BAGDAD NIGHTS
Carnival of Stars Belly Dance Queen
Nadia reminisces
Nadia today
At the Bagdad
Manny Petro, ?, George Elias, Yousef Kouyouomjian, ? & ?
~I remember my father’s
club very clearly. As a little girl, I would be very excited to go there.
I would love to watch all of the belly dancers, in which in my mind I had always thought them to be real life princesses.
My mother Arousiak (Yousef's sister)
I remember it to be a dimly lit, cozy room with candles and incense burning.
There were tables all around beneath the stage. Yes, there was a stage, something we do not see often today for our modern day belly dancers.
My father George, me, my mother Arousiak, my auntie Siran and my sister Mona
I would love to grab a table in the front where I could look up close, in order to see my father play his oud, and listen to him sing while the belly dancers performed. For me, it was like my own personal fashion show. I was eager to see what kind of costume the next dancer would wear.
I especially liked to see the different colors and
beading on the costumes. I loved to hear them play the finger cymbals.
To me, as the vision of a child, it was like a wonderland.
My mother Arousiac
As the night came to an end, and
my mother was helping to clean up to get ready to go home, I remember
grabbing the microphone and singing away on it. I am not sure I can remember
what it was that I was singing at the time, but I remember feeling like
a rock star.
Georges Elias, Vince Delgado, Tony (moved to Las Vegas)
Meta, Reina, Yousef, Amina, Hoda
I loved to pick up the sequins that fell off the dancers’ costumes onto the floor and take them home with me.
Nadia, Faten and Mona Elias
That was when I would play with veils and finger cymbals
at home in front of the mirror, hoping that someday I can be like all
the beautiful dancers I was able to watch at the club. ~
Love, Nana xoxo
Nadia
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Anyone from Bagdad times are welcome to submit photos and memories. Thanks.
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