A brief discussion of some of the most commonly performed folkloric dances.
Taken from http://www.jasminjahal.com/articles/01_06_folkloric.html
SAIDI
Let’s start with Saidi (pronounced SIGH-EE-DEE). The Saidi dance is from Upper Egypt,
between Gizeh and Edfu. Upper Egypt is in the south
Usually a Saidi dance is lively, energetic and earthy, using the 4/4 rhythm known as the Saidi
rhythm. The dancer uses one or two sticks, originally made of bamboo. There are two types
of Saidi stick dance: Raks Assaya and the Tahtib.
The Tahtib is performed by two men and depicts a dance of combat and the handling of
weaponry. Raks Assaya is performed by men and/or women and shows off a more acrobatic
version of handling the stick. The women’s version of the stick dance is, of course, much
more feminine and graceful, and can only lightly imitate the Tahtib The traditional men’s
costume consists of long pants, two galabeyas with wide sleeves and a round neckline, and
a long scarf wound around the head. The women wear a Beledi dress with a belt or scarf
around the hips and a veil on the head.
Saidi music is typically played by traditional instruments such as the Rababa (the
grandfather of today’s violin), the Mizmar (a horn which emits long, whiney tones), and
various percussion instruments such as the dumbek and the tabla beledi. Beledi
(pronounced “BE-LE-DEE”) means “of the country”. Thus, ‘Egyptian Beledi’ means ‘of the
country of Egypt’.