I've made this website with my love of Egyptian dance I hope you
enjoy browsing.....
Nagwa Fouad was born January, 1939. Her father was Egyptian and her mother
Palestinian. Her mother died quite soon after her birth. Her father quickly
married another woman. To be a man and looking after a baby in Egypt wasn’t really
done at that time. His new wife was a caring lady, Nagwa and her took to each
other instantly. They where mother and daughter, geans and blood didn’t matter.
When Nagwa was about 9 years old, her house was blown up by Zionist gangs.
Nagwa's father left her and her stepmother, to try and contact a family he knew
in Alexandria to arrange for them to live there. Soon after he left, Jews
completely took over their home town. Nagwa and her stepmother fled, like many
others at the time, to Al-Arish Refugee camp.
After some months in the refugee camp, Nagwa's stepmother found someone going
to somewhere near Alexandria. She gave him Nagwa's father's address and begged
him to tell her father of their whereabouts. The message did get through and her
father found them. They were taken back to Alexandria. However they stayed only
a little while, her father married again, upsetting Nagwa and her stepmother.
They left her father and moved to Cairo. Nagwa and her stepmother were on their
own but they supported each other and were extremely close. A relationship which
remained throughout Nagwa's career.
At 14 Nagwa, managed to get a job as a telephone receptionist in the offices
belonging to a man called Orabi. Orabi was an agent for dancers, actors and
singers. When Orabi saw Nagwa dance for the first time he was impressed and
persuaded her to rent a belly dancer's costume for 50 piastres and try dancing
on stage. This was the beginning for Nagwa's rise to fame.
Orabi got Nagwa Fouad dancing at
The Sahara City, a large marquee, only short journey away from the Pyramids. The
Sahara City wasn't really a place that was know for belly dance they had
performances by Sufi dancers (male) and sometimes comedians, also some of the
Akef family, (related to the dancer Naima Akef)
worked there as acrobats. Initially Nagwa was questioned by about being only 14
years old! Luckily the owner of The Sahara City had convinced the officers to list her age as 16: the minimum
legal age for professional belly dancers.
However her work in the clubs was quite minor level. This was all about to
change. In her early 20's Nagwa married Ahmed Fouad Hassan, at the time a famous
musician and conductor, with priceless contacts in the field. He was 17 years
older than her. Nagwa needed his help, if she was to be a successful as she
intended. He taught her how to work in the field, and how to ensure fame. He was
why Nagwa had the chance to dance at the Nelly Mazloum Dance School and join the
National Dance Troupe to study folklore with Russian teachers. This
Russian influence gave Nagwa
a different edge to her dance, helping to distinguish her from other dancers.
Just by watching a few clips of her you can tell she danced like no other. Her
style is full of energy an original movements of her own.
Nawga was so dedicated to dancing and wanting fame she refused to have a baby
with Ahmed which lead to their divorce after 6 years. They remained friends.
This first bit of acting work lead to her working in films. The first film
she featured in being Touha, in 1957 .Yet her real first film success was "Sharei
El Hob" (The Street Of Love). This starred many new stars, one of the key ones
to Nagwa being Abdel Halim Hafis, a singer. The film was a box office hit. Below
is a list of some of Nagwa's films. She has acted in over 100 films and danced
in over 250 an AMAZING achievement:
she has made more films (email me if you know any of
them)
Becoming friends with Abdel Halim Hafis when making "Sharei El Hob" really
benefited Nagwa. Abdel Halim Hafis went on to be one of (if not) the biggest
stars of Egypt, I know all my aunts in Egypt worshiped him as teenagers
.....hold on they still do. Nagwa always performed in the concerts of Abdel
Halim as an opening star dancer. Abdel Halim shows would be watched by the whole
of Egypt and the Arab world so Nagwa's fame was growing.
Nawga formed her own orchestra and group of 12 dancers which she would open
Abdel Halim's shows with. Also her troupe would tour around the Arab countries.
The height of her career was yet to come: In 1976, Mohamed Abdel-Wahab, a
brilliant musician, composed a special piece JUST for her, called Qamar
Arba'tashar (Full Moon). Her performance to this catered piece, allowed her to
excel. Her dance to this piece broke boundaries in belly dance being and all
rounded sceptical and entertainment for all. She was asked how did you do it? She said "I took the oriental dancing of
Tahia Carioca and Samia Gamal, and created a stage show like a dramatic piece."
Nawga had become renowned around the world. The sectary of state at the time;
Henry Kissinger demanded to see her perform on a visit to Egypt. He loved her
dancing and from then on would always see her perform and talk to her when
visiting Egypt. This led to President (of USA) Carter also asking to see her dance when
in Egypt.
Nagwa is still around today,
she sees no reason why she should retire saying "Art is not linked with age or
nationality... it is linked with creation and presence and if the artist can
give and enjoy, she must continue to perform." She shows that dance is for every
woman despite their age. Nagwa is the only dancer of her generation who is still
performing.
Nagwa is a lovely fun dancer who brings such energy to it, I hope she's
around forever. I personally don't think Nagwa Fouad's dancing was that moving
of fantastic. She could certainly dance very, very well. What made her dance
special was the joy you see run through her body when dancing she has and energy
like no other and that's why people watch her that's, why I cant look away. An
energy like hers is impossible to copy that's why there can and only ever will
be one Nagwa Fouad.
(Thank you to
Gill who helped me with this article)