The Raqs Sharqi Museum feels honoured to feature the gems of the private collection of Anna Radici, one of the museum's patrons, on its website. We are happy to see many collectors archiving and treasuring antique and vintage items depicting dancers of Raqs Sharqi and other traditional dance styles. Below you can find the texts and descriptions by Anna associated with the beautiful items she owns.
Enjoy!
Anna Radici
"I started collecting vintage costumes and parts as well as VHS and vinyl LPs related to Raqs Sharqi
many years ago. At a later point, I found access to items like old photos and related items.
I first collected them for my own purposes, like decorating my rehearsal space and filling it up with the spirit of the dancers I had adored for so long. And for my classes as viewing material of course. My favourite item is not just one but the growing collection of original vintage photos of Egyptian dancers performing in original locations in different decades. They keep me dancing and keep me inspired always."
Anna's Private Collection
Nagwa Fouad
This promotional picture of Nagwa Fouad is of special interest regarding different aspects.
For one we can see how well in demand she was in countries outside Egypt and also in countries
outside of the SWANA. Second, we are shown that it was very normal for dancers to perform in Egypt and also Lebanon at the time before the civil war. A reminder of the close relationship and exchange of art and culture between Cairo and Beirut. And, of course, it once again shows Nagwa's gorgeousness in full bloom.
Press Promotion Photo from the T.V Times / Press Association Photos
„THE JET-PROPELLED WIGGLE“
July 3rd 1972 PAP 157753-1 (E-R)
THE JET-PROPELLED WIGGLE
London, Monday, PA:
At 3.30 this morning, Egyptian belly dancer Nagwa Fouad was performing in a nightclub in Beirut. This evening she is seen rehearsing at London's Royal Lancaster Hotel.
She was to dance for the first time in this country at the opening there tonight of a five-night
Egyptian Festival. Nagwa will appear each night.
PRESS ASSOCIATION PHOTOS
Ali Baba & the 40 Thieves
TV program announcement photo for the French movie „Ali Baba & the 40 Thieves“ with Samia
Gamal & Fernadel, 15th July 1963.
A L'ATTENTION DE LA REDACTION DE LA PAGE DES PROGRAMMES DE TELEVISION.
Jeudi prochain 18 Juillet à 12h.30 dans l'emission „La Sèquence du eune Spectateur“ , les
tèlespectateur pourront voir des extraits du film de Jacques Becker „Ali Baba et les 40 Voleurs“
avec Fernandel et Samia Gamal, la danseuse Egyptienne.
Fernandel et Samia Gamal dans Ali Baba et les 40 voleurs.
15 Juillet 1963.
FOR THE ATTENTION OF THE TELEVISION PROGRAMS PAGE EDITOR.
Next Thursday, July 18 at12:30 p.m. in the program „La Sèquence du eune Spectateur“, viewers
will be able to see extracts from Jacques Becker's film „Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves“ with
Fernandel and Samia Gamal, the Egyptian dancer.
Fernandel and Samia Gamal in Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves.
July 15, 1963.
Samia Gamal cards
UFA Filmstudios (GDR, Berlin, Germany) autograph cards of Samia Gamal. Those were printed due to her performance in Ali Baba & the 40 Thieves. Those original prints remind us of the „Friendship of Countries“ between Egypt and the GDR. Head of State Walter Ulbricht even visited Nasser in February 1965.
Souvenir Photos
Two souvenir photos (probably 1970s) from the infamous Sahara City Club/Tent Club outside of
Giza in the desert. Sahara City was a popular tourist spot offering dinner followed by a full range
of nightclub acts, including dancing. Those original photos imported from Cairo show a little of the atmosphere of this legendary spot. We can also see that, once again, it becomes clear how those clubs always catered towards an Egyptian and Arabic audience as well as how natural the physical contact between the audience and dancers was.
To see all images, please, slide to the right.
If you would like to support the Raqs Sharqi Museum, in searching for antique & vintage items, buying them, archiving them, preparing scans & translations, and publishing them online so everybody can see them for free, you can become museum's PATRON. Thank you for your help!
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