Tribute to
Dalilah!
Passed on September 18, 2001
 

From the cover of this LP-
After launching a successful career in Spanish dancing, Dalilah journeyed to Cairo in 1954 where she began a three-year tour of the Middle East performing. During that time, the exposure to the mystical music of the Middle East and the beautiful form of Bellydance so enthralled her that in 1957 she became a oriental dancer, virtually overnight. At her first performance her audience was talking about a "little" Samia Gamal being born before their eyes. The following two years were spent touring Persia, Syria, Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon, ending up back in Cairo in 1959. With a mere two years of belly dancing, Dalilah, together with Nagwa Fouad, was asked to perform at the grand opening of the Nile Hilton Hotel, one of the most important events to occur in Cairo. During the next ten years, Dalilah had the honor of performing for such notables as the Shah of Persia (Iran), King Hussein of Jordan, King Faruk of Egypt, King Saud of Saudi Arabia, President Chamoun of Lebanon, President Nasser of Egypt and many others too numerous to be named. Following this, Dalilah performed her "Oriental Dance" all over the world, arriving in the United States in 1974.

While in the United States, Dalilah established herself in Las Vegas as a foremost teacher of the Oriental Dance. Her charm, fluency of movement, and unique personality have added to her professional mystique, drawing applause from her many fans across the nation.

As a master teacher, Dalilah preserved the authenticity of the Oriental Dance, while using easy and simplified teaching techniques. Her unique concept of teaching established her as the "Ambassador of the Modern Egyptian dance".

Also--
She also had a teaching association with Roman "Bert" Balladine, with whom she toured the United States. She is the dancer featiured on the album cover of the record titled "Bert's Baladi". Dalilah was the organiser who introduced Mahmoud Reda to American dancers, when she sponsored and co-taught his first U.S. teaching tour.

Dalilah organized in 1977 in collaboration with the Egyptian Embassy and Bert Balladine, the very first oriental dance study tour to Cairo for American oriental dancers. For the first time Americans had the chance to study with Tahia Carrioca, Sohair Zaki,and Samia Gamal. She will be deeply missed by all her friends, fans, and admirers!

   
 
   
 
   
 
     
 
 

Ready for more?

Doing it my way by Bert Balladine,
For me, dance is not cerebral, but highly emotional.

Adventures by the Nile, Part 2, by Rhea
Return to a Changed Sudan

DANCING IN YEMEN by Jalilah Part 2 - EL AROUS
I had been to many Middle Eastern weddings before, but none were as visually
impressive as the ones I attended in Sanaa, Yemen.

Raqia Hassan's Dance Festival (Ahlan Wa Sahlan 2000) By Latifa
Then my dance idol, Suhair Zaki, walked in, creating eddies of excitement that ran through the crowd

 
 

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