French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte’s Egyptian Campaign (1798-1801) spurred a lasting interest in all things Egyptian surged throughout Europe and the...

The tale of Sheherezade is part of the collection of folktales from the Middle East and Western Asia compiled in...

Like Jamila herself, many people were first exposed to the “exotic Orient” through accounts of travelers, military officers, and family...

In general, female entertainers, specifically dancers, in the Middle East are perceived there as immoral, fallen, and without honor. Modern...

Sohair Zaki (1944 – ) Sohair Zaki was born in Mansoura, Egypt, in 1944 into a conservative family. Like many...

The establishment of national folkloric¹ dance companies in Egypt marks a significant moment in the evolution, perception, and practice of Oriental...

Oriental dance as we know it today was shaped by the dancers that appeared at Badia Masabni’s Casino Opera cabaret...

Raqs at-taḥṭīb, which literally in Arabic means “fighting dance,” is performed by male dancers of the Sa’id (a region in...

In general, Middle Eastern men pride themselves on their masculinity and strength.¹ Islamic and Christian edicts are interpreted to condemn homosexuality,...