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Egypt Dances by Magda Saleh


This excerpt filmed in Luxor with an unidentified mizmar band comes from the film "Egypt Dances" directed by Magda Saleh for her dissertation project. Research was collected from 1975-77.


This clip is variously suggested to feature Fauzeya and Faiza (both daughters of Saad Mazin) [according to Saleh's dissertation paper] as well as Feriyal (one of Yousef Mazin's daughters) [according to her research assistant Samir Gaber Beshay's book "Atlas of Egyptian Folk Dances"], the identity most likely belongs to Fauzeya based on the date.


The typical ashrah format used for dance music in Upper Egypt is present, with a short sampling of the popular melody "Ya Jarid el Nakhl el Ali" ( يا جريد النخل العالى ) subsequent to the opening phrases [time mark 0:21-0:44/35:58-36:22]. The costume is a typical example of the late 70's era "pharonic" costume (a name used often by Khyria Mazin, but which is a descendant of the Ottoman costumes worn by public dancers throughout Egypt from the mid 1800's to early 1900's.) During the original research, the stick dance Jihayni was also filmed but unfortunately did not appear in the finished film. One very grainy image of the dance appears in Saleh's thesis, showing two girls in costume (labeled as Fauzeya and Faiza) dancing together with large assaya.


See the "appearances" tab for where to view the film and thesis in full.




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