What You May Not Necessarily Know About Oriental Dance   Artistic Quality, Health Benefits and Self-Esteem  Oriental Dance or “belly dance” (as it is most commonly known) has become increasingly popular with no intention of slowing down!  It is not only an art form, but also an expression of a woman’s power.  While there are quite a few male belly dancers, it is, in fact, a woman’s dance and the only dance form that encourages women to celebrate their femininity regardless of shape or size.  Unlike ballet, modern or jazz, where most dancers are required to lose weight – some to the point of becoming even dangerously thin – belly dancing empowers women to not only appreciate their bodies as is, but also to convey strength, beauty and endurance through the interpretation of this dance.  When studied and performed correctly, belly dancing is a lovely and graceful expression of the human body and spirit, mesmerizing an audience with its unique movements.   A belly dancer’s moves are comparable to those of a snake because it utilizes practically every muscle in the body.  Those who are unfamiliar with the dance usually do not think it requires much effort to move the body in such a way based on what they see.  In fact, I’ve heard comments from other dancers who have stated that we [belly dancers] are not REAL dancers!  However, it involves much more effort than just “shaking your groove thing” (to quote a 1970’s hit!).  The dancer is trained to learn specific postures and isolations over time that eventually produce muscle memory, making for an incredible display of combined moves at various speeds.  I’ve had people ask me if we actually do get a workout from “just” belly dancing.  My answer is simply, "Come to a class and experience it for yourself!"  As with any genre of dance and/or exercise, an intense workout can always be achieved by practicing correct body form as well as technique while increasing your heart rate.  Most of all, this dance is very much about the passion and soul of the art itself.  Once a dancer learns to feel the music stir within her, the technique is a no-brainer!   When I first became interested in learning belly dance, I did it strictly to incorporate it into my workout routine because I thought - as do many others - that it would be beneficial for my abdominal muscles.  Well, I was half right - it works out the abs and then some!  Belly dancing strengthens and defines not only your core, but also every muscle from your neck right down to your calves.  It basically works muscles in your body you didn't even know you had!  It is also beneficial in correcting and/or improving posture.    Besides the obvious health benefits associated with this art form, it also boosts your self-esteem.  Those of us who belly dance have the distinct ability of getting in touch with our inner goddess simply because no matter what our body type, we feel beautiful doing it!  It is a woman’s dance that has no expiration date regardless of your age!  I've been to many workshops and have met belly dancers who have been performing for 20-30 years.  One would never know their age because of how fit belly dancing has kept them over the years.   It is not necessarily about getting down to a size 4, but rather feeling healthy  about yourself and doing something wonderful for your body.  Nevertheless, I must give credit to the extensive health benefits of consistent belly dance activity:  Many women have reported faster weight loss, greater stamina, endurance, body strength, overall well-being and easier childbirth.  In addition to a strong body, the peace of mind, confidence and spiritual connection associated with this art form is unlike any other!   What’s in a Name?  Why belly dance?  Where did the term come from and why do we refer to it as such if the dance incorporates other parts of the body as well as the belly?  Obviously, the dance is visually appealing because the abdomen is the area primarily used during performance, hence the name “belly dancing”.  But true belly dancing goes beyond the mere movement of the belly.   The name has taken on many forms over the years:  Danse du Ventre (French for dance of the belly), Raqs Sharqi or Raks Sharki (Arabic for dance of the East), La Danse Orientale  (French for dance of the East) or simply Middle Eastern Dance.  Many dancers don’t like using the term “belly dance” because of its social stigma:  The idea that because some skin may be exposed, it is a “stripper-like” dance.  Unfortunately, the term “belly dance” carries with it a scandalous reputation dating back to the early 19th century when it was first introduced in the United States as a dance performed specifically to seduce men, namely by prostitutes or women of inappropriate social status.  Because many professional dancers and instructors embrace this dance as family entertainment, some have chosen to refer to themselves as “Oriental dance artists” rather than belly dancers to distance themselves from the undignified connotations the term raises in people’s minds.  For some, advocating the use of more appropriate terminology such as this also helps in gaining respect within the academic dance community.   Origins There are many theories as to where belly dancing originated, whether Egypt, Turkey, Persia and the list goes on.  Its country of true origin is not precisely known, however, belly dancing in some countries originated as a sacred birth ritual.  Click here for some detailed information on belly dance and childbirth.  Women would gather around a woman in labor and do certain abdominal movements, encouraging her to do the same. These were movements that would ease the birth and create a sense of unity and common experience among them.  Over the centuries, changing society and the rise of patriarchal religion caused the use of these movements to lose their sacred connotations and become a social dance.  Still, there is a group of professionals who have made a conscious decision to call what they do belly dancing.  Many dancers want to honor the abdomen as the center from which new life emerges. The abdomen is the core (or center) of the body wherein lies most of our strength.  Basically, when our core is strong, the rest of our body is also, which is why belly dancing has become more than just a dance to those who are very knowledgeable about its history.  These artists seek to reclaim the term "belly dancing" from its scandal-linked origins and imbue it with the power of something sacred. Since the rise of Islam, belly dancing among Muslim women has been mostly a social dance that was done in the company of other women. Just as we use social dancing as part of our celebration at wedding receptions and other happy occasions, so did people in the Middle East. In traditional Muslim households, women celebrated separately from men. For each special event, men had their party, and women had a separate one. Men danced with other men, and women danced with other women.  Contrary to popular opinion, it was never meant to be a dance women did specifically for seducing men (privately or otherwise).    Celebrating Womanhood  The most important and appealing trait about belly dancing is that any woman can do it:  young, old, thin, heavy, tall, short, light-skinned or dark-skinned.  It is a dance that has no age, weight, height or ethnic requirement or restriction.  A belly dancer does with her body the natural movements associated with everything that entails being a woman:  femininity, sensuality and preparing the body for child birth.  Belly dancing transforms women to live comfortably in their bodies in a culture that too often would have them feel inadequate or ashamed. Many times, women are told they are not adequate enough for a specific dance because they are either too big, skinny, tall, short, or old to dance–it would be considered “ugly” to make a statement with their bodies. Ridiculous!  Middle Eastern dance training teaches you that your body, just as it is, is perfect for expressing a full range of human emotions.  There is no better self-esteem kick for women, especially in today's western society!     The Beauty of The Art  Though it is a sensual dance and midriffs are generally bared, it is not sexual or "dirty", nor was it originally performed showing some skin.  In fact, many dancers in Egypt today are required to wear a mesh covering on their costumes to perform at certain venues.  It is in NO way a "striptease", though it tends to be associated with stripping by many.  In contrast, It is a graceful, stimulating, professional, sophisticated dance suitable for the entire family.  Those who associate it with inappropriate entertainment have been misled by how the media has at times portrayed it and even bastardized it into something overtly erotic.  Additionally, if a dancer is performing it incorrectly or is sloppy with her moves, the audience will generally view it as "exotic" dancing.  Unfortunately, dancers who perform it inappropriately have given a bad name to the rest of us who strive NOT to fall into that category.  Nowadays, many artists and instructors alike are on a mission to teach not only proper technique, but also to give insight into its history and culture as well as many other unknown facts.  Perhaps this will help remove the negative connotations that have long been associated with belly dance and will draw respect from the rest of the dance community in recognizing how challenging and artistic it truly is.  Rest assured, I would NOT be performing it if it was not a respectable form of entertainment!   Below:  Belly Dance Legends Samia Gamal & Tahia Carioca   Dance and Music Styles   Middle Eastern music has global influence.  This complex and compelling music has cycled in popularity many times.  Most recently, Sting’s collaboration with Algerian Cheb Mami and Shakira’s Arab-influenced pop and corresponding dance moves have created a new international awareness of this music.  “Belly dance” music is not one single type of music.  It comes from the many cultures surrounding the Mediterranean, from Greece and Turkey, down through the Middle East and then across North Africa.   There are many different styles of Middle Eastern dance, including Egyptian, Lebanese, Turkish, Greek, Armenian, Persian, American and American Tribal.  These dances were originally based on traditional folkloric dances, but each one now has its own signature style and movement.  Within each style, there are further categories or schools of dance.  These are often associated with a choreographer or dancer who popularized them.  For example, the Egyptian dancers from the films of the ‘40s and ‘50s are known as “classical Egyptian”.  The current dancers who use Middle Eastern pop music and have incorporated Western movements from ballet, jazz and hip-hop are known as “contemporary Egyptian” or “Cabaret” dancers.   “Belly dance” was first used to advertise dancers from the Middle East at the 1893 World’s Fair.  It is an accurate description of the Ouled Nail dance from Algeria, but not for most Middle Eastern dances that emphasize the articulation of the hips.  While “belly dancing” is the popular term used today, in Arabic, it is known as “Raqs al-Sharki” and in Turkish, “Oryantal Tansi”.  These are both translated as “Oriental Dance.”   Stylistic distinctions can also be seen in the various costumes.  American dancers use a two-piece costume with a bra, hip belt and full skirt, sometimes with loose pants gathered at the ankles under their skirts.  Turkish dancers also wear the two-piece bra and belt, but the belt rides higher on the hips and dips lower in the front.  Current Egyptian costumes are tight dresses made from stretchy fabric with strategic cut-outs or two-piece costumes with no fringe.   Most American dancers’ routines have five parts.  The opening is a lively number sometimes accompanied by finger cymbals (or zills, in Turkish), followed by a slow piece (either a taqsim for Egyptian or Lebanese or a chiftitelli for Turkish, Greek and American music), then another song.  The fourth part is usually a fast drum solo and then the conclusion or finale of the set is a faster, upbeat piece of music.  Egyptian dancers will often stop at the drum solo and have only four parts to their routine.   Depending on where the music originates, the instruments vary.  In Egyptian and Lebanese belly dance, the traditional instruments are the oud (lute), kanoun (zither), kaman (violin), nay (flute), rababa (single stringed drone), mizmar (folk clarinet), dumbek (goblet drum) and riq (tambourine).  For Turkish dances, it’s the saz and azoukie, (long-necked lutes), kanoun, dumbek and zurna ( a double reed instrument).  In all styles, Western instruments can also be included, for example, keyboards, guitar, cello or drum kits.   There are thousands of belly dancers all over the world.  There are well-established schools of Oriental dance in Germany, Brazil and Japan as well as the United States and, of course, the Middle East.  There are Middle Eastern concerts, seminars, symposiums and conventions, bringing in dancers and musicians from all over the world.  The Internet has created online communities of dancers from all over the world, sharing their experiences and expertise with each other.   No matter where these dances are performed, or who is performing them, it is clear that they have captured the hearts and imaginations of people for thousands of years and there is no indication that it will change in the years to come.   Source:  Essential Bellydance, Susan Chatman (with additional input by Ruth Nunez)