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Lists of Recordings for Belly Dancers
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Introduction
In the Egyptian style of raqs sharqi (belly dance), it is common for the dancer to make an entrance to a style of music that has become known as a mejance. A mejance is a composition created specifically for a dancer to make a grand entrance. It is typically instrumental, and it takes advantage of an Egyptian orchestra containing violins, accordions, qanouns, ouds, riqqs (tambourines), tablas (doumbeks), and sagat (finger cymbals). The mejance format resembles that of an overture. It offers a preview of diverse melodies and musical styles that the audience can expect to appear later in the show. According to Shareen el-Safy's article in the March 2001 issue of Habibi Magazine titled "An Uncommon Woman: Nagwa Fouad, Queen of Oriental Dance", Nagwa Fouad was the first dancer to commission a composition specifically to use as the opening of her raqs sharqi show. In 1976, Fouad hired prominent composer Mohamed Abdel Wahab to create a piece for her. The result was "Amar Arbatashar" ("Amar 14"). Soon other headliner dancers in Cairo were hiring composers to create signature music for them as well. ABOUT THE PHOTO: The dancer in the photo is Nagwa Fouad, the first dancer to incorporate a mejance into her raqs sharqi show. For more information about the mejance style of music, see the article "Mejance: the Egyptian-Style Raqs Sharqi Entrance Music" elsewhere on this web site. My music collection contains over 200 albums specifically intended for use by belly dancers. Many of these contain at least one mejance. Some feature mejances that were used by Egyptian dancers in their shows, while others contain new compositions to inspire a new generation of dancers. These contain more than 40 music tracks featuring more than 25 different mejances. All of these tracks are listed on this page, organized by song title. |
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Aheb Masr
The title of this mejance means "I Love Egypt".
Album Title | Album Artist | Name of Track | Length |
| Aheb Masr | Yasmina of Cairo | Aheb Masr, Opening Music | 9:21 |
Al Amoura
This mejance was composed by Reda Saad.
Album Title | Album Artist | Name of Track | Length |
| Al Amoura | Outi | Al Amoura | 5:09 |
Al Houriyah
This mejance was composed by Ihsan Al Mounzer. According to Jalilah, the producer of the Jalilah's Raks Sharki music series, the album that this piece of music appeared on was the first time it had ever been published. Ihsan had not previously released it, and offered it to Jalilah for this project. Although he composed it with the intent of being used as a dancer's entrance piece, it was not commissioned by a specific dancer.
Album Title | Album Artist | Name of Track | Length |
| Jalilah's Raks Sharki 6: In a Beirut Mood | Ihsan al-Mounzer | Al-Houriyah | 14:52 |
Al Radwa
This mejance was composed by Sayed Henkesh. The original artists were the Henkesh Brothers Band.
Album Title |
Album Artist |
Name of Track |
Length |
| Dances with Genies | Yasmin Henkesh | Al Radwa | 6:40 |
Amar 14
This song was composed by Mohamed Abdel Wahab, and it was the first piece of music composed in the mejance musical style. As noted above in the introduction to this page, in 1976, Nagwa Fouad hired prominent composer Mohamed Abdel Wahab to create a piece for her to use in her dance concert. The result was this song, "Amar Arbatashar" ("Amar 14").
Album Title | Album Artist | Name of Track | Length |
| Jalilah's Raks Sharki 2: Amar 14 | Mokhtar al-Said | Amar 14 (Final) | 3:34 |
| Jalilah's Raks Sharki 2: Amar 14 | Mokhtar al-Said | Amar 14 (Part II) | 3:34 |
| Jalilah's Raks Sharki 2: Amar 14 | Mokhtar al-Said | Amar 14 | 10:28 |
Hani
This mejance was composed by Hani Mahenna for Nagwa Fouad to use in her shows.
Album Title | Album Artist | Name of Track | Length |
| Egyptian Cabaret Music | Judy Jihan Reda | Prelude to Hani | 1:36 |
| Egyptian Cabaret Music | Judy Jihan Reda | Hani | 4:35 |
| Gems of the Middle East, Volume 1 | Mary Ellen Donald | Hani | 4:41 |
Helm el Raqs
This mejance was composed by Mounir Abdel Aziz.
Album Title | Album Artist | Name of Track | Length |
| Helm el Raqs | Outi | Helm el Raqs | 6:41 |
Hymn to Hathor
This mejance was composed by Sayed Henkesh. The original artists were the Henkesh Brothers Band.
Album Title | Album Artist | Name of Track | Length |
| Hymn to Hathor | Henkesh Brothers | Hymn to Hathor (Short) | 2:54 |
| Hymn to Hathor | Henkesh Brothers | Hymn to Hathor (Long) | 5:00 |
Layali Rouqash
This mejance was composed by Sayed Henkesh. The original artists were the Henkesh Brothers Band.
Album Title | Album Artist | Name of Track | Length |
| Dances with Genies | Yasmin Henkesh | Leyali Rouqash | 5:05 |
Layali Yasmina
This song was composed by Omar Khayrat.
Album Title | Album Artist | Name of Track | Length |
| Layali Yasmina | Yasmina of Cairo | Layali Yasmina | 7:00 |
Leila Music Oriental
This mejance was composed by Reda Saad.
Album Title | Album Artist | Name of Track | Length |
| Helwa | Safaa Farid | Leila Music Oriental | 6:06 |
Leyla's Music
This mejance was composed for Leyla Lanty by Hassan Abu Seoud. Later, Hassan Abu Seoud provided it to Dina for her shows.
Album Title | Album Artist | Name of Track | Length |
| Golden Days and Enchanting Nights | Leyla Lanty | Leyla's Music | 7:19 |
Maalima
This mejance was composed by Mario Kirlis.
Album Title | Album Artist | Name of Track | Length |
| Musica Arabe Instrumental Volume 02: Junto a Saida | Mario Kirlis | Maalima | 5:23 |
Mashaal
This mejance was composed by Hani Mehanna, and the original artist was Hani Mehanna. It debuted in the mid-1970's, after "Amar 14".
Album Title | Album Artist | Name of Track | Length |
| 10 Songs Every Bellydancer Should Know | Sami Nossair Orchestra | Mishaal | 5:00 |
| Jalilah's Raks Sharki 1: Classic Egyptian Dance Music | Mokhtar al-Said | Mashaal | 9:17 |
| Raks Balady | Bassem Ayyoub | Maschael | 10:04 |
Meyanse Saba
This mejance was composed by Mario Kirlis.
Album Title | Album Artist | Name of Track | Length |
| Musica Arabe Instrumental Volume 02: Junto a Saida | Mario Kirlis | Meyanse Saba | 5:39 |
Music of Soheir Zaki
Album Title | Album Artist | Name of Track | Length |
| Princess of Cairo | Hamouda Ali | Music of Souher Zaki | 2:30 |
| Rakasny Ashra Balady | Various | Music Soheir Zaky | 12:42 |
Nagwa Music
Album Title | Album Artist | Name of Track | Length |
| Princess of Cairo | Hamouda Ali | Nagwa Music | 4:39 |
| Masters of Bellydance Music, Volume 1 | Hamouda Ali | Nagwa | 5:15 |
Nawaem
This mejance was composed by Bassam Bishara.
Album Title | Album Artist | Name of Track | Length |
| Asala II Live | Arabesque Dance Company Orchestra | Nawaem | 5:26 |
Nesma
This mejance was composed by Osama el-Gohary, and the original artist was Osama el-Gohary.
Album Title | Album Artist | Name of Track | Length |
| Nesma Memories of Cairo | Nesma | Nesma | 9:57 |
Princess of Cairo
This mejance was composed by Hani Mehanna. The original artist was Hamouda Ali.
Album Title | Album Artist | Name of Track | Length |
| Princess of Cairo | Hamouda Ali | Entrance of the Princess | 0:34 |
| Gems of the Middle East, Volume 3 | Mary Ellen Donald | Princess of Cairo | 3:56 |
| Saqra's Dances | Mediterranean Raqs Band | Princess of Cairo | 4:08 |
Raqs Layalina
This mejance was composed by Mohamed Ali.
Album Title | Album Artist | Name of Track | Length |
| Wash Ya Wash Volume 4 | Mohamed Ali Ensemble | Layalina | 6:46 |
| Wash Ya Wash Volume 7 | Unidentified | Raks Layalina | 7:48 |
Raqs Verona
This mejance was composed by Mounir Abdel Aziz.
Album Title | Album Artist | Name of Track | Length |
| Wash Ya Wash Volume 7 | Unidentified | Raks Verona | 7:22 |
Reda's Flower
This mejance was composed by Reda Darwish, and the original artist was Reda Darwish.
Album Title | Album Artist | Name of Track | Length |
| Reda's Flower | Reda Darwish | Reda's Flower | 7:00 |
Rihlat el Ghawzia
This mejance was composed by Hossam Shaker, and the original artist was Hossam Shaker. This song made its first appearance on Jalilah's Raks Sharki album when Hossam offered it to her. He had already composed it, but had not yet released it, and it was not commissioned by a dancer.
Album Title | Album Artist | Name of Track | Length |
| Jalilah's Raks Sharki 3: Journey of the Gipsy Dancer | Hossam Shaker and his Ensemble | Rihlat el Ghawzia | 10:59 |
Sahra Saeeda
Album Title | Album Artist | Name of Track | Length |
| Sahra Saeeda | Ashraf Zakaria | Sahra Saeeda | 12:44 |
Samara's Entrance
Album Title | Album Artist | Name of Track | Length |
| Setrak, Vol. 21, Oriental Belly Dance with Setrak & Samara | Setrak Sarkissian | Samara's Entrance | 2:16 |
Sekhmet Rising
This mejance was composed by Sayed Henkesh. The original artists were the Henkesh Brothers band.
Album Title | Album Artist | Name of Track | Length |
| Hymn to Hathor | Henkesh Brothers | Sekhmet Rising | 4:12 |
Set al Hosen
This mejance was composed by Mohamed Sultan for Nagwa Fouad. He was the husband of famous singer Fayza Ahmed. Additional background information about this mejance appears in an article written by Priscilla Adum elsewhere on this web site.
Album Title | Album Artist | Name of Track | Length |
| Masters of Bellydance Music, Volume 2 | Hamouda Ali | Set al Hosen | 5:55 |
| Princess of Cairo | Hamouda Ali | Set al Hosen | 5:59 |
Stella Zahir Mejance
This song was composed by Dr. Samy Farag, and he was also the original artist.
Album Title | Album Artist | Name of Track | Length |
| Cairo Nights, Volume 8 | Dr. Samy Farag | Stella Zahir Mejancy | 5:16 |
Tales of the Sahara
This song was composed by Ihsan Al Mounzer for the dancer Dani Boustros.
Album Title | Album Artist | Name of Track | Length |
| Bellydance Superstars Vol. III | Ihsan al-Mounzer | Tales of the Sahara | 5:27 |
| Jalilah's Raks Sharki 6: In a Beirut Mood | Ihsan al-Mounzer | Tales of the Sahara | 11:03 |
Related Articles
These lists of recordings for belly dancers can help you find tracks of your favorite songs to meet the needs of a particular show or classroom playlist:
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Songs Catalogued By Original Artist |
Other Music |
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