Where does belly dance come from?
The term “belly dance” is not quite appropriate. A more accurate name of the dance is Oriental Dance or Raqs Sharqi which is arabic for “Dance of the East”.
Oriental Dance comes from many places in Asia and North Africa. It is rooted in folkloric dances that were enjoyed at many of life’s celebrations very similar to those in the west. In North America, we have line dancing and the “chicken dance” at weddings, etc. In the East, they have Raks Sharqi or Oriental Dance. These dances were not “performed” on stages and in venues that we see it showcased in today. The dances were (and still are) enjoyed at weddings, festivals and in private homes during small gatherings. It is danced by men, women and children in the East.
Fast forward to 1893, the Chicago World’s Fair where a promotor named Sol Bloom scandalized the Victorian crowd by presenting a dancer who called herself “Little Egypt”. She performed “danse du ventre” or “dance of the belly” and did so without a corset of course. With this event began a long, winding road to what we now know most commonly as “belly dance”.
Hollywood wasted no time in putting their own spin on things by publicizing it in film with such things as the “Dance of the Seven Veils” (which is done no where in the middle east or has anything at all to do with Raqs Sharqi).
The dance has evolved over time into many forms. The most common among them are Turkish, Lebanese and Egyptian. Folkloric dances are still performed along with the cabaret type of the dance which is characterized by the gleaming, crystal and bead laden costumes that dancers wear in performance today. There is also a large element of fusion styles that are becoming more and more popular as dancers endeavor to create their own individual style.
There is so much more that can be learned than just what these few sentences can impart. If you would like to know more about the history of the dance, which is the oldest dance in recorded history, an excellent and thorough source of information can be found at www.shira.net
The term “belly dance” is not quite appropriate. A more accurate name of the dance is Oriental Dance or Raqs Sharqi which is arabic for “Dance of the East”.
Oriental Dance comes from many places in Asia and North Africa. It is rooted in folkloric dances that were enjoyed at many of life’s celebrations very similar to those in the west. In North America, we have line dancing and the “chicken dance” at weddings, etc. In the East, they have Raks Sharqi or Oriental Dance. These dances were not “performed” on stages and in venues that we see it showcased in today. The dances were (and still are) enjoyed at weddings, festivals and in private homes during small gatherings. It is danced by men, women and children in the East.
Fast forward to 1893, the Chicago World’s Fair where a promotor named Sol Bloom scandalized the Victorian crowd by presenting a dancer who called herself “Little Egypt”. She performed “danse du ventre” or “dance of the belly” and did so without a corset of course. With this event began a long, winding road to what we now know most commonly as “belly dance”.
Hollywood wasted no time in putting their own spin on things by publicizing it in film with such things as the “Dance of the Seven Veils” (which is done no where in the middle east or has anything at all to do with Raqs Sharqi).
The dance has evolved over time into many forms. The most common among them are Turkish, Lebanese and Egyptian. Folkloric dances are still performed along with the cabaret type of the dance which is characterized by the gleaming, crystal and bead laden costumes that dancers wear in performance today. There is also a large element of fusion styles that are becoming more and more popular as dancers endeavor to create their own individual style.
There is so much more that can be learned than just what these few sentences can impart. If you would like to know more about the history of the dance, which is the oldest dance in recorded history, an excellent and thorough source of information can be found at www.shira.net
