Belly Dancing

The term "belly dancing" is slightly misleading. It seems to suggest that only one part of the body is being used, when in fact belly dancing encompasses the entire body, sometimes the arms being more expressive than the hips. The roots of this style of dance can be found in ancient Arabic religions where it was used as a dance to the goddess of fertility.

The piece of costume commonly associated with belly dancing is the bedlah, which is Arabic for suit. The bedlah is actually Hollywood and vaudeville's interpretation of the Middle Eastern dress. This interpretation consists of the fitted bra, hip belt and skirt. The bra and hip belt are usually ornately decorated with sequins, embroidery and beads. It is actually illegal to wear such an outfit when performing publically in Egypt. Exposing the midriff publically has been seen as an illegal activity since the 1950's.

There are certain important basic moves performed in belly dancing. These include the shivering of the hips. Alternating the knees back and forth at high speed or contracting the thighs performs this movement. The next basic movement is the hip hit. This is a sharp staccato movement that creates the illusion of a swinging pelvis. The final basic movement is the undulation. This has many varieties and interpretations but is basically the fluid movement of the chest or hips in a circular motion.

Belly dancing works on exciting rhythms that can be initially daunting to master. This is because they are rhythms that are unfamiliar to the western ear. The majority of music heard in the west will be either 4/4 or 3 /4. Some styles of belly dancing are based on a 9/8 signature. The extra beat can be hard to master and many struggle to feel comfortable. But perseverance pays off and once the concept of this rhythm and dance is accomplished, it is one of the best styles of dance to perform.