Egypt's female performance groups on the rise
All female dance groups in Egypt are becoming more popular at weddings and other cultural gatherings, but still must conform with society's conservative beliefs on music.
Female Islamic bands are emerging as a new fixture at women's celebrations around Egypt. Fully or partially veiled, and wearing sparkling but unrevealing clothes, they perform at weddings, where men and women are segregated, and at henna parties, where women come together before a wedding or to celebrate a birth.
The bands purposely do not violate Sharia in their performances. The douf (tambour) is often the only musical instrument they use, although there are exceptions, and the groups only appear at women-only events. Their repertoire tends to consist of Egyptian rustic wedding songs.
