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Blog #8 Jouney with Zeyna in New York 1966 at the Egyptian Gardens:Turkish Dancers Saliha and Soraya Melik

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Soraya Melik is Stunning and Classy
The Egyptian Gardens was across the street from the other clubs and up a flight of stairs. It was also different in the fact that most musicians there were Turkish along with most of the dancers. It also did not have a pull out stage. The band did sit back on a smaller platform like the other clubs but the tables were situated around a huge dance floor.

Saliha is Gorgeous
Here performing was the famous Turkish singer and dancer Saliha. She was the only dancer “ever” to dance once a night, at midnight. Everyone else did two shows.

The Egyptian Gardens is where I really learned more about that 9/8 (Karshlama) that Sabah had whipped out for Athena. All the Turkish dancers used it. I never worked the Egyptian Gardens.

Soraya Melik is Stunning and Classy
Then there was Soraya Melik “Turkish” who also sang. As beautiful as Saliha was, it was Soraya that caught my eye with that special something that I wanted to capture. Pure Class on stage with a sense of rhythm. Soraya Melic taught me how to cut skirts.

These are the dancers that did work there during my time in New York and they are the ones that I watched every chance I could.

Comments

  3. I worked side by side with the famous “Saliha” at the Egyptian Garedens and she was my BD Idol. It was at the very beginning of my dance career. She was the ‘BEST OF THE BEST” even today with all the BD in Egypt she ranks “NUMERO UNO” I am SO HAPPY I was a part of that era and time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  4. Wow, this brings me back to many years ago, my distant relative was the chef at Port Said while my mama worked the coat check room at the Arabian Nights, and of course around the block were so many others, I kind of wish they were still there. It is a very special Greekness that is lost now here in NY.

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    • I also remember one night, Mama still had to finish working and “uncle” the chef from Port Said and his wife were babysitting me, it was a weekend and they wanted to wait for my Mama’s shift to finish so they took me across the street to the Egyptian Gardens to wait, and what a wild place it was, there was an older woman dancer who came out and danced for more than 45 minutes, she seemed to be the grandee belle of all dancers as everyone in the place showed her very much respect, I the kid put my head down on the table and slept………………..the music was so loud and Mediterranean and nothing could be more authentic than that and this place……………..what a shame all of these clubs are no longer…………in these places…………….Hellenes were themselves…………..you saw the good and the bad………………….excellent dancers…………..well suited men………..gorgeous ladies……….the best talented musicians and more, ax…feels like yesterday.

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    • Zeyna had so many nice memories to share. Kaiser is on Facebook and every once in awhile will post some great photos.

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