Egyptian belly dancer Fifi Abdo has asked a scenarist to transform the life story of one of Egypt’s legendary belly dancing idols Tahiya Carioca into a film. Fifi revealed that she will produce and star in the film, which will tell the life story of Tahia from her early beginnings and journey in the dancing world, her relationship with a number of figures from the political and entertainment world, and how she ended her career by resigning.
According to the UAE based daily, Al Bayan, Fifi has always wanted to portray Tahiya on the big screen and so decided to begin works on the film herself. Fifi added that she is willing to financially pay for the making of the film, wanting to do it as a tribute to the late legend.
Tahiya Carioca, an oriental dancer of extraordinary range and daring, and a celebrated actress, died in 1999. Her original name was Badawiya Mohammed Karim Ali Sayed, but later on renamed herself after the "carioca" dance--a modified version of the samba. Her fierce choreography spectacularly merged the elements of baladi dance (the traditional form of women's solo belly dancing) with modern floorshow dance. This fusion of styles was her own innovation, and through it, she created a dance vocabulary of curves, arm movements, and resonating hip movements that became dominant forces in belly dance for decades.
On a different note, Abdo has denied circulating rumors that she plans to end her belly-dancing career after the death of her father. She also denied thinking that life no longer has a meaning and that she has become careless about everything, especially her outer appearance. Fifi revealed that she has been praying for years and undergoes the religious pilgrimage to Mecca Umra several times a year, a matter that has nothing to do with the death of her father. The actress added that she does not have a problem with talking to the press and is always ready to make interviews with journalists and different television stations.
Fifi stressed that she never thinks of quitting her career, for the mere fact that it is her number one passion in life. She noted that her life has no meaning without belly dancing. Abdo revealed that she is in the process of preparing a new video featuring numerous dances all specially created by her. Fifi added that her new dance video will be released and she is very hopeful that it will be a success, especially since people are so amazed by her style. With regards to her gaining too much weight in the recent months, Fifi stressed that it was caused due to her staying home beside her ill mother, but she is planning on going on a very strict diet to return to her normal size. –Albawaba.com
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
