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BADIA MASABNI
Badia was born Wadiha Masabni in Syria 1892.
She was a business woman, an actress and a singer.
Badia had a series of influential clubs in Cairo from the 1920s on.
Her clubs/caberets were as follows:
1926 - Sala Badia Masabni in Emad el Din, Cairo
1928 - Sala Badia in Alexandria
1930 - Casino Opera in Giza
1931 - Cinema Badia in Giza
Badia is considered the matron of modern bellydance and helped to launch the careers of dancers such as Samia Gamal, Tahia Kariokka. Hoda Shams El Din, Naima Akef and others.
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