Aisha Ali
and The Nawari Nights of Egyptian Music and Dance
By Kristin Raeesi
Introduction : Ghawazee and Aisha Ali When most instructors provide their students with historical information about the foundations of belly dance they typically begin with a discussion of Badia Masabni ’ s Opera Casino in Cairo , one of the earliest venues featuring staged productions of belly dance . However , Badia ’ s stage was not the first to host live public dance performances , nor the first to feature belly dancing . Still , many in the belly dance community view Badia ’ s casino as the beginning of raqs sharqi .
In this series of articles , we will explore earlier influences on public dance performances , with a focus on the impact of both Romani and Domari populations in the Middle East and North Africa , and on the preservation and presentation of folkloric dance forms which gave rise to raqs sharqi .
Romani and Domari History According to Ian Hancock , one of the foremost Romani scholars , Romani and peoples are descended from populations that left their original homelands in India ( although there is an ongoing debate regarding the year ( s ) they left ). The people known as Romani took a route through the Middle East , traveling
Photo of Aisha , 1962 - Photo by Leona Wood through Turkey and for those who did not stay in Turkey , continued through Greece and up into Europe . The Domari also traveled from India through the Middle East but instead of going North to Europe , many Domari sub-groups stayed in various Middle Eastern countries and others engaged in a peripatetic lifestyle , traveling extensive distances throughout the Middle East and North Africa . A central occupation for both Romani and Domari peoples was public entertainment and performance , especially as musicians , dancers , and singers . In an effort to secure paid performance opportunities , most Roma and Dom made concerted efforts to learn local songs ,
January 2017 � The Belly Dance Chronicles 15