Haifa: Bellydance performer and instructor

What is bellydance?

By professional bellydancer and instructor, Haifa

I’ve been studying Middle Eastern Dance, or what is commonly known as Bellydance, since 2001, and teaching it since 2004. Recently it has come to light that not many people actually understand Bellydance. This article will attempt to explain what Bellydance IS and what it IS NOT. Here are some commonly asked questions about bellydancing and truthful answers to put to rest some common myths and misconceptions about this ancient dance form.

It comes from many places including Lebanon, Persia, Turkey, India, Egypt, and Morocco. Bellydance even some influences from Spain, Greece and Central Asia. Influenced by these, American Bellydancers have developed their own version of this ancient dance in American Restaurant Cabaret, American Nightclub Cabaret and American Tribal Style (ATS).

Bellydance made its debut on American soil in the 1893 Chicago’s World Fair. In order to get more people to attend the Streets Of Cairo Exhibit, World Fair promoter, Sol Bloom, stirred up some controversy by coining the term ‘belly-dancer’ to describe ethnic dancer Little Egypt. In a time when women were synched up tightly in their corsets, this caused quite a stir. In that same time period, French colonialists coined the name Le Danse du Ventre (which means, the dance of the stomach) for the muscularly controlled abdominal dance, Ouled Nail. There is even a myth that people mistakenly took the Egyptian word, ‘Baladi’ (which means, dance of the people) and misinterpreted it to mean ‘belly’. Thus ‘belly-dance’.

There are so many different styles of this dance that I'm not quite sure that I can name them all. To name a few, there are: Egyptian, Lebanese and Turkish Cabaret; American Restaurant and American Nightclub Cabaret. Within those, there are Egyptian Oriental, Raqs Sharqi, Baladi, Saaidi.

Then there is ATS (American Tribal Style), Tribal Fusion, and World Fusion Dance styles. These styles use a modified version of the classical Arabic 'bellydance' movements and traditional ethnic or folkloric moves and dances of other cultures around the world.

There are also the traditional Folkloric and ethnic dances of different countries that try to stay as pure as possible.

Finally, there are Goth/Fantasy/experimental bellydance styles. This is a totally Westernized idea. Taking Arabic movements and changing them or putting them to modern non-Middle Eastern music.

No. There is no thing as the dance of the seven veils except in Oscar Wilde’s play, Richard Strauss’ opera and several Hollywood movies. In the Bible it says that Salome danced for her father Herod and that the dancing pleased him, though it did not say what kind of dancing it was nor does it mention the removal of any kind of clothing. (see reference: Matthew 14: 6-11 and Mark 6: 21-28)

In many Middle Eastern and Asian cultures, the veil is used as a modesty garment that shields respectable women from the prying eyes of strangers. Many bellydancers use a veil as a ‘cover-up’ to hide their costume until they are ready to perform. Dancers also do this out of respect for other dancers who might be performing. This keeps the audience’s attention turned to the one dancing and not checking out a near-by dancers costume. Today, the veil is also used as a dance prop, spinning it and tossing it lightly into the air.

Bellydancing is only exotic in the way that people find foreign things exotic, from the beautiful costumes and jewelry, to the hypnotic movements. However, if you mean, do we take off our clothes? Absolutely NOT!

Bellydancing is not meant to be a dance of enticement. It takes many years of classes and training to become a professional bellydancer. It is an ancient dance that has several beginnings. One, is that it was used to strengthen and prepare a woman for child birth. Another is that in a Muslim household the women are separated from the men, this includes celebrations. So, the women would dance and sing.... For other women... In celebration of birth, marriage or any number of religious holidays. It was never intended to be used for male seduction.

As stated above, the origins of this dance were not meant to be used for enticement or seduction of men. Scholars believe that there was dancing being performed in harems but that it was performed and watched by women in order to take up time in their otherwise dull days. The sultan would rarely see the harem. Either the sultans mother or first wife would make decisions concerning the other women of the harem and who would be introduced to the sultan. The rest is merely a fairy tale.

On the contrary. Being a Tribal Bellydancer, we wear a surprising number of layers. Lets start at the feet. Depending on where we are performing, we might go bare foot or wear ballet slippers, Mary Jane’s or even sandals to cover and protect our feet. Now on to our legs. Usually Tribal dancers wear full harem pants or a kind of flare pants. Over the pants we may wear a number of things including full spinning skirts, panel/temple skirts, numerous hip scarves and belts. Most Tribal dancers go bare bellied but there are a few who like to wear sheer body stockings over the tummy. On the upper half we also have many options. We can wear a beaded or coin covered dance halter or a short top called a Choli. There are also many, vests, shrugs, gloves and arm warmers that tribal dancers wear on their bodies and arms. Not to mention pounds and pounds of ethnic jewelry.

I also do some Egyptian Cabaret dancing and I can assure you that we are wearing more than you think. Beaded and sequined halter and belts, called Bedlah’s, are quite heavy and well put together. They are made to last and accentuate the dancers movements but do it without reveling an indecent amount of flesh. Along with the halter and belt, some dancers (especially Egyptian style) like to wear a body stocking over their tummies. Most dancers will wear either light harem pants or skirts. Some Cabaret dancers even like to wear a full Cabaret dress called a Galabeya. Although this may expose a bare leg, it is very tasteful and does not reveal anything indecent.

It takes a bellydancer on average of one hour to get ready for a performance. I know from experience as a Tribal Bellydancer, it can take upwards of two hours to get ready, from the hair and makeup to literally layers of clothing.

And that's where the idea for the beaded and sequined Bedlah came from.... Hollywood films. Less than a hundred years ago, dancers would wear their traditional dress to dance in as, for the most part, the dances were performed in the home and an extravagant costume was not needed.. It wasn't until Hollywood came out with movies of dancers in sparkly costumes that the trend started. Ironically today some of the top end Bedlah’s are hand made in Egypt.

However in India and parts of Pakistan, people do use mirrors as decoration on their choli’s (cropped shirts) and dresses. Perhaps these ornamentations were preludes to our modern sequins?

This was done in the 1950's and 1960's when it was a no-no to show a naval on TV and movies. So in shows like I Dream Of Jeanie they would either make the waist of Barbara Eden’s harem pants higher or paste a gem in her naval. It was merely a way to get around the censors.

Today, body piercing is popular and many bellydancers have their bellybuttons pierced and thus wear gems in them.

I have heard this question so many times that I have lost count, but in trying to put it in perspective, let me ask the reader some questions. How many size 2 women do you personally know? How many size 2 women do you know under age 25? How about a size 2 women OVER the age of 25? 30? This is a horrible myth that surrounds bellydancing and bellydancers in the U.S.

Bellydance is a dance form that uses muscle isolations in order to execute the movements. It will tone and tighten the body but it does not make a person an instant size 2. Women have curves. We are supposed to have curves and just like any other human being, the body changes with issues like age, pregnancy, medical conditions, etc. We can be healthy and dance at the same time or even dance to be healthy.

Some of the best dancers out there today are over 30 years old. Some of the pioneers of bellydance are even over 60 and still dancing. Just in Tunkhannock alone, I’ve had women-in-training as young as 7 and mature women of 60+.

There is no ‘right’ size to be a bellydancer. Dancers come in all shapes and sizes. What makes them beautiful is their willingness to try this dance and their love of the art.

Although it originally started out as a dance performed by women in front of women, that is no longer the case. Men have started learning this dance, performing and teaching it. Granted, men's bodies are not put together the same as women’s are and therefore, the moves do look different. But that's not to say that just because a man is performing it, that it isn't bellydance. It is. Men inherently put their own masculine touches to this otherwise feminine dance.

References for this article (besides personal education and training):

Professional Bellydancer and Instructor, Helena: http://www.egyptiantwist.com/

The Bible: Matthew 14: 6-11 and Mark 6: 21-28

Http://www.shira.net/

Photo by Karen Black