Badia Masabni

Badia Masabni was a Syrian-Lebanese entertainer and businesswoman who moved to Egypt in the early 20th century and opened the first music hall in Cairo in 1926. She is considered as the developer of modern belly dance, by bringing the Western and Hollywood-esque vibe into it, after living for several years in the Americas since the age of seven. She also introduced many innovations to the oriental dance, such as using Western orchestras and instruments, choreographing complex movements, incorporating props like veils, and dressing the dancers in bright and glittery costumes. She trained and launched the careers of many famous Egyptian artists, especially the belly dance stars Samia Gamal and Taheyya Kariokka. She also acted in several movies and married the comedian Naguib el-Rihani. She retired from the entertainment business in 1952 and moved to Lebanon, where she died in 1974. She is remembered as the godmother of oriental dance and one of the most influential figures in Egyptian culture.