From The Horse's Mouth Celebrates Egyptian Dance In All Its Forms

From the Horse's Mouth, the legacy-based dance/theater project, will begin its 20th anniversary year with "A Footnote in Ballet History?", a special program honoring Magda Saleh, Prima Ballerina of Egypt.

Dr. Saleh's remarkable story forms the heart of this production, focusing on dance, arts and culture in Egypt. Her influence and impact on countless areas of cultural life in Egypt and the USA serve as a conduit to this celebration of Egyptian dance in all of its forms and traditions. Over 30 dancers, musicians, historians and choreographers will participate in this special event. The sharing of stories, memories, anecdotes, and dance will form the special tapestry that is a From the Horse's Mouth production.

Four performances, exploring Egyptian dance and culture, will take place at the Theater at the 14th Street Y, Thursday to Saturday, March 15-17 at 8pm and Sunday, March 18 at 3pm. Rare film footage, videos and multimedia will enhance this edition of From the Horse's Mouth and its unique blending of movement and storytelling.

SPECIAL FILM EVENTS:

"A Footnote in Ballet History?" (2017) Tuesday, March 13 at 6:00pm
New York premiere and panel discussion. The establishment of the art of classical ballet in Egypt under the auspices of the state during the cold war is at the heart of an extraordinary saga, narrated here by its first pioneers. Prima Ballerina Magda Saleh and fellow dancers recall the founding of the first national ballet school, staffed with Soviet teachers - the early triumphs, collapse and renewed hopes over six decades. See trailer HERE.

"Egypt Dances" (1977) Saturday, March 17 at 3pm - Narrated by Dr. Magda Saleh. In this ground-breaking documentary from 1977, Magda Saleh travels the length and breadth of Egypt to create a visual record of the numerous indigenous dance forms throughout the country. Many of these are practiced by just a few communities, several have all but disappeared since the film's completion. Viewers will have a unique opportunity to witness traditional folk dances such as the Haggala dance of the Arab Gharb Bedouin, the Zaggaleen of Siwa Oaisis, the dancing horses of Giza, the dances of the Fadigga Nubians of Aswan, and much more.

*PERFORMANCE CAST TO INCLUDE: Walid Aouni, Dancer/Choreographer and Founder/Director of the Cairo Modern Dance Theater, Catherine Batcheller, Principal, Royal Birmingham Ballet and Stuttgart Ballet, Yasser Darwish, performer and teacher of Egyptian folkloric dance, specializing in Stick dance and Sufi Tannoura, former member of Egypt's National Folk Dance Company, Nadia Habib Eskinazi, founding member, and soloist Cairo Ballet Company, Diana Hakak, founding principal ballerina Cairo Ballet Company (1966), Nimet Habachy,"New York Icon" longtime host WQXR classical music station, Adhem Hafez, choreographer, composer and performer, founder and program director of HaRaKa, the first movement and performance research project in Egypt, Nader Hamed, former dancer Cairo Ballet Company, Choreographer, Teacher and Coach, Fadi J. Khoury, Artistic Director, FJK Dance, Ati Metwaly, Award-winning journalist and critic for AL Ahram, Egypt's foremost newspaper - Arts/Culture editor of Al Ahram Foundation's online publication, Ahram Online, dancers Ali Khedr, Cairo Ballet Company, Steven Melendez and Carmella Lauer, NY Theatre Ballet, Madeleine Scott, former Director of Dance at Ohio University, more.

This From the Horse's Mouth production is co-presented by The Theater at the 14th Street Y.

TICKETS - http://bit.ly/2skoewg