​Nagwa Fouad: "​I Bought Zouba's Shamadan to Dance with it!"

​● It’s not reasonable to dance among the huge stars like Tahia, Samia and Naima without creating something fresh!

● I will dance with a candelabra [shemadan] to the music “Hawanem” [Raqset Hawanem] as arranged by Baligh Hamdi!
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● I will appear in the same costume Shafiqa el-Qabtiyya wore in her youth!

“When I started as an oriental dancer [raqasa asharqia] I was new [innovative] in everything…I entered this field with sophisticated ideas and opinions…I couldn’t put on a badla [costume] in the time of Tahia Carioka, Samia Gamal and Naima Akef without bringing something new. So really, I entered the field of raqs sharqi with a novel approach and proved myself, and in my opinion raqs sharqi advanced in every way, in the performance, the costumes and the music.”

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Those who follow [the career] of Nagwa Fouad see she has introduced much to raqs sharqi and it’s understanding among the people. She was refreshing and reimagined in all moves performed upon the stage and in the instruments which accompanied her, and in the clothes she wore. Among the many introductions she made were [the inclusion of] western instruments to the eastern takht ensemble such as the guitar, saxophone, bagpipes and finally the piano; and she was the one who introduced the mizmar baladi ensemble with a chorus [of singers] to accompany the dancer in her performance. Nagwa Fouad was the first dancer to perform her sets on stage in two different costumes, first wearing the badla, then changing to a fellahin thobe [country dress-probably tull bi telli].
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Nagwa says:
●●“For an artist to continue for as long as possible, they must innovate and develop, so their work doesn’t become routine, monotonous or boring, I really believe [without this idea, my fate wouldn’t have been written for me to continue in this work.]”

●● “My motivation to dance with shemadan is an old idea which came to me a long time ago in order to blend the old and new in dance and satisfy all the tastes [of the audience]. So I prepared to present two shows at one of the biggest hotels. In [the first show] I introduced the piano for the first time to the takht ensemble which accompanies the raqasa esharqia [oriental dancer], and in the second show I prepared the candelabra dance [raqset eshemadan] which used to be done in the 30’s and I bought the shemadan of Zouba el-Klubatiyya for 150 gineh [Egyptian pounds], she was the first of those who danced with the shemadan. I spent three months practicing this dance with the guidance of an old dancer named “Fardous” who is the best to dance with shemadan after Zouba el-Klubatiyya.”

●●“My information about Zouba el-Klubatiyya is that she was an osta almah [almah who is a boss/leader] in Mohammed Ali Street, and her steps in the old world of dance are known among the awalim [pl. of almah-traditional entertainers in Cairo], she was the one who had the idea for the dance with the candelabra. I searched for sources [of information] on her life but couldn’t find them, her entire artistic history [exists only] in her performance of dance.”
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●●“I don’t steal the songs that I dance to, each piece uses specific music which I paid for from my own pocket so it will be mine, however some dancers steal [the songs] and dance on them shamelessly, as if it’s their right. In the case of raqset eshemadan I perform to the music “el-Hawanem” [Raqsat el-Hawanem] which Badia Masabni danced on about 30 years ago, I contracted Baligh Hamdi to rearrange the piece [and compose something new with it].”

●●“When I thought about presenting raqset eshemadan, I considered the tourists who visit Cairo and this dance will delight them, it is one of the old folkloric dances and considered a traditional heritage that should be revived. The dance suit I wear when performing the raqset eshemadan won’t be modern, but the same design as Shafiqa el-Qabtiyya danced with in her youth and glory. In addition, I will use the sagat and implements of dance which were popular in that time.”
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●●“I will film the dances which I perform including the raqset eshemadan, cinematically, at my own expense and sell them to Arab television and all foreign and Arab television stations. While filming for the screen, dance groups will accompany me which is a necessity for cinematic filming.”

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