Latest news
Ban the Export of Belly Dance, 1969
We bring you a translation of an article written by Abdel Nour Khalil in 1969 for El Kawakeb magazine. The article describes many severe issues that happened in the second half of the 20th century in Egypt and discusses several questions that are still hot today. To provide you with an insight into these topics from the current perspective, we have asked Nisaa (Heather Ward) for her commentary.
Read the full article
Collections
Welcome to the Raqs Sharqi Museum! In this section, you can explore three collections. All presented items are actual, physical items that are owned by Badriyah. The items are being carefully archived and preserved. The museum has more than 400 antique and vintage items mainly focused on the evolution of Raqs Sharqi in Egypt. However, not every item is scanned and published yet. Some items, due to their condition, might never be scanned. As the collection is still growing, new items are being published every month. In the section Articles, you can also find some translations of the items or articles about them.
To understand the division of the collections, please read this article. To explore the collections, click on the links below.
Discover antique newspapers, postcards, lithographs, and engravings depicting dancers from Egypt prior 1920.
Discover a collection of magazines, advertisements, postcards, movie programs, press photos, and lobby cards from Golden Era of bellydance in Egypt.
Browse a collection of newspapers, postcards, books, engravings, cartoons, and lobby cards of Western dancers and their versions of "oriental dance".
New articles
Support us
We are fully invested in gathering new historical items to create an interesting collection. Do you want to support us and our museum?
You can become a patron of the museum!
Your financial contribution will help the museum to grow and support us in posting items and articles online.
Thanks for your support, it helps a lot!
The Raqs Sharqi Museum
Visit
In the neighborhood of the Dampoort Railway station
Ghent, Belgium
Badriyah