Egypt’s first-ever prima ballerina Magda Saleh passes away on Sunday

The late ballet pioneer was fascinated with ballet at an early age, so she enrolled  in the ballet section of the Alexandria Conservatory.

Saleh then received a scholarship at the Arts Educational School, Tring, Hertfordshire, UK in 1956.

Graduated from the Bolshoi academy of Ballet in Moscow, Saleh was well known of her partnership with late director and dancer Abdel Moneim Kamel in the Cairo Ballet Company in Egypt.

She has participated in several international ballet competitions, the National Specialized Councils, Egypt, among other national and international associations.

She received numerous local and international awards and scholarships. 

Saleh is considered to be a magnificent artist that enchanted audiences in Egypt and US.

Through several documentaries, historians presented the varied significant stages in Saleh’s life and share captivating memories they experienced with her. 

One of these documentaries is "Egypt Dances" (1977).

With Saleh’s voice, the film features Saleh’s journey in Egypt through which she created varied dancing techniques and skills.

The film also shows traditional folk dances that were well established at that time in Aswan, Upper Egypt and the oases such as Shettawya and dance of Siwa oasis.