Leila Haddad Oriental Dance

The extraordinary Tunisian-born Leila Haddad, one of the world's premier Oriental dancers, performs traditional dances of the little-known Ghawazee (Gypsies) of southern Egypt in the popular style. Her entrancing program features the dances from which raqs Sharqi (commonly referred to as "belly dance") evolved. She has been at the forefront in bringing this sensuous dance form out of clubs and cabarets to the theatrical stage, winning it recognition as a noble art form and freeing it from the degrading connotations of the past. She will be accompanied by the Gypsy Musicians of Upper Egypt, a 7-member ensemble that includes members of the internationally renowned Musicians of the Nile. This program marks her New York debut.