charm Liz and Lyn- watch out for the guy balencing the shisha on his head!!
Zeinat from the film Ayyam wa Layali
Music for Nagwa Fouad and watch her dance
Clip of Nagwa dancing from a film (Am I glad costumes like this went out of fashion!!) Nagwa dancing saidi with finger cymbals My favourite clip of Nagwa dancing (now this costume I would wear) For more information read this interview with Nagwa Fouad
Music for Souheir Zaki and watch her dance
Although we often think of her as Bint el Balad she does lovely oriental too. Here she is doing a magency. Look how she works the audience. Personality is a vital part of this dance.All the best dancers are not just great dancers they are also watchable and entertaining and do a show for their audience. Fifi dancing Fifi dancing Ahmed Adeweya singing For more information on Ahmed Adeweya
Interview with fifi (English subtitles) Recent interview with Fifi from on line magazine Gilded Serpent.
An interesting and controversial figure in the dance world. Known for her vulgarity. She is rumoured to have been paid to give up dancing and take the veil. Sahar dancing in a film not the best clip of her as she is acting. Not really a fair representation of her talent but sadly the only clip I could find. For more information read this article
Aida used to dance in the Reda troupe. After leaving it she became a star working in many night clubs. She is now in demand as a master teacher all over the world. She is co organiser of the Nile Festival. One of her signature moves is a sitting shimmy. Aida dancing at the Marriot Hotel nightclub 1988
From Sweden. Probably the first European to make it big out in Cairo. An inspiration to future foreign stars. Now retired from regular Cairo performance. A wonderful teacher and a real walking encyclopedia of the dance-one of my favorites.
Samasen performing in 1999
Music for Dina and watch her dance
Dina dancing to Tathil Shibbak in 1994 sung by legendary Baladi singer Fatme Serhan. This recording isvery similliar to the version on CD Best of Saidi with Fatme Serhan. Dina dancing to Tathil Shibbak in 2006 I saw her wear this costume. It looked most uncomfortable
Want to dance like her? You can get DVDs of her teaching workshops at www.dahlal.com
Lucy dancing in the early 1990s from an excellent documentary first broadcast on National Geographic channel Lucy dancing at the Nile Festival in 2007. This is part of her Magency (openng number)
See her dance on DVD-The Farha Tour 2006 DVD (trailer) available from www.faridadance.com Clips of Randa dancing Part of her Saidi set that she nearly always wears a trouser costume for Randa dancing to one of my favourite songs Akteb Aleik written by Baligh Hamdi Want to dance like her? A DVD that includes choreography, live performance and an interview with Randa available called Masters of Egyptian choreography Vol 1
After taking a break from dancing for a while Dandesh is now back on the Cairo dance scene. She is teachinh but not performing anywhere regularly unfortunately
Dandeshs famous routine using the song Kermanga (violin) The singer is describing the girl he is in love with.She has a waist like a violin and he used to like apricots and now he likes mangos!!! Its a fun song that she has altered to fit in her imitations of dances like Samia Gamal, Fifi Abdo, Dina and Sahar Hamdi.
Please note-unfortunately both the Dandasha CD and Rakset Badia appear to be unavailable now. I can't find vendors who sell them so your best bet is to try secondhand. See her dance on the DVD Farha Tour 2005 available from www.faridadance.com Want to dance like her? Raquia Hassan Technique Vol 6. has two performances from Dandesh, a Khaleegi and a drum solo. For more information. Not much information around featuring Dandesh. here she features briefly in an interview along with retired dancer, now master teacher and costumier Aida Nour.
Recent clip of Camellia with shamadan For more information on shamadan click here.
Despite repeated asertions by Egyptians that the best dancers are Egyptian there are some foreign dancers dancing in Cairo that are very popular.
Soraya in a demonstration video dancing to pop music She does a fantastic drum solo and incorporates samba drums and moves.Its very unique to her.Bear with the lighting on this video I wanted to show her performing rather than demonstating. I'm not a fan of drum solos but hers I like. Shes made it her own.
Sadly Asmahan is no longer dancing in Cairo.
Clip of Asmahan. Here she emerges from the heart and dances with Isis wings without using the neck piece. Amazing entrance as the Goddess Isis .I think this is at the Nile Group festival she has more of a supporting cast than usual!! She has a costume "trick" that she likes to do. She comes on in a mini skirt with leggings and then pulls it down to make a long skirt. I've seen her do this the last 4 times I saw her. Thanks to Kay Taylor for the photos
Last time I saw her she did the same trick but slightly different.She had the mini skirt with coloured scarves that the drummer pulled off when "she wasn't looking" and then she pulled her skirt down. Her tabla player is a character and sdoes all kinds of crazy stuff including playing his own head.
Dance clip of Asmahan on the Egyptian Moonlight in the UK organised by Khaled Mahmoud
Music for Leila
Leila has written some very interesting articles for www.gildedserpent.com including a great one about her experiences performing at weddings in Cairo Clip of leila's megancy at the Nile Festival Leila dancing on the Nile Maxim Boat
See her dance on Bellydancers of Cairo DVD Music for Katia she has a CD Amar El Laily of some of her performance pieces For more information
The answer to that one is yes and here they are-go girls!!!
Music for Yasmina Yasmina has 3 excellent CDs of her music which you can buy from www.faridadance.com or www.aladdinscave.com
STOP PRESS- Yasmina has a new CD out this summer watch out for it on www.faridadance.com Dance clips of Yasmina Baladi and melaya from the always elegant Yasmina watch out for the bit near the beginning where she seamlessly removed a tissue stuck to the bottom of her foot-now there's a proffessional! See her dance-she has several performance DVDs as well as the documentary based one. Her more recent performances on the Farha tours 2005 and 2006 can be bought at www.faridadance.com For more information www.yasminaofcairo.com
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Badia's life story reads like the plot of a film, infact it has been made into one and was the inspiration for TV servies starring Nagwa Fouad. Sometimes described as Syrian , sometimes as Lebanese she was the person who has had the most profound effect on the dance. Without her we would not have the dance as it is today
Naima Akef started her career young. Born 7th october 1932. She was a member of the famous Akef circus family and did all kinds of acrobatics. She became one of the stars of the show. She was discovered by famous film director Hussein Fawzy who directed her in her films. They got married. Her career went from strength to strength and soon she was one of the most famous actress and dancers in the country. She was fired from Badia Masabni’s nightclub for fighting with another jealous rival dancer but was known for her kindness. She greatly preferred to do film work rather than nightclub performances She gave up work in 1964 to look after her son by her second marriage. She died of cancer in 1966 aged 34.
Tamrhenna One of Naima Akefs most famous film performances was in the film Tamrhenna (Red Flower) in 1957. 
This is another song often confused with this one because it is also called Tamrhenna. It is also from the film of the same name sung by Fazia Ahmed-a wonderful singer who was also in a lot of films.There is no dancing to this in the film but it has been adapted for dancing on various CDs. There is a version of it on Wash ya Wash 2. 
Min hob fik ya ghari-a lovely baladi song that features in one of her films. Find a great version of it on CD Leila Presents Helwa available from 
Samia Gamal was born Zainab Ibrahim Mahfuz in 1924 in Wana, a little Egyptian town. Soon the family moved to Cairo to live near the Khan el Khalili Bazaar. Badia Masabni, the owner of the "Opera Casino" accepted Zainab in her dance company and gave her the professional name of Samia Gamal. She developed as a soloist. She incorporated other elements such as classical ballet and Latin American dance into her solo performances. She was the first dancer to dance in high heeled shoes on the stage. She was also the first dancer to dance with a veil. She did it because she was taking lessons from Anna Ivanna, a Russian ballerina, who suggested it as a way of improving her arm technique. She met composer and singer Farid el Atrache and they fell in love. They starred together in many films and he wrote a lot of his best music for her. The romance did not last and after their separation she featured in international films including Hollywood film Valley of the Kings in 1954 and Ali Baba and the forty thieves. She married Texas oil millionaire Sheppard King but the marriage did not last long. In 1958 she married Roshdy Abaza one of the most famous Arab Egyptian actors and they starred together in a number of films. She was tempted out of retirement in her 60’s to help out a restaurant owner friend by dancing there on Monday nights; these became so popular she saved the restaurant. She died in Cairo in 1994 on December 1st
Zeina by Mohamed Abdel Waheb Great version on Bellydance Superstars Vol 1 Download from 
Kahramana composed by Farid Atrache from the film Afrita Hanen (Genie lady)mentioned below where Samia plays the genie lady- Lovely version of this music on the CD Sureya Hillal Jewels. 
Ma Alli We Oltelo.
See her dance- The fabulous Samia Gamal DVD includes clips of some of her films.
Watch her and Farid Atrache together in the classic film "Afrita Hanem"(genie lady)Samia Gamal stars in a dual role firstly as a genie lady out to help Farid Atrache succeed in his bid to become a composer and also as the star dancer in his show. English subtitles. 
Born c1920 Abla Mohamed Karim in Ismalia. She left home at an early age to pursue her career. Her parents did not approve of her ambitions to dance. She studied at the Ivanova School of dancing and moved into Mohamed Ali Street. She was named Carioca after the Brazilian samba dance she used to do during the 1930s at Badia Masabnis club. She encouraged her drummer to play Brazilian rhythms on tabla. She introduced Latin American rhythms into her show. Mohamed Abdul Waheb composed tunes for her using these rhythms. Competition at Badia’s was hard particularly from her life time rival Samia Gamal. The two women had very different dance styles they were also friends.they also married the same man (at different times!) Her performances were rarely longer than 25 minutes. Her fame grew she acted in more than 300 films and became very famous. She gave up dancing in 1963 but continued to act. She also appeared in TV soap operas. In the 1980s she ran her own theatre in Cairo and produced and wrote plays. She married 14 times. Legend has it she once slapped King Farouk when he threw an ice cube down her dress. She died of a heart attack aged 79 in 1999. She was uniquely honoured by official recognition of her funeral; the Egyptian Cultural Minister led the procession. When Samia Gamal died in 1994 her funeral was officially ignored.
Great piece of music Tahia Dance on the CD Casino Opera. Can be edited to last just over 4 minutes-short version of it is on Rough Guide to Egyptian Music.The actual title of the music is Habibi Ya Asmar by Mohamed Abdel Waheb. Also on this CD is Touta by Farid Atrache another of her famous pieces 
There are many different spellings of her name. Sometimes her name is spelt Olwi. Her stage name was Zurah and she was one of the leading bellydancers in Egypt in the middle of the twentieth century. She appeared in many films. One of her most famous performances was in a 1955 movie Ayyam wa Layali (Days and Nights).
Famed for her spectacular shows with troupes of dancers. Very popular with Egyptians. Many of her costumes made by Madame Abla. She married 4 times. She still works in theatre and television. In the serial "Zizinia" she played Badia Masabni the dancer and owner of Cairos most famous club where Samia Gamal and Tahia Carioca started their dance career. She was born in Alexandria and ran away from home when she was 15 to persue her dream of becoming a dancer. She got a job in Cairo as a telephone receptionist at the Orabi Agency for Stars.When she was 16 Mr Orabi spotted her bellydancing at work and persuaded her to hire a costume and perform at the Sahara City Tent. A few months later she was arrested by the vice squad for performing underage. In 1976 Mohmamed Abdel Waheb composed an entire musical piece for her called Qamar Arba'tasher-14th Moon. It was her transition from traditional oriental dance to choreographed stage performance.
Music from the CD Nagwa Fouad Princess of Cairo-Opening number-Girls of Alexandria
Amar Arba'tasher (14th Moon)written especially for her by Mohamed Abdel Waheb a very famous and prolific composer of Egyptian music over several decades.Very dramatic opening number Short version on CD Very Cairo Vol 1. 
Longer version on Amar 14 Jaliahs Raks Sharki 2 Download from 
Set El Hosen. Nice version on Wings of Isis CD-I love the begining to this music
Born in Mansoura, her family lived there till she was 9 then moved to Alexandria. She taught herself to dance with music from the radio. She turned proffessional at the age of 11. Later she moved to Cairo where she began to entertain at weddings. She was renowned for her baladi. She was the first dancer to dance on TV to a dancers version of an Om Kalthoum song in the 1970's. She chose Ente Omri by Mohamed Abdul Waheb. No body had ever dared to dance to a version of an Om Kalthoum song before and she learned that the great lady was in the audience but Om Kalthoum loved it. Souheir Zaki started the tradition that carries on today. Every star dancer you see in Egypt has an Om kalthoum piece in their repertoire. Sadly for her,her image was often used on cheap music cassettes of the 1970s which was not representative of her at all as her knowledge and understanding of music was excellent. Unlike her contempories ,particularly Nagwa Fouad, she performed her shows with minimum costume changes and little or no props. 
Shik Shak Shok, very famous baladi piece.
Born to poverty in the village of Meet Abouel Kom, a village north of Cairo. she learned to dance from the dancing women from the Mohammed Ali street area. At the height of her fame she became Egypts richest women earning more than $3,000 a show and was rumoured to have over 5000 costumes (These figures vary a lot depending on source-higher but never less!!). Known as a baladi dancer famed for controversy dismissed by some as vulgar equally loved by many as a strong powerful lady. Known too for her generousity.Very strong stage presence. Has acted in many films where she nearly always plays the part of the strong minded femme fatale out to get revenge on the man who has wronged her. 
Music for Fifi Abdo and watch her dance
See her dance on DVD- Fifi Abdo the Egyptian Star. 
Her speciality was shamadan. She was an excellent sagat player.More about her on the 
CD of her music Samasen presents Music for Oriental Dance Vol 2
One of the best DVDs to see a lot of the current dancers and find out more about their lives is the Documentary DVD belly dancers of Cairo. The documentary is fascinating there are interviews with many of the dancers on this part of the page including Nagwa Fouad. There is also a performance section where you get to see many dancers famous-Dina,Lucy,Soraya,Katia and not so famous perform
Queen of the current scene. No stranger to controversy. She has revolutionised both the dance and the costume and inspired many copies. There is only only Dina. See her live she is fabulous. She is also a good teacher. Born in 1966 she has a masters degree. She has cleverly manipulated her own image. She has pionered the new look of little or no fringing on the costume and tiny tight movements. She dances at the Semi Ramis hotel in Cairo. One of the best DVDs to see her on is the documentary Bellydancers of Cairo where she is dancing for a wedding-you get to see her leading a Zeffa procession as well as giving her views on the dance scene. She speaks good English,is intelligent and articulate. 
A piece of music she has danced to for years is Tatil Shibbak - under my window. There are good versions of this song on Best of Saidi with Fatme Serhan. Find the translation on 
I also like this version on Rakset Badia
A magency written for Dina early in her career is on Wash ya Wash 3. The track is called Dina 
(photo Sabrina Owen)
Has been one of the top dancers since the 1990s. She is an actress, singer as well as a dancer. She has appeared in a popular Egyptian soap. If you want to see her dance you have to go to her husbands nightclub down Pyramid road The Parisianna. She too puts on an excellent show. Born in Mohamed Ali Street she is proud of her roots. 
For more information read this interview with Lucy 
This lady is my favourite of all the modern dancers.She has such spirit and drama in her dancing and her shimmies are the strongest I have ever seen. She started her dance career with the Reda troupe. 
Music for Dandesh-
She is Egyptian and the lady who inspired me to really take up the dance with shamadan. I saw her dance about 5 years ago on the Grand Hyatt boat and loved her. Then she disappeared off the scene but is now back again. She teaches at the Nile Festival. She has her own style very different from the Dina (modern school) of dance. 
Brazillian dancer. A reall ball of energy.Does a very entertaining show.Costumes by Eman Zaki. dances at the nightclub at the Marriat Hotel
Argentinian dancer. She does a good show. bases her dancing on dancers like Fifi Abdo and Nagwa Fouad. She is very dramatic and is a good showperson. She likes a dramatic entrance. Here she is being carried on in a giant heart for Valentines Day
And here she is being carried in dressed as the Goddess Isis. She has a troupe of 4 male dancers that not only carry her onto the stage but also get to dance at certain times in the show.Does a great drum solo. Designs her own costumes.
This was gorgeous, she is carried in in a shell and came out as a mermaid. Then she unfastened the orange memaid tail and danced with wings.
I love how she uses the wings.She doesn't use the neck piece this makes them look a lot less stiff.
An American dancer and model.Dances on the Nile Pharon Leila also models for the costumier Eman Zaki and wears her designs as do a lot of the top dancers. 
Leila has two excellent CDs with her music on Helwa and Sukara. Buy from 
STOP PRESS-she has another CD out which has some great music on-available from 
Want to dance like her get this DVD that has her teaching choreography, a live performance and an interview 
Russian dancer.(photo by Kay Taylor). Has been in Cairo for a long time.She is featured in a few of Raqia Hassan technique videos including the current one number 9.
Dubbed by the press as the English Rose of Cairo.Yasmina does not dance in Cairo much now.Her story is well documented on her DVD Journey of Desire-where amongst other things you can find out just how difficult it is for a foreigner to get work as a dancer in Cairo.
Layali Yasmina
Heya di Yasmina
Aheb Masr
She teaches at The Nile Festival. I saw her on the Nile Maxim a few years ago. 
From Scotland out there now. Dances on the Nile Pharon boat.