Egyptian style cabaret belly dance and raqs sharqi (Part 1)
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Egyptian cabaret and raqs sharqi are considered by some as two different styles. However, nowadays these two styles very often overlap in the same dancer’s style so that it is often difficult and maybe pedantic to try and distinguish between the two. We could say that Raqs Sharqi tends to have smaller and more internalised movements, while Egyptian cabaret bellydance makes more use of the space and incorporates influences from ballet.
Egyptian cabaret origins
Egyptian style raqs sharqi or cabaret as we know it today, originates from the early 20th century in Egypt. It was the style that developed in Badiaa Masabni’s ‘Opera Casino’. Badiaa Masabni 
wanted to appeal to an international and upper class audience, so her choreographies started incorporating a larger use of the stage, a lot of footwork and influences from western dances such as ballet.
Egyptian raqs sharqi and cabaret music
Egyptian style music incorporates orchestras with many instruments, both traditional and acoustic (i.e. tablah or nay) and modern and electric. Example of Egyptian cabaret music are Hossam Ramzy’s or Hassan Abou El Seoud’s music.
Famous Egyptian raqs sharqi / cabaret dancers
Famous Egyptian raqs dancers include the dancers/ choreographers Raqia Hassan and Ibrahim Akef, Fifi Abdo and, among the contemporary belly dance legends, Dina, Randa Kamel and Dandesha.
Read more about Egyptian cabaret movements and costumes in Part 2
