Why "Princess" Madiha? Let's go back to the beginning. Born in the Druze Mountains of Syria, Madiha's mother was of the Awabdi family, originally a royal family in Syria. In the 1800s, the Atrish and Awabdi families were engaged in a deadly power struggle. When Madiha's grandfather, Halil Awabdi, the reigning prince, lost his life in that struggle, the family lost all their power and wealth. Her mother later married into a farming family. Both she and Madiha are entitled to retain the title of "Princess" in memory of their heritage.
Princess Madiha is the youngest of five girls. Her interest in dancing was sparked at an early age when she and her family would go see movies which starred dancers like Samia Gamal and Tahia Carioca. By the time she was fourteen, Madiha had decided to become a dancer. But a girl that age was expected to get married and raise a family. Instead Madiha went to live with a married sister in Damascus. Her sister introduced her to a professional dancer, Nazha Abdu, who took Madiha to Halab, the second capital of Syria. But there Madiha encountered further obstacles. Not only did she not have a license to dance, but when it was found out that she was only fourteen years old, Madiha was told to return to her family. Not easily daunted, Madiha found someone to falsify papers and provide proof that she was eighteen years old.
Madiha then traveled to Swaido with a girlfriend. While having breakfast in a restaurant, they overheard a man talking about a club that was looking for singers and dancers. Madiha went up to the man and said, "Excuse me, but my girlfriend is a dancer and I am a singer. We are interested in an audition." Neither of the girls were performers, but their bravado had earned them the chance to learn the art. They were offered ten lira a night and on the job training. They were taken to Hoummos and auditioned for Fatma Akef, sister of the famous Naima Akef. When Madiha tried to sing, Fatma told her she'd never be a singer, but with her face and body, she was meant to be a dancer and promptly put her into a costume. Madiha and her girlfriend worked for five days with Fatma's theatre group, sharing a green and white costume. By this time, Madiha's family had tracked her down, and her fiancé literally dragged her out of the theatre and back to Damascus. With the help of some friends, Madiha escaped to Lebanon.
In Tripoli, Madiha discovered that eighteen wasn't old enough to work. She had to go back to Damascus. Determined to escape her arranged marriage and become a dancer, she told her mother that her agent was in fact a doctor who needed a secretary to travel with him as he gave lectures throughout the Middle East. Thinking this to be a great opportunity for her daughter, Madiha's mother hugged and kissed the agent and signed the necessary papers. Her family thought she was going to Beirut, but her agent actually took her to Persia as a replacement for her idol, Samia Gamal, who had cancelled her engagement there. Madiha couldn't even walk correctly on stage, but she was young and beautiful. She was an instant success. From Persia, Madiha went on a tour to Pakistan and Calcutta, India, where she worked with mostly American bands.
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Last modified: April 2005
