Belly dance

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Raqs Sharqi dancer Chryssanthi Sahar Scharf, Heidelberg.

Belly dance is a Western term for a traditional Middle Eastern and North Africandance form. In Arabic language it is known as raqs sharqi (رقص شرقي; literally translated as"dance of the Orient" or "dance of the East or oriental dance") or sometimes called raqs baladi (رقص بلدي; literally "national" or "folk" dance). In Greece and the Balkans, belly dance is called tsiftetelli (τσιφτετέλι). The term belly-dance is a creation of Orientalism, and is first attested in English in 1899, translating French danse du ventre. It was so named because of the exposure of the midriff. Belly dance is a considered misnomer as all parts of the body are involved in the dance, especially the hips. The dancer’s goal is to visually communicate to the audience the emotion and rhythm of the music.

History

Origin

Artistic depiction of Belly dancing

Oriental dance is very old dance form in the history of mankind. It can be seen the hieroglyphics of Egypt dating as far back as 4000 B.C.E. . During the nomadic days, dance was performed for the purposes of entertainment and for religious reasons. The early pagan communities often worshipped a matriarchal deity and extolled the magic and fascination of the ability of women to create life. Belly dance movement s are believed to demonstrate and imitate “birthing practices" and involves the rework of movements traditionally utilized to ease childbirth. This basic form of the dance covers a sub-set of dance movements in modern raqs sharqi. There is a lot of historical evidence which links the ritual of fertility dances at that time, with symbolic re-creations of giving birth, to modern belly dancing. The sharp hip movements, deliberate muscular contractions and spasms, as well as sinewy undulations, demonstrate strong connections to the body's responses during labour and delivery. This concept is strongly publicized by the research of the dancer/layperson anthropologist Morocco (also known as Carolina Varga Dinicu). Also with numerous oral historical references, and is backed by a commentary in the work The Dancer of Shamahka. Today belly dance has remained an indispensible feature at weddings in North African and Middle Eastern countries and has it has maintained its connection to love as it is performed for the purpose of acquainting the bride and bride groom and creating an erotic atmosphere, while making a benediction for fertility on the couple, and at the same time providing entertainment for the guest.

Survival and propagation

The today oriental dance form spread from Mesopotamia to North Africa, Rome, Spain and [ India] and thrived until 600 C.E., when the Islamic religion became popular and banned all music and dance. In paintings, depiction of people was also banned. . Yet, during this time and for 500 years thereafter, Arabic music and dance did find a way to survive. In Ottoman Empire, particularly in the caliph's courts in Baghdad, the dance was protected and nurtured. This time period is referred to as the "golden age" of Arabic music. The music and dance was artistic, creative, and enjoyed for the effect it had on the human soul. The complicated musical scales and modes were produced during this age, and largely remain the same to the present day. Despite the restrictions in Islam regarding portraying humans in paintings, there are several depictions of dancers throughout the pre-Islamic and Islamic world. Books such as The Art and Architecture of Islam 650-1250 show images of dancers on palace walls, as do Persian miniature paintings from the 12th and 13th centuries.

Indian troupes the early Roma

At the very beginning of the 11th century, India came under attack by the Muslim general Mahmud of Ghazni, who was trying to push Islam eastwards into India, which was mainly Hindu territory. The Aryans moved into India many centuries before, and had pushed the original population down into the south, or else had absorbed them into the lowest strata of their own society, which began to separate into different social levels or castes, called varnas ("colors") in Sanskrit. During this time in Indian the Aryans regarded Aryan life as being more precious than non-Aryan life, and would not risk losing it in battle. So the troops that were assembled to fight the armies of Mahmud of Ghazni were all taken from non-Aryan populations, and made honorary members of the Kshattriya, or warrior caste, and allowed to wear their battledress and emblems. These non-Aryan population were taken from many different ethnic groups who spoke many different languages and dialects. Some were Lohars and Gujjars, some were Tandas, some were Rajputs, non-Indian peoples who had come to live in India some centuries before, and some may also have been Siddhis, Africans from the East African. This composite army moved out of India through the mountain passes and west into Persia, battling with Muslim forces all along the eastern limit of Islam. Because Islam was not only making inroads into India to the east, but was also being spread westwards into Europe, this conflict carried the Indian troops-the early Roma-further and further in that direction, until they eventually crossed over into southeastern Europe about the year 1300. In Europe, Roma were either kept in slavery in the Balkans (in territory that is today Romania). Because they arrived in Europe from the East, they were thought by the first Europeans to be from Turkey or Nubia or Egypt, or any number of vaguely acknowledged non-European places, and they were called, among other things, Egyptians or 'Gyptians, which is where the word "Gypsy" comes from. The Roma’s were able to move on and up into the rest of the continent, reaching every northern and western country by about 1500. The Roma, and other related groups, are seen as either having brought the dance form over as they traveled, or picked it up along the way and spread it around. Thanks to the conflation of Roma forms of dance into the raqs sharqi sphere in the West.

Popularization of Oriental Dance

The term "belly dancing" (believed by some to be a mis-transliteration of the term for the dance style Beledi or Baladi) is generally credited to Sol Bloom, entertainment director of the 1893 World's Fair, the World Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Although there were dancers of this type present at the 1876 Centennial in Philadelphia, it was not until the 1893 fair that it gained national attention. There were authentic dancers from several Middle Eastern and North African countries, including Syria, Turkey and Algeria, but it was the dancers in the Egyptian Theater of The Street in Cairo exhibit who gained the most notoriety. The rapid hip movements and the fact that the dancers were uncorseted, was considered shocking to the Victorian sensibilities of the day. In fact, there were attempts by many, most notably Anthony Comstock, head of the New York Society for the Suppression of Vice, to have the Egyptian theater closed. The popularity of these dancers spawned dozens of imitators after the Fair, many of whom claimed to have been dancers at the Chicago Fair. The most well known being Farida Mazar Spyropoulos, who it was said stayed in the States after the Fair and married a Greek man named Spyropoulos. Oddly enough she was neither Egyptian nor Algerian, but Syrian. Although she was Middle Eastern, there is no evidence that she was one of the dancers in the Egyptian theater. Although it is popularly believed that a dancer named "Fatima", also known as Little Egypt, stole the show, and continued to popularize this form of dancing, there is in fact no evidence to support this claim. Neither photographs, nor reviews of the Egyptian Theater mention any such person. The truth is that photographs as well as accounts of the entertainments, show that there was not one solo dancer, but an entire troupe who performed in the Egyptian Theater. The dance performed by the many dancers calling themselves "Little Egypt" was nicknamed the "Hootchy-Kootchy" or "Hoochee-Coochee", or the shimmy and shake. Outside of the Middle East, raqs sharqi dancing was further popularized during the Romantic movement in the 18th and 19th centuries as Orientalist artists depicted their interpretations of harem life in the Ottoman Empire. Around this time, dancers from different Middle Eastern countries began to exhibit such dances at various World's Fairs; they often drew crowds that rivaled the technological exhibits. Because this dance style created such a craze, Thomas Edison made several films of dancers in the 1890s. Included in these are the Turkish dance, Ella Lola, 1898 and Crissie Sheridan in 1897 both available for on-line viewing through the Library of Congress. Another in this collection is Princess Rajah dance from 1904 which features a dancer playing Zils (finger cymbals), doing "floor work", and balancing a chair in her teeth.

colonization and immigration

Egyptian belly dance was among the first styles to be witnessed by Westerners. During Napoleon's invasion of Egypt (the campaign which yielded the Rosetta stone, leading to the translation of Egyptian hieroglyphics), Napoleon's troops encountered the Ghawazee tribe. The Ghawazee made their living as professional entertainers and musicians. Some Western began to learn from and imitate the dances of the Middle East, which at this time was subject to colonization by European countries. The dance continued to spread when immigrants from Turkey, Iran, and the Arab states began to immigrate to New York in the 1930s and 1940s, dancers started to perform a mixture styles in nightclubs and restaurants. Often called "Classic Cabaret" or "American Cabaret" belly dance. == Censor and Restrictions Belly dancing has been banned, censored or restricted in some jurisdictions. In Egypt, the Gypsies dance for the public at celebrations , in front of coffees houses and in market places and were popularly referred to as Ghawazee. In 1834 in the city of Cairo, Egypt the ghaweezee dancing was outlawed due to religious complaint. Which far outweighed the financial benefits earned through revenue generated from taxing performer’s profit. Between 1849 and 1856 the ban was lifted and dancing was allowed in Cairo again, although the sanction against dancing in public remained. The dance moved inside to a music-hall type environment and Egyptian cabaret-style dancing was born. Elements of these sanctions remain till date as the costuming and dance styles are still restricted as dancers must cover certain parts of their body and some movements like the floor work is also not allowed. Dancer practicing the Egyptian dance style also respect these rules. Some dancers were captured on early film; the short film Fatima's Dance, was widely distributed in the nickelodeon movie theaters. It drew criticism for its "immodest" dancing, and was eventually censored due to public pressure. Again In Egypt, there was a ban on foreign belly dancers for a year, until it was overturned in September 2004.

Forms

There are two forms of belly dancing.

raqs baladi

The first is called raqs baladi, a social dance performed by people of all ages and by both sexes, during festive occasions- such as weddings- and other social gatherings for fun and celebration.

raqs sharqi

The second form and more theatrical version- is called raqs sharqi, and it is this type that is most popular practice in America and around the world. Like raks baladi, raks sharqi is performed by both male and female dancers.

Movement

Raqs Sharqi belly dancing consists of movements that are executed throughout the body. The focus of the dance is the pelvic and hip area. It is, fundamentally, a solo improvisational dance with its own unique dance vocabulary that is fluidly integrated with the music’s rhythm. Though the basic movements of Raqs Sharqi have remained the same, the dance form continues to evolve, through a combination of styles from many regions where the dance is practiced North Africa, Egypt, the Arabian Gulf, Turkey, Syria and Lebanon. The movement express in belly dance are continuously interchanged as a result of intermingling of people and culture through travel, trade and cross national boundaries. While Middle Easterners make the distinction between "city dance" (stage, cabaret) and "country dance" (regional folk dances), Westerners use the umbrella term of "bellydance" to refer to a broad range of styles united in the use of certain isolation movements, the most prominent and pervasive of which are the isolations of the hips. In addition, isolations of the chest, shoulders, head, hands as well as serpentine and undulating movements of the torso are often common movement found in belly dance. Another common trademark is a varying degree of movement depicting flirtation and coquetry.

Rhythms and instrumentation

The rhythms and instrumentation used varies from area to area. They Often have some commonalties despite great regional variations but in all there is an emphasis on the use percussion.

Costume

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June 11, 2006 performing with my belly dance troupe Desert Odyssey in a student show in Northampton, MA.

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belly dance costume

The costumes associated with belly dance is called bedlah in Arabic (meaning "suit") and was adopted by dancers in Egypt in the 1930s, from where it spread to other countries in the region. It owes its creation to the harem fantasy productions of vaudeville, burlesque and Hollywood during the turn of the last century, rather than to actual authentic Middle Eastern dress. An enterprising dancer, singer and night club owner in Cairo named Badia Masabni is credited with adopting this costume because this was the image that Western tourists came to expect, rather than the native costumes, caftans/kaftans, which covered and concealed the contours of the body, with only a scarf or belt tied around the hips to highlight the movements. However, the caftan is still used by performers to cover their costumes when not on stage. The mainstay of costuming in belly dances include a fitted top or bra (usually with fringe of beads or coins), a fitted hip belt (again with a fringe of beads or coins), and skirt/s (straight, layered, circular, or paneled). A veil made from a three-and-a-half to four-yard piece of fabric may also be used. In the western world a "veil" may also be used for an In Egypt, dancers will also wear full beaded dresses, to do the folkloric and baladi routines. In the 1940s King Farouk of Egypt employed Russian ballet instructor Ivanova to teach his daughters, and it was she who first taught the great dancer Samia Gamal to use the veil to improve her arm carriage. Most Egyptian dancers have continue to use the veil as an opening prop which they discard within the first few minutes of their routines. While in the western world veil may be used for an entire dance or in part of the dance moves and it occasional help in framing the dancers’ movements. Belly dance costumes in Egypt are designed according to the dance and the tradition. The western belly dancers have more freedom and may choose freely according to taste and fantasy. Costuming generally, often varies with the particular style of dance.

technique

Most of the basic steps and techniques used in belly dance are circular motions isolated in one part of the body; for example, a circle parallel to the floor isolated in the hips or shoulders. Accents using "pop and lock" where a dancer either shimmies or makes a striking motion in her shoulders or hips are common, as are feats of flexibility, rolling one's belly muscles, balancing various props like baskets, swords or canes, and dancing with chiffon or silk veils. Nelly Mazloum and Mahmoud Reda are noted for incorporating elements of ballet into Raqs Sharqi and their influence can be seen in modern Egyptian dancers who stand on relevé as they turn or travel through their dance space in a circle or figure eight.

Music:

Raqs Sharqi dancers internalize and express the emotions evoked by the lyrics and the music. Appropriately, the music is integral to the dance. The most admired Raqs Sharqi dancers are those who can best project their emotions through dance, even if their dance is made up of simple movements. The dancer’s goal is to visually communicate to the audience the emotion and rhythm of the music.

Dance Styles

Egyptian-style

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Tina-Louise School of Egyptian Belly Dancing, wowing the crowds at the Chilterns show, Great Missenden.

Egyptian-style raqs sharqi is based on Baladi and later the work of belly dance legends Samia Gamal, Tahiya Karioka, Naima Akef, and other dancers who rose to fame during the golden years of the Egyptian film industry. Later dancers who based their styles partially on the dances of these artists are Sohair Zaki, Fifi Abdou, and Nagwa Fouad. All rose to fame between 1960 and 1980, are still popular today, and have nearly risen to the same level of stardom and influence on the style as their predecessors. In Egypt, three main forms of the traditional dance are associated with belly dance:

1. Baladi/Beledi
2. Sha'abi
3. Sharqi

Syrian/ Lebanese

Lebanese Oriental is different from Egyptian Oriental. The basic moves are the same but the styling, musical interpretation, and folkloric traditions developed separately. Western dance elements, Debke/dabka (folkloric line dance of the Levantine region), upward hip articulations, glut accents, and Khaleeji influences (Arabian Gulf Dance) are characteristic of Lebanese style. The larger use of space and faster music is also characteristic of Lebanese Oriental.

Persian

The art of dancing embellished events in the courts of the Sasanians, the pre-Islamic rulers of Persia. In the Islamic period, solo and ensemble forms of dance were an integral part of the intense musical activity in the palaces of the caliphs and in wealthy houses. Iran is perhaps the only Muslim country with a tradition of dance regarded as an art form. When revived after World War II, folk dancing was encouraged and adapted for the foundation of a national ballet with government support after World War II, and ancient customs were revived. Until it was closed in 1979, the Iranian ballet company was outstanding in the Muslim world. Persians do not consider themselves as Arabs. Persian Bandari dancing is quite different from the dance of most Middle Eastern countries in that there are few abdominal movements and undulations. The graceful arm movements, shoulder shimmies, and twirls are similar Hip movements do not play a really big part and the emphasis is on the upper body. As a dance form it is very "expressive" using hand and face gestures extensively. Like the Arabian Gulf dance (Khaleegy) this dance uses the pelvis-rolling R-L-R, L-R-L stepping pattern. Persian people perform this at parties, travelling around in a circle and sometimes stepping into the centre for a solo with encouragement from their friends. The main variations are in the arm movements.

Turkish style

Turkish belly dance have developed from the Ottoman rakkas to the oriental dance known worldwide today. As Turkish law does not impose restrictions on Turkish dancers' movements and costuming as in Egypt, where dancers are prevented from performing floor work and certain pelvic movements, Turkish dancers are often more outwardly expressive than their Egyptian counterpart. Many professional dancers and musicians in Turkey continue to be of Romani heritage as well. (However, it should be noted that people of Turkish Romani heritage also have a distinct dance style which is uniquely different from the Turkish Oriental style.) Turkish dancers are known for their energetic, athletic (even gymnastic) style, and particularly, until the past few years, their adept use of finger cymbals, also known as zils. Connoisseurs of Turkish dance often say that a dancer who cannot play the zils is not an accomplished dancer. Another distinguishing element of the Turkish style is the use of the Karsilama rhythm in a 9/8 time signature, counted as 12-34-56-789.

Cultural context

Due to cultural misunderstanding about the nature of the dance and misrepresentations by the many imitators in Burlesque halls and carnival sideshows, the western world considered it risqué, leading to the stereotype of an erotic suggestive dance. In addition, the sensational stories about the pseudo-Javanese dancer Mata Hari, who was convicted in 1917 by the French for being a German spy during World War I, and the fact that belly dancing could be seen only at vaudeville and in burlesque shows gave belly dancing a questionable reputation in polite society. Hollywood did not help the reputation by only having three roles for a belly dancer (those of slave to be saved, a background dancer while the main characters talk, or a deceitful woman who uses her wiles to trick the main character), which created stereotypes of belly dancers that many dancers and instructors today are working hard to overcome. It is due to these stereotypes that many practitioners refer to the art as "Middle Eastern Dance".

Belly dancing in the Western world

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Fantasy-inspired non-historical Belly dancing costume, with coin bra, face veil, and beaded hip belt over skirt.

While the beautiful classical Raqs Sharqi is still popular in the West, many dancers have created fusion forms such as American Tribal Style inspired by the folkloric dance styles of India, the Middle East and North Africa and even flamenco. Dancers in the United State and other Western States, while respecting the origins of belly dance, are also exploring and creating within the dance form to address their own needs.

United States

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Tribal-style belly dancers.

With its emergence at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial, the last four decades of the 20th century moved belly dance in the U.S. more into the mainstream. The current interest in the dance can be traced back to the 1950s and '60s. It was in the ethnic nightclubs in major cities like New York, that most Americans first became acquainted with the dance. These clubs were owned, operated and patronized by members of the ethnic communities of Mediterranean countries like Greece, Turkey, Lebanon and Syria. At the time, most of the dancers were Greek or Turkish, but in time their ranks would grow to include Americans as well. One example of this is the dancer "Morocco" of New York, who started her career in the night clubs of Greek Town on 8th Avenue. These American dancers learned the dance by watching and imitating their Greek and Turkish sisters, as well as the patrons.

In the late 1960s and early '70s many of these dancers began offering dance classes. With increasing exploration of the East in the late 1960s, many people became interested in everything Eastern, including dance. Many touring Middle Eastern or Eastern bands took dancers with them as they toured to provide a visual representation of their music, which helped to spark interest in the dance. This had the effect of creating many beautiful dancers who have generated greater interest in belly dancing. The increased interest in belly dancing created diverse names for the same simple movements and the need to have a "style" as each teacher tried to distinguish differences in their way of teaching from other teachers. This has hampered belly dance from acceptance with the more established dance forms because there is no nationally recognized choreography terminology that can be used to create repeatable dances.

A recent movement in the U.S. called American Tribal Style Belly Dance, or ATS, represents everything from folklore-inspired dances to the fusion of ancient dance techniques from North India, the Middle East, and Africa. Created in the early 1990s by Carolena Nericcio, founder of FatChanceBellydance in San Francisco, ATS has a format consisting of a vocabulary of steps that are designed to be performed improvisationally in a lead-follow manner. Pure ATS is performed in a group, typically with a chorus of dancers using zills, or finger cymbals, as accompaniment. The music can be folkloric or modern, and the costume is heavily layered, evoking traditions of any or all of its fusion of cultural influences.

Canada

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A belly dancer in Calgary, Alberta, Canada in 2008

Canada has a thriving belly dance community much like the United States with many different styles ranging from Raqs Sharqi to Gypsy style. Many schools offer belly dance classes and Canada has produced some of the finest belly dancers in the world including Master teacher Yasmina Ramzy, Hadia, and the internationally renowned Badia Star. Ramzy is the driving force behind the International Bellydance Conference of Canada which is Canada's largest Bellydance conference, with workshops, panel discussions and speeches.

United Kingdom

With its growing popularity in the western world, belly dance classes are thriving throughout the UK, though the belly dance culture has been evidenced since the early 1960s, with many styles being taught including traditional, modern, tribal, Persian, Oriental, Turkish, Greek, Egyptian, American Tribal. Many festivals and workshops are held over the various regions, with two of the most popular being the Annual Glastonbury Majma. [1] and Raqs Britannia [2] September 2007 sees the first Annual International Bellydance Congress being held in the UK. [3]

Australia

The first wave of interest for belly dancing in Australia was during the late 70s to 80s with the influx of migrants and refugees escaping troubles in the Middle East, particularly the war in Lebanon. This was also the period that marked the increase in Middle Eastern musicians escaping the tensions in the region. Notable musicians of this period include drummer Jamal Zraika. There were notable performers during this period. These included Amera Eid who started the first belly dance boutique in Australia, Amera’s Palace, and Terezka Drnzik who established the first full time belly dance school in Sydney, The Akademi of Danse Orientale. Both of these experienced dancers and teachers have pedigrees linked back to Rozeta Ahalyea whose career spanned four decades. The biggest belly dancing event is the annual Sydney Middle Eastern Dance Festival which started out in 1990 as a Bellydance-a-thon to raise money for charity. Tribal style belly dance in Australia is gaining popularity as well. The most notable figure in this scene is Devi Mamak, the first Australian to have been accepted as a certified Fat Chance Bellydance teacher under the guidance of Carolena Nerricio. New Fat Chance moves developed in Australia by Devi Mamak and her troupe, Ghawazi Caravan, will be added to the official list of repertoire in the 8th video. The new moves are Arabic with a turn, triangle and the crazy camel.

Male belly dancing

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Male belly dancer in Istanbul Turkey.

There is much debate over where and when men became part of the belly dance world. Pictorial evidence in the form of Turkish miniatures made during the Ottoman Empire show public performances being done by young men and boys called köçeks. The Köçek dancers can still be found in the rural communities of today Turkey, most notably in the region of Kastamonu. These dancers were widely popular; in fact, the Sultan employed a troupe of these male dancers in addition to a troupe of female dancers, (Metin And: A pictorial history of Turkish Dance). This is evidence in Laurel Victoria Gray works.. It has long been assumed that these dancers were female impersonators, because they performed in wide flamboyant skirts. A comparison with the female dancers however, shows that this was merely a costume worn for the dramatic effect caused by the swirling fabric. The female dancers did not wear specialized costumes at this time, but the ordinary dress of all women, which consisted of a pair of "harem pants", a long shirt, tight fitting vest covered by a flowing robe tied at the waist by a belt or shawl. Nevertheless, some of these male dancers did at times impersonate women. This was because they were not simply dancers but musicians and actors as well. As was the case in Shakespearean times, all dramatic roles were played by males since women were not allowed to entertain in public.

Recent trends in Male Belly Dancing

Even though the current professional version of raqs sharqi, developed in Egypt in the 1930s, was deliberately designed to display an idealized notion of feminine grace beauty and glamour. Men continued to play a behind the scenes role in its development. Many of the most renowned choreographers and coaches are in fact men, such as Ibrahim Akef (cousin of the dance star Naima Akef) and Mahmoud Reda (founder of the renowned Reda Ensemble, the first theater dance troupe of Egypt). The recent trend of male performers of this dance form started in the '60s and 70s in the United States by such performers and teachers as Ibrahim Farrah (an American of Lebanese descent from Pennsylvania), Roman "Bert" Balladine and John Compton to name a few. These modern performers have also begun to resurface in the Middle East in Greece, Turkey, Lebanon and Egypt. Most male dancers face artistic as well as social challenges. Such issues as whether there are or should be differences in costuming, attitude, and the dynamics of choreography between male and female belly dancing is a subject of debate among both male and female dancers.

Male Bell dancing Hall of fame

Well-known male dancers in the U.S. and Latin America from the 1970s onward include Bert Balladine, John Compton, Sergio, Horacio Cifuentes, Kasim of Boston,famous Zill player on George Abdo's albums, Amir of Boston, Adam Basma, Ibrahim Farrah, Yousry Sharif, Aziz, Kamaal, Amir Thalib, Mark Balahadia, Francisco Carranza (Mr. Bellydance U.S. 1989) Canadian dancer Valizan, Jim Boz, and Tarik Sultan. Some of these dancers are American-born, others were immigrants from the Middle East and Europe. Basma was born in Lebanon. Sharif (who comes from Egypt and relocated to the U.S. in the early 1990s) was a member of the Reda Ensemble, the first national dance troupe in Egypt. Directed by Mahmoud Reda, a former gymnast who represented Egypt in the Olympics, the Reda Ensemble has existed continuously for over four decades. Other male belly dancers across the globe have made an impact on this dance form, most notably Horacio Cifuentes, who now resides in Germany and who has infused his ballet background with various types of Middle Eastern dance to create an impact on both male and female belly-dance styles. Tarik Sultan of New York has made a great contribution in the documentation of the history of the male role in the dance. His article "Oriental Dance, it isn't just for women any more", is one of the most historically and culturally accurate article on the subject. Also, Dr. Anthony Shay, the author of Choreophobia, in his article "The Male Dancer", tackles the myths that the dance is a strictly female form and that men who did perform it were only imitating women. He offers historical and cultural sources to show that men have always been present in Middle Eastern dance, not only on the social level, but in the professional arena as well. Many dancers are now fast gaining recognition around the world as a dancers of exceptional skill such as; Egyptian male dancer Tito Seif, who performs in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el Sheikh; Syrian male Dancer Jamil and Shiva, renowned performers in Sydney, Australia; Israeli born Asi Haskal, who holds many concerts in Israel.

Benefits of belly dancing

Health

The benefits of belly dance are both mental and physical. Dancing provides a good cardio-vascular workout and helps increase both flexibility and strength, focusing on the torso or "core muscles", although it also builds leg strength. Many belly dance styles emphasize muscular "isolations", teaching the ability to move various muscles or muscle groups independently. Veil work can also build arm, shoulder, and general upper-body strength, and playing the zils can build strength and independence of the fingers. Belly dance is suitable for all ages and body types, and can be as physical as the participant chooses. The art form tones the arms, strengthens and tightens the abs and obliques, and improves flexibility. As a form of exercise, it can burn as many calories as light jogging, swimming or riding a bike.

Economic

Many women today in the U.S. and Europe approach belly dance as a tool for empowerment and strengthening of the body, mind, and spirit. While a small percentage of enthusiasts use belly dance as an income supplement, others derive their sole income from performance regularly as amateurs or semi-professionals and/or teaching. Bellydance communities worldwide are notable for their energy and enthusiasm in putting on collaborative performances, workshops and other events. The elements of virtues and potential in the dancers are nurtured as issues of body-image, sisterhood, self-esteem, self-empowerment, and self-authentication are regularly addressed in belly dance classes.

Others

Many belly dance enthusiastic pursue the dance for several other reason or benefit where include but not limited to getting to learn new art form, music and the culture of the origin of the dance. Others see the dance as a way to express themselves while making new friends and being a part of a community.

Contemporary Trend

Today, these ancient dances are taught in classes offered throughout the world, and skilled dancers are able to share their knowledge that has been passed down from the indigenous peoples who created them. Multicultural trends that have shaped Western and U.S. belly dance are still at work. Ever evolving, this versatile dance keeps absorbing a blend of influences; modern fashion, film and television imagery, the world of rock and hip hop, underground subcultures, and many other contemporary influences. The umbrella term used to describe these hybrid forms of belly dance is "belly dance fusion", including "tribal fusion". One of the newest belly dance fusion trends is gothic belly dance that incorporates many belly dance styles and motifs and seeks to express the darkness of the unknown that has inspired the music, philosophies, and lifestyles of the Goth subculture. [4] Continuously, in the U.S. more fusion and personal styles are added into Belly Dance. From ballet, Urban Tribal, Techno Tribal, Afrocuban Tribal, World Fusion, Popping Fusions, Hip Hop Fusions, Jazz, contemporary, Indian, Asian gymnastics, fire dancing, stilt walking, hoop twirling and the reintroduction of burlesque type movements, are influencing the creation of fusion and personal styles. With dancers seeking out education in more than one dance form in order to incorporate something new into their Belly Dance choreographies; this has lead to creating diversity in the dance form and it has continue to evolve.

Belly dancing in pop culture

The modern pop culture incorporates some belly dancing inspired movements. Some pop icons fused belly dancing into the modern hip-hop dancing. Variations and twist of the dance form are done to fit the desired named styles through the combination of different dance styles and rhythms. Recently, Belly dancing has been made widely popular by Latin superstar Shakira, whose dancing combines belly dance, Latino, and modern dance styles. An R&B singer Aaliyah used the belly dance as her signature move, which she called the belly roll, and it was featured in many of her music videos. Other singers who have performed belly dance in their music videos include Hilary Duff, Beyoncé, Ciara, Rihanna, Nelly Furtado, Britney Spears, and Christina Aguilera. Only Shakira has had professional belly dance training.

See also

• Köçek
• Tsifteteli
• Dance basic topics
• List of dances
• Samia Gamal
• Taheyya Kariokka
• Serena Wilson
• Shakira
• Didem (Belly Dancer)

References

ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

• Donna Carlton (1995). Looking for Little Egypt. Bloomington, Indiana: International Dance Discovery Books. ISBN 0-9623998-1-7.
• Belly dancing
• Serena and Alan Wilson (1973). The Serena Technique of Belly Dancing. New York, NY: Pocket Books.
• Julie Russo Mishkin and Marta Schill (1973). The Compleat Belly Dancer. Garden City, New York: Doubleday and Company Books. ISBN 0-385-03556-X

External links

• Rakkasah Dance Festivals
• The Middle Eastern Culture and Dance Association
• Bollypop – World’s first online Bollywood dance competition
• Many Belly Dancing Styles
• Know More about Belly Dancing

Belly Dancing Overview

Credits

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• Belly dance  ^history

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• History of "Belly dance"

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