Belly dance is a difficult-to-define term, since it is often (mistakenly) used in a very broad sense to refer to a variety of different dance forms either originating from or inspired by the cultures of the Middle East (including the Middle East proper and North Africa).
Middle Eastern Dance
Middle Eastern dance encompasses a range of rich and vibrant traditions. Here are just a few examples of contemporary Middle Eastern dance styles:
- 'ardah - from Saudi Arabia, a warlike men's dance with origins in Bedouin culture
- debke - from the Levant, a lively folk dance performed in a line and characterized by its energetic style and rhythmic stomps
- ghawazee (Banat Maazin) - from southern Egypt, the hip-focused dance style of the nawari population now centered near Luxor
- karsilama - from Turkey and the Balkans, a folk dance performed in couples (karsilama means "face-to-face")
- khaleegi - from the Persian Gulf, a women's dance featuring vigorous tossing of the hair (khaleegi means "from the Gulf")
- nubi - from the border region of Egypt and Sudan, the bouncy, joyful folk style of the Nubian population (nubi means "Nubian")
- raqs beledi - solo, improvisational, torso-focused dance with variants found throughout the Arab world but most commonly associated with Egypt (confusingly, raqs beledi can also be used as a general term meaning "folk dance" - cf. raqs sha'abi)
- sa'idi - from southern Egypt, a lighthearted folk style (often, but not always, featuring the stick dance, raqs assaya)
- schikhatt - from Morocco, a sexually-suggestive women's dance which originally served to educate a bride prior to her wedding night
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Ironically, the contemporary "look" of the raqs sharqi dancer originated in the West, not in the Middle East. This imagery can be traced back to the phenomenon of "Orientalism" which began in the sixteenth century and peaked in the nineteenth. By the beginning of the twentieth century, Europeans' fascination with the Middle East and Asia had resulted in a thoroughly romanticized vision of the Orient. Middle Eastern dance, in particular, was a great source of fascination (and titillation) to conservative Western audiences, who were both intrigued and repulsed by the vigorous pelvic and abdominal movements of the dance. The Orientalist vision of Middle Eastern dance was adopted and glamorized by Hollywood. Emulating the trends of Hollywood, early twentieth-century Egyptian film stars adopted a glitzy Hollywood-inspired costume consisting of a bra, belt, and skirt, and the cabaret costume was born. (For a more detailed discussion of Orientalism and the development of belly dance, read Shira's article, Oriental Dance: A Dance for the Whole Family.)
Unfortunately, the early Orientalist fascination with Middle Eastern dance also perpetuated many misconceptions about raqs sharqi, and dancers have found it nearly impossible to break free from the resulting stereotypes. Raqs sharqi did not originate as a dance done by women to entice men. Yet, nearly every American belly dancer has been asked at some point in her career: "Isn't that like stripping?" (Read Shira's article "Isn't That Like Stripping?" (Why They Ask) to learn the answer.) The original Orientalist fascination with Middle Eastern dance, the glitzy cabaret costume, and a few irresponsible dancers continue to create confusion and to perpetuate misconceptions. It is up to us, as dancers, to continue to uphold the dignity of this art form.
In some parts of the Middle East, raqs sharqi continues to figure prominently in important celebrations of the life cycle and family ties. In Egypt, it is still common to hire a professional belly dancer for wedding celebrations. Unfortunately, the rise of Islamic fundamentalism in the Middle East has hampered the continued survival of raqs sharqi. The trend toward conservatism has produced an ironic consequence: a boom in disreputable dancers and seedy dance venues. These contradictory influences have negatively impacted raqs sharqi and contributed to a love/hate relationship between Middle Eastern people and this dance tradition.
Raqs Sharqi
When Americans use the term belly dance, they are usually referring to raqs sharqi. Raqs sharqi is a relatively young dance form. It was not until around the beginning of the twentieth century in Egypt that raqs beledi - the solo, improvisational, torso-focused dance performed casually by men and women - evolved into this glamorous theatrical dance. Raqs sharqi is Arabic for “dance of the East,” a name that stresses the distinction between Western dance forms and this quintessentially Middle Eastern art. Raqs sharqi combines the hip and abdominal movements of traditional Middle Eastern dance forms with a more elegant, lifted posture and graceful arm movements borrowed from other dance forms.
While raqs beledi was and remains a dance form performed by both men and women, the overwhelming majority of raqs sharqi performers are female. More than any other Middle Eastern dance tradition, raqs sharqi is a joyous celebration of womanhood and of the female form. As is the case in so many non-Western cultures, the Middle Eastern ideal of female beauty embraces a softer, rounder, female form than its Western counterpart. Because it is grounded in cultures that accept a more realistic female body image, raqs sharqi is not burdened by the same age, shape, and size restrictions that apply in Western dance forms. American women who experience raqs sharqi are usually surprised to discover that it allows them to empower themselves and to break free from Western stereotypes of female beauty.
