Ghawazi

rdf:langString Ghawazi

rdf:langString Ghawazi (also ghawazee) (Egyptian Arabic: الغوازي) are female dancers who dance in return for money; the male equivalent is khawal. While the performative and traditional raqs sharqi in urban Egypt was more classical and influenced by more formal and classical Western styles such as classical ballet or Latin American dance, the term ghawazi in Egypt refers to the dancers in rural Egypt who have preserved the traditional 18th- to 19th-century styles. The practice began as a few Egyptian Domari refused to dance for free, unlike the custom among all Egypt. Rural Egyptians or Fellahin adopted the practice, developing a more rural and traditional style accompanied by rural Egyptian songs and the colorful dresses of the Fellahin, becoming a theme of rural Egypt. Over the years, Upper Egyptians (Sa'idis) mastered and then developed a different style of traditional Saidi dancing that is accompanied by the Egyptian mizmar and Qena and Assuit's traditional female clothing of Telli (Egyptian Arabic: تلي)) , a silky type of local fabric. That Upper Egyptian style is the most famous, in which the dancer is accompanied by a traditional Upper Egyptian mizmar and a singer singing and narrating folk songs in Saidi Arabic about local heroes and popular love stories in towns. Traditional Ghawazi dancers are becoming harder and harder to find as time passes. There are main movements and positioning of two of the most popular Ghawazi groups that are found in modern Egypt; the Banat Mazin (Egyptian Arabic: بنات مازن) of Luxor and the Sumbati Ghawazee (Egyptian Arabic: غوازي السنباطي) of the Nile Delta. The Banat Mazin are famous for their traditional Upper Egyptian vintage-style costume, so you can see how the movements would be affected by the costuming. The Sagat (finger cymbals), are optional but recommended in the Upper Egyptian/Saidi style.