The El Sharkia Folk Group has achieved worldwide recognition by representing Egypt at 85 international festivals. Their most important dances include the Sebou (baby naming ceremony), the Farah (wedding celebration), and the Fellahi (peasant dance), and they have won hundreds of awards, including a gold medal at a festival in North Korea.
El Sharkia Folk Group was founded in 1968 to present tableaux depicting the heritage of Sharqia as part of its cultural and artistic activities. The company is composed of 30 dancers who perform seven scenes representing customs, traditions, and crafts: "The Wedding Dance," "The Carpet Dance," "The Celebration of the Seventh Day," "The Horse (Symbol of the Sharqia Flag)," "The Peasant's Tent," and "The Water Carriers."
Ahmed Sami Khater, director of Sharqia's cultural section, confirms that the company has represented Egypt in over 85 countries worldwide. They have performed at international festivals in France, Sweden, London, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Greece, Japan, Tunisia, Oman, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Russia, India, Brazil, China, Indonesia, and other Arab and international countries, most recently at the International Arts Festival in Tangerang, Indonesia, in October 2019.
Among the most important awards received are the Silver Medal at the Dijon Festival in France, the Gold Medal at the North Korean Festival, and the General Shield at the Carthage Festival in Tunisia, in addition to numerous certificates of esteem and medals at all the international and local events in which the troupe has participated throughout its 52-year history.
Ahmed Wassef, director of the Zagazig Cultural Palace, adds that among the most famous dances is the Sharqawi wedding dance, which highlights the rituals practiced by Egyptian peasants during wedding celebrations, giving them a unique flavor. Another popular dance is the Hawaya, which showcases the precision, balance, and mental and physical coordination of a country girl who walks gracefully, with a composed and elegant figure, carrying a "Zal'a" (a water jug) with a piece of cloth underneath, called a Hawaya. Dance tableaux include the Staff Dance, a scenic tableau featuring both young men and women, demonstrating the young men's skill in using staffs; the Tanoura, a Sufi dance; and other expressive movements, as well as the Ghawazi, Dahiyya, Saqayeen, and Sebou' dances.
Dr. Mamdouh Ghorab, Governor of Sharqiya, praised the El Sharkia Folk Group's performances at various regional and international festivals. He praised their representation of Egypt and the Sharqiya Governorate, in a manner worthy of the country's rich history and civilization, through the presentation of dances and artistic and folkloric performances that reflect the traditions and customs of Egyptian society in general and that of Sharqiya in particular. He emphasized the importance of providing every kind of material and moral support to the cultural and artistic sector and to all the governorate's talents and artists, developing their skills and abilities, and helping them participate in all local, regional, and international forums.
UAMPA APS (Italy)
