Live Virtual Lecture with Nisaa (Heather D. Ward)

Join us for a fascinating live virtual lecture with internationally respected researcher, author, instructor, and performer Nisaa (Heather D. Ward) as she explores one of the most discussed topics in today's Egyptian dance community.

Rewriting History: Respectability Politics & Revisionist History in Contemporary Egyptian Belly Dance

Current trends in Egyptian raqs sharqi have sparked passionate discussions both within Egypt and throughout the international dance community. Many argue that today's performers, particularly foreign dancers working in Cairo, have strayed from the technique, aesthetics, and etiquette of earlier generations.

But is that narrative historically accurate?

Drawing from extensive primary-source research, Nisaa examines how dancers throughout Egyptian history, from the awalim and ghawazi to the legendary performers of the Golden Era, have often been romanticized in ways that overlook the realities of their social status and artistic evolution.

During this engaging lecture, you'll discover: