The Magency – Oriental Entrance – Raqs Sharqi

The very first piece in a professional Oriental dancer’s routine, the magency (which comes from the word for emergence) is meant to introduce the dancer to her audience, allow her to greet them and demonstrate the range of her skill and professionalism. This is the true Raqs Sharqi.

Origin

Oriental Entrance pieces are performed across the board where Oriental dance is popular. Egypt, Lebanon, Turkey, Greece and the United States all have Oriental Entrance pieces in their traditional routines. The style associated with this piece is credited most often to the Lebanese dancer and producer Badia Masabni, who opened a very famous nightclub in Cairo, Egypt called the Casino Opera, also called Casino Badia in the early 20th century. She had her house dancers trained in ballet and ballroom and choreographed routines for them bringing in influence from Lebanese folkloric dance as well. She took the more common everyday style of dance (Baladi) and worked to refine it for a more elite clientele, calling it “Raqs Sharqi” which translates to Oriental or Eastern Dance.

Many believe the dance form was called Raqs Sharqi to differentiate it from Western or foreign dances, and to some extent this may be true, but it was more importantly differentiating it from Raqs Baladi (Dance of the Country) which had more ordinary everyday associations. The baladi dancing in Egypt at this time was usually done in relatively small spaces with movements focused on the hips and torso and with a relaxed quality to the arms, as opposed to traveling extensively throughout space and created extended body lines.

Distinctive traits that were added to the dance at this time were a glitzy new costume, long elegant lines, a lifted center of gravity, a more elaborate use of space and staging, traveling steps and other elements from Lebanese folkloric dance and elements from ballet being incorporated.

Many of Badia Masabni’s house dancers went on to become famous Egyptian movie stars, for example Samia Gamal, Tahia Karioka and Naima Akef. Even the famous Lebanese dancer Nadia Gamal started her early career at the Casino Opera. At that time Cairo was the Hollywood of the Middle East and the movies of the dance stars at this time were widely distributed influencing dancers throughout the Middle East and over time even the dancers of America and beyond. I believe these developments became a pivotal influence for how Oriental Dance advanced worldwide from this time forward.

Costume

The classic, traditional costume is sparkly and elegant, two piece with the torso exposed or just covered with netting, heavily embellished with sequins, coins, beads and crystals, the skirt usually full and flowing or heavily embellished with decoration or fringe. The dancer often enters with a veil or cape that is typically shed relatively early on in her routine. There are many appropriate variations in costuming depending on the individual dancer’s desire to set themselves apart and do something special. You will see a wide array of cuts for skirts, from full, straight, mermaid, even mini. Although a two piece costume is the standard costume for Raqs Sharqi, outside of the Middle East embellished dresses (like those used for balady numbers in Egypt) have also gained popularity for Oriental performances.

Many believe that this style of costume was heavily influenced from Europeon cabarets and Hollywood’s fantasy depictions of Oriental women.

Several years ago, sometime in mid 20th century, exposing a bare navel, along with floorwork and a few other select movements considered vulgar became illegal in Egypt. These rules were set in place as modesty restrictions. This is why many of the costumes you see in Egypt use netting, heavy decoration, or other material to cover the torso. Although not legally required elsewhere this look has become popular with many outside of Egypt. Some of the more famous dancers working currently in Egypt, like Dina, have been able to ignore that law because of their status.

Music & Dance

Entrance pieces are typically classically arranged with a full orchestra. They might be portions of a classic Egyptian piece of music arranged for dance (ex. Alf Leyla wi Leyla originally written for the singer Um Koulthum – as performed by Saida), compositions made for dance characters in the movies, (ex. Tamra henna written for the movie Tamra henna that starred Naima Akef), or they might be original compositions written specifically for an Oriental dancer’s opening number for her nightclub show (ex. Princess of Cairo written for Nagwa Fouad). A good Oriental entrance piece has many changes in tempo, rhythm and dynamic as well as a sense of theatrical drama.

Oriental entrances usually begin with a dramatic introduction, some of them quite extended, meant to build anticipation and set the tone for the dancer’s grand entrance. During this part of the music the dancers will be preparing herself backstage to go on. Different artists do make exceptions to this rule instead choosing to use this time to add drama to their arrival (ex. Fifi Abdo being lowered onto the stage in a basket by a crane.) There is a couple of bars of rhythm to set the beat and cue the dancer, then the full orchestra plays and the dancer appears in her full glory.

Rhythms used for the dancer’s initial entrance are usually 2 beat, up beat rhythms like malfuf or a fast ayyub, this is not a strict rule however, you will also find slower rhythms used creating a different sense of drama. Appropriate movements include gliding steps, arabesques, spins and various traveling steps. The dancer is typically dancing on her toes, or en relevé. The very beginning of a piece might go through several rhythm changes, the maqsum rhythm is often heard among other 2, 4 and 8 count rhythms.

Following the dancer’s grand entrance are many changes in dynamic energy within the same piece of music. A nod to various folkloric dances and rituals can be included, such as Khaliji, Saidi and Baladi which make use of appropriate rhythms. They are indicated in the dancing as well, some folkloric steps included with a little added Oriental dance polish. Many famous dancers like to include folkloric elements in their Oriental routine to show the range of their knowledge and ability as well as to cater to the different clients that would come to see their shows. Egypt was a big tourist destination for people from the Arabian Gulf for a very long time which is why you will see so many Khaliji segments in Oriental routines. To be able to do an Oriental dance with this kind of dynamic, a dancer must study the related folkloric forms, so she can do an interpretation of these forms justice within her Oriental routine.

There are often slow solo improvisational portions highlighting a particular instrument (taqsim) and sometimes a short drum solo incorporated right into the music.

Depending on the arrangement, an Oriental Entrance piece can last between 4 and 25 minutes. When the peice is quite long it can be her entire dance set in one song. Most contemporary Oriental dancers keep the first piece under 10 minutes. To dance an Oriental Entrance piece well, the dancer must have grace, fluidity, clean and dynamic technical skill, stage presence and an understanding of a wide variety of Middle Eastern rhythms and folkloric forms.

The style in which the music is played, what piece is chosen, how much of the piece is played and how the dancer enters varies from region to region. For example, in Egypt the dancer usually enters with a veil floating delicately behind her that she will quickly discard. In Vintage Oriental dance routines done in the USA the dancer will enter with her veil wrapped around her body and she will typically play finger cymbals as she enters. She wont unwrap the veil until the second piece in her routine where she dances with it for a whole song. Egyptians will sometimes use finger cymbals in the entrance, but it has been popular not to, or to bring them out later in the routine, for the last several years. I’ve never seen an Egyptian use a veil for an entire piece anywhere in their routine unless it was attached to their costume.

Despite the distinctions between styles, you will also find much shared. For example, Aziza, an entrance piece written for a film starring the famous Egyptian dancer Naima Akef became a very popular entrance piece in Turkey and you can find it on many Turkish Oriental dance albums and performed by Turkish dancers.

Vintage Oriental dancers (also called American Cabaret style dancers) have their own variation on the classic Oriental entrance piece. They enter wrapped in their veils and playing finger cymbals. They usually wear their veils for the whole entrance to unwrap later in their routines. Typically they will dance to a fairly upbeat number first.

A few examples of classic Oriental Entrance Pieces:

As performed by Egyptian Dancers
Banat Eskandria
Qariat El Finjan
Princess of Cairo
Tamra Henna
Leylet Hob
Nebtiti min el Hikaya – Currently popular as an entrance piece, Soheir performs it later in her show here, in balady dress.
Ya Amarti
Eshta Ya Amar – Men have unique dress options for Oriental pieces, Tito wears a traditional white galabeya here. Duets are very unusual.
Zeina – Though currently a popular entrance piece, in the original film the performance was set in a different context.

As performed by Turkish Dancers (both Arabic pieces)
Ah Ya Zein
Wardeh

As performed by Lebanese Dancers
Zay el Hawa
Zenouba

As performed by Westerners working in the Middle East
Mashaal – Egyptian piece
Alf Leyla wi Leyla – Egyptian piece
Yollar Uzak – Turkish Piece

Just for fun, a couple of side by side comparisons of different Interpretations of the same piece
Leyla – Egyptian
Leyla – American Vintage Oriental
Aziza – Egyptian
Aziza – American Vintage Oriental

To find several good recommendations for must know Oriental Entrance pieces Dahlal’s List of pieces to know.

Shems’s Classic Egyptian Oriental Entrance YouTube Playlist

Shems’s Classic Turkish Oriental Entrance YouTube Playlist

Shems’s Oriental Entrances From Around the World YouTube Playlist