Bellydance - navel gazing into history

by M

Not all people of Turkish/Lebanese/Egyptian origin can belly dance. Not all people who can belly dance are of Turkish/Lebanese/Egyptian origin. That's where it came from, however. Probably. Failed entry to a nightclub propels M to seek out the true origins and traditions of bellydancing.

My friend and I were recently moaning over how unfortunate it was that we were too young to get into the few interesting music venues and clubs in the area. 'Let's go, anyway.' I said. 'Maybe if you seduce the guy at the door we'll be let in.'

'Seduce?' she replied. 'How d'you expect me to do that?'

'I dunno,' I said. 'Belly dance?'

She replied that while she was Indian, she did not know how to belly dance whatsoever. We resigned ourselves to yet another Friday night of roaming the neighborhood, and I resolved to learn something about belly dance, as it was obviously an Important Life Skill.

Raqs sharqi - literally, 'oriental dance', and raqs baladi, literally, 'dance of the country' are the two most common styles of the dance that is known to the Western world as 'belly dance'. Sharqi is the more theatrical style, while baladi is more of a social dance. Depictions of dancers in hieroglyphics make some people think that the dance originated in Egypt; an equally popular theory proposes that Indian priestesses created the dance and that it was spread by the Roma people. At any rate, raqs sharqi and raqs baladi are important parts of Turkish, Egyptian, Lebanese, Syrian and Iranian culture that are becoming more and more part of the Western world.

Raqs sharqi is strongly associated with women. There is some evidence that the dance originated from movements meant to ease childbirth. Many dancers see sharqi as a celebration of the power and sensuality of being a woman. Though men have been coaches and choreographers of female dancers for many years, it was only in the 60s and 70s that male dancers became more than a minority. Male dancers are becoming more socially acceptable, but it is still rare to see a man dancing publicly in Arab countries.

Raqs baladi is a more relaxed style, usually performed by both men and women at weddings and festivals. Historically, most of the dances were performed with the genders separated; a 'good' woman was not seen dancing with or by anyone who was not her husband, close family or female friends. While co-ed social dancing has become much more acceptable, there still exist controversy over performances for mixed audiences. The debate is mostly centered in the Middle East; belly dancing performances have become common as shows at restaurants and clubs in the West.

Raqs sharqi and raqs baladi spread to the West during the Romantic movement of the 18th and 19th centuries as tourists traveled to the Ottoman empire and dancers came to Europe to perform at exhibitions. The belly dance craze was brought to America by the performance of the Little Egypt troupe at the Chicago World Fair. They quickly spawned many imitators and caused much upset. The rapid movements, especially of the hips, and the fact that the dancers did not wear corsets was a source of shock for 'proper' Victorians. Imitators in Burlesque halls and carnival sideshows often distorted the style in a vulgar manner helped spread the impression that the dance was risqué. In the 1900s, dancers, especially Ruth St. Denis, began trying to make Oriental dance viewed as more acceptable. They succeeded, but belly dance still carries an air of mysterious exoticness.

The costuming is a major part of belly dance - nearly as important as the actual dance itself. Prior to the 1930s, most outfits consisted of a concealing caftan with a belt tied around the hips. Lebanese Badia Masabni is credited with adopting the modern costume, called bedleh, which was inspired by the Hollywood harem fantasies that Western tourists came to expect. Bedleh outfits vary from region to region.

The main styles of belly dance wear are:

• Egyptian: a long, one piece gown or bra top and long skirt with a sheer covering for the midriff, as it has been illegal for dancers to perform publicly with an uncovered abdomen since 1950. Beads and sequins decorate the fabrics and the jewelry worn on arms, ankles and headpieces.
• Lebanese: a bra top and matching belt worn over a skirt. The outfits use less fabric and show more body than Egyptian styles. The skirts are often made of sheer fabrics and the veil is widely used. Unique to Lebanon, the dancers often wear high heels.
• Turkish: the same type of decorated bra top and skirt as the Lebanese, but usually with cut-outs on the belt or bodice. Turkish costumes are notorious for their brevity and flirtatious feel.

The term 'belly dance' is actually a misnomer, as the dance centers on the pelvis and hips. The movements of the arms and shoulders are used to accent the hips and torso. The basis of most moves is the circling or thrusting of the hips, the circling of the ribcage and the waving of the arms. Teaching belly dance in the West became more common in the 60s and 70s, and many community colleges and dance studios now offer courses. There's also many, many videos, books and online tutorials, and many, many benefits to learning.

Belly dance involves learning how to isolate and stretch individual muscles, which helps prevent cramps and reduces stress. It's also an effective way to lose calories - an hour of belly dancing burns approximately 400 calories! Studies at the University of Hamburg have shown that belly dancing gave women with menstrual problems a more positive outlook about their cycle, sexuality and body. And, of course, it can be used to seduce and manipulate - just check out Mata Hari.

And now for... tribal bellydance.

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