February 22
Born Today:
Taheyya Carioca
Egyptian belly dancer Taheyya Carioca (1915-1999) performed the art of raqs sharqi and contributed to the elevated status of Middle Eastern dance, a form that has been largely misunderstood over the centuries. She began her professional career dancing in nightclubs and appeared in many Egyptian movies and TV shows. Carioca married 15 different husbands and retired from dancing in 1963 to run her own theatre.
Also Born Today: Dance photographer and former dancer Martha Swope (1928-2017). Mia Michaels (1966-), choreographer and judge for TV show So You Think You Can Dance. Ballet/flamenco dancer Joaquín Cortés (1969-).
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Movie: The Little Colonel released in 1935