The Magical world of Belly Dance.....

Belly Dance , also referred to as Arabic dance or ‘Raqs Sharqi’, which means ‘Oriental Dancing’, is considered as the world’s oldest known documented dance forms. The terms ‘Raqs Sharqi’ was used in the middle-eastern countries, while referring to the cabaret style of dance.

Belly dancing was used to bless & heal, for preparing the womb for childbirth & for entertainment.

In Egypt, it is a custom to have dancers at one’s wedding, who performs for guests & leads the wedding processions called a ‘Zeffa’.

About 5,000 years ago, Belly dancing originated in the middle-eastern belt & the gypsies of Rajasthan, India. This belt dealt with tremendous poverty issues, & thereby, they introduced this unique dance style, as a form of entertainment to earn their living. This dance style involved complete body isolation, & controlled movements of the upper & lower body. The people who watched & enjoyed the performance, threw coins at the dancers as a way of appreciating their work. Due to the uniqueness of the dance style, it soon got popular. By this, the dancer had earned so many coins, & nowhere to keep. So, they started stitching these coins on their scarves & costume, to keep it safe. This soon turned into a fashion element & also, a very important part of Belly dancing.

In real, these stories are not supported by any evidence, which makes them ‘mythic histories’. As information is passed from generation to generation, it distorts & changes with the times.

Costume

Earlier, groups of travelling musicians, singers & dancers, were the norm of the orient. Solo dance is most commonly characterized by the flashy 2-piece ‘Bedlah’ (bra, belt & accessories set), with skirt & sometimes veil, which was designed to accentuate the female form.

There were long periods of times in the history of Egypt & Turkey, where boys dressed up as women, as women were abandoned from doing so.

Make-up

Make-up worn during a stage performance differs from ordinary make-up. Stage make-up must make the face visible & dramatic, to the audience. Careful application of make-up, will compliment the dancers costume & highlight the facial features.

Props for oriental dance

Props can add variety & appeal to your performance. They attract the attention of the audience & give a new look to your dance moves.

Finger cymbals

Also known as ‘zills’, were originally sacred instruments & were used throughout the middle-east & northern Africa. In Turkey, most dancers still use zills in their performance. In Egypt, it is believed that a dancer who cannot play zills, is not a true artist.

Cane

The Arabic name for the traditional cane dance is ‘Raqs al Assaya’, Raqs meaning Dance & Assaya meaning cane. In southern Egypt, men practiced a martial arts called ‘Tahtiyb’, which involved battling with the sticks. Seeing this, the women were inspired to create their own stick dance. This stick/ cane dance done by women is playful, feminine & flirtatious.

Veil

A veil adds a touch of elegance to an oriental dance performance. If done to a slow song, it provides a soft & sensous mood change, which contrasts beautifully to a faster music. Its use is in no way related to the muslim custom of veiling. Veils are used as an entrance prop for oriental dancers in Egypt.

Sword

‘Raqs al Sayf’ (sword dance), can be powerful & dramatic. The sword dance typically involves balancing the sword on the hips, head, shoulder, etc.

Shamadan

Candle balancing mesmerizes the audience, & the flickering shadows of the flames add mystery & drama to the performance. In Egypt, ‘Raqs al Shamadan’ has become a traditional part of wedding celebrations. The dancer, with the shamadan balanced on her head, would lead the bride & groom into the reception hall.

Belly dance is a universal dance form that belongs to all of us. As long as we treat the form & the culture it comes from, with respect, it will grow & belong to us all. Therefore, it is very important to help build & spread awareness about this beautiful art form, to help change the negative mindset some people have about Belly dancing.

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