The Egyptian identity has gone through many phases. From the times of Ancient Egypt to the influence of the Christian Coptic and Islamic civilisations, the question of what constitutes as ‘Egyptian’ is still very confusing. Egyptian dance, for instance, is often attributed to whirling dervishes, stick-fighting, and belly dance. It is not so common that one hears of famous ballet dancers as they do in Moscow or Paris. Yet in the 1950s and 60s, the ballet industry faced its first boom with the rise of Soviet influence and the vast cultural revolution that was taking place at the time. In the midst of all of this, Egypt saw the birth and growth of its first ever prima ballerina: Magda Saleh. This ballerina’s story was at the heart of all the dramatic changes that occurred in Egypt, from the decline of British influence, to the 1952 revolution and finally to the 1973 October War, all of which had a tremendous impact on her ballet career. “It was very difficult to pursue this dream, and I credit my parents for supporting me all the way through,” Saleh says to Egyptian Streets, “I was…
