Nisaa of Saint Louis, Missouri, USA - Upper Egyptian Ghawazi Dance - May 16, 2020

The ghawazi are a class of female entertainers from Egypt’s rural towns and villages. They provide entertainment at important social occasions such as weddings and festivals. The dancing of the ghawazi is dominated by torso-based movements such as hip shimmies, and the ghawazi frequently accompany their dancing with sagat (finger cymbals). In this performance, Nisaa presents the dance style of the ghawazi of Upper Egypt, based on her studies of the ghawazi of that region, particularly the famous Banat Mazin ghawazi of Luxor, but also several other ghawazi who work in the small towns and villages in the vicinity of Qena and Suhag. Music used in this video: Track: Dance Music (Track 6) Album: Music of the Ghawazee (CD DA-700) Producer: Aisha Ali / ARAF Licensed by Aisha Ali for Discs ARAF © 1997 Aisha Ali