PHOTO CREDIT: Above photo by John Rickman Photography, San Jose, California.

This is a translation of the advertisement that appeared on page 3 of Al Ahram which was used to promote a show by Oum Kalthoum at Theater and Garden el-Ezbekia on March 5, 1926.

Note that this ad mentions the term "raqs sharqi" eight months before Badia Masabni opened her first club in November of that same year. This proves that neither the term nor the dance was invented by Badia.

ABOUT THE PHOTO: This photo of Oum Kalthoum is displayed in the Oum Kalthoum Museum in Cairo.

Click on the image below to see the advertisement in more detail.

Theater & Garden el-Ezbekia

Artistic Singer, Angelic Voice, Beautiful Music, Dance Stage.

For Literary People.
For Fans of Tarab.
For Art Enthusiasts.
For The High Class.
For Everyone Who Wants To Make Themselves Happy.

We invite all of you, oh most kind people, to hear the singing Nightingale that the Nile has gifted to its people.

She will sing for us with her magical voice in a beautiful garden, in an elegant place, the most beautiful eastern building,

at the Institute of Singing, where there are pearly lights and Shining Stars and absolute silence, where you don't hear anything but the pleasant, kind voice that refreshes those souls present in the theater. 

Theater and Garden el-Ezbekia

On Saturday March 6, from 9:30 pm until 1:00 am,
the Singer of the Land of Egypt shall sing for us,
the Singer of the East shall sing for us,
the goddess With the Melodious Voice shall sing for us,
the Graceful Musician shall sing for us, 

Miss Oum Kalthoum

Will sing the most tarab songs,
will sing everything new and wonderful,
will sing the poem "Oh How Confused I am but What Can I do?"
and the poem "I Saw Your Beauty and I Like it"
and the poem "I Wonder Why Fate Is Always Trying To Separate Us?"
and the poem "Oh My Heart, Melt In The Pleasure Of Love",
will sing very beautiful Takatik,
will sing until you feel the delight of tarab

and in between songs, Raqs Sharqi will be performed by

The Most Beautiful Exquisite Dancers

Outdoing each other in Raqs el Sharqi and Western Dance.

Creativity, Gracefulness, they will do a dance perfomance of the Dance "Under the Light of the Moon" and the Dance "The Dreams of The Lover" and the Dance "Happiness of the Married Couple" 

The prices are very reasonable for all audiences, and the tickets are available at the theater window daily. 

Telephone 3405

Reserve your seats before it's too late!

Well Managed

ABOUT THE PHOTO: This photo, which is displayed in the Oum Kalthoum Museum in Cairo, shows Oum Kalthoum as a young woman. In 1926, the year the ad translated on this page appeared, she would have been in her early to mid 20's. This photo gives some idea of what she would have looked like at the time of this performance.

Priscilla is a dancer of Lebanese heritage who enjoys researching the Golden Era of Egyptian dance. She owns a collection of more than one hundred classic black and white Egyptian films which is continually expanding.

Priscilla has also gathered a large library of dance related articles and clippings from Middle Eastern magazines and newspapers, many of which she has translated from the original Arabic to both English and Spanish.

Priscilla currently resides in Central America where she is a dance instructor.