Dina is one of the modern stars of Oriental Dance currently performing in Egypt. She developed a love for dancing at the tender age of nine. She grew up in Rome (her father worked for the Middle East news agency and her mother was a secretary to the Indian Ambassador in Rome). Becoming a dancer wasn't easy for Dina, and she had to battle hard for the families approval. (Sadly dancing isn't seen as a good career choice in Egypt, but as something shameful). Her father insisted that she finished college, and Dina completed a Masters Degree in Philosphy. She began her dancing career performing folkloric dance in various troupes, including the famous Reda Folklore Troupe.
Her solo career began in Dubai, when a one month trip turned into seven months. On her return to Cairo, she had an offers of work from both the Marriott and Sheraton hotels. She is famed for her daring costumes, including sometimes dancing in miniskirts, or bikini tops teamed with cycling shorts. As well as dancing, Dina has also acted, some of her work includes "Rod a Qalby", an Egyptian soap opera, films and several plays.
Dina has suffered from many tragedies in her personal life. Very soon after she married her first husband, Dina found out he married her for his wife #2, because his family also had him engaged to a woman of their same social position, who was not a dancer (unacceptable to their "class" as a #1 wife). She made him miserable enough to divorce her shortly thereafter. Her second husband was the renowned film director Samel El Bagoury, and Dina had a baby boy "Ali" by him. Tragically, he had a brain tumour and passed away.
In 2002/2003, Dina's personal life became the subject of a huge scandal in Egypt when her third husband Hussam Abu El Fateh secretly recorded their love making. The video ("Lahzat Khasa Ma Dina" - Special Moments With Dina) got into the hands of the public when Hussam was arrested for embezzlement (for which he is serving a prison sentence for). Apparently it was even sold on news stands in Cairo and on street corners all over Egypt and it was distributed even to embassies and parliament. She and Hussam divorced and she Dina filed a lawsuit against Hussam Abu Al Fateh for violating her rights while she was married to him and making pornographic films of her without her knowledge. A Cairo court sentenced the editor in chief of the "Al Watan Al Arabi" newspaper, Mu'taz Salah El Din, to a one month jail term for publishing pornographic and insulting photographs of Dina and her ex-husband Hussam. The dancer had demanded Mu'taz be imprisoned and pay a fine of 2001 Egyptian pounds in compensation for damages caused, the UAE based daily Al Bayan reported.
Because of the scandal, in 2003 Dina was denied permission to travel to Saudi to undergo the 5th pillar of Islam Hajj, but this was later granted. On her return from the Hajj, Dina announced that she would be retiring from the dance world completely. She said she would be devoting her life to God and would be starting her own business (completely non-dance related). However, Dina 's love for dancing was too great, and so she announced that at some point, she would be returning to dancing. She was been inundated with offers from Egyptian producers to star in various films.
After a this short break, Dina resumed her acting and dancing career.
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