Monday, July 3, 2017

Raqs Sharki 1-2-3: Mahmoud Reda & Farida Fahmy - Time traveling with the stars of Egyptian Dance

Favourites of the Fourties/Fifties - Mahmoud Reda & Farida Fahmy (Founders of the Reda Troupe)
MAHMOUD REDA, born in 1930, is a pioneer of dance theater in Egypt. He is best known for co-founding the Reda Troupe.

He was the eighth of ten children and his father was the head librarian at Cairo University. His older brother Ali was a dancer and through his influence (and that of Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire films) Mahmoud became interested in dance.

Mahmoud Reda originally trained as a gymnast, representing Egypt in the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki. He attended Cairo University where he received a degree in Political Economics.

However, his main interest was dance and he joined an Argentinian dance troupe after graduating and toured Europe. While on tour in Paris he resolved to start his own dance troupe back in Egypt, but due to lack of funds he had to work as an accountant for Royal Dutch Shell.

He joined the Heliolido Club in Cairo where he met Anglo-Egyptian baladi dancer Farida Fahmy who became his dancing partner. After the two performed in the Soviet Union in 1957 they decided to start a folk dancing troupe in Egypt with Ali Reda.
(source: Wikipedia)

As a soloist, choreographer and director, Mahmoud Reda made four world tours to 58 countries with his troupe. He performed on the world's most prestigious stages such as Carnegie Hall (New York, USA), Royal Albert Hall (London, UK), Congress Hall (Berlin, Germany), Stanislavsky & Gorky Theaters (Moscow, USSR), Olympia (Paris, France) and the United Nations (New York & Geneva). The Reda Troupe has performed for many world leaders and Heads of states.

Mahmoud Reda draws from techniques of jazz, ballet, Hindu dance and folkloric dance from the USSR. His work has shaped and influenced what is known today as Oriental Dance (Raks Sharki). Many former troupe members include master teachers Raqia Hassan, Momo Kadous, Mo Geddawi and Yousry Sharif

(source: IMdB)

Fotos:

About Mahmoud Reda
Interviews with Mr. Reda:

Videos:
Farida Fahmi and Mahmoud Reda movie sequence:

Farida and Mahmoud:
Muhawashat - to Agaban Lel Gazal:
Reda Troupe - Egyptian folklore (Halawet Samsnenah)
Mahmoud Reda and Farida Fahmy - Workshop in Hungary, 2009:
Enjoy!

PS: If you want to dance and move with me online.. then my BOOST Membership is for you! Tap www.khalidadance.com/vip for all details and the Enrollment form - The theme of 2024's live BOOST classes is 'Time Traveling with the Stars' - plus you'll get access to my bonus DVDs and online courses.

I look forward to welcoming you as a BOOSTie member :)

xx K.

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