History
Raqs Sharqi or ‘belly dancing’ is one of the oldest dances in the world. It derived from traditional women dances from the Middle East and North Africa. Many experts believe its roots go back to the temple rites of India.
A big misconception about bellydance is that it is intended to entertain men; in fact segregation of the sexes was common in the part of the world that produced bellydance, men often were not allowed to be present. That bellydance developed from social dancing helps explain its long lasting popularity. Belly dance offers women a community of friends that share and celebrate joy in the music and dance.
Bellydance was introduced to America when a dancer known as little Egypt performed at the Chicago World’s fair in 1893. Americans were fascinated (and scandalised) by the freedom and rhythms of the dance and thus began a fascination with the ‘exotic orient’. Early Hollywood fell in love with the dancing girls and created glamorous flowing costumes based as much on Leon Bakst’s fantasies as on garments of the Middle East.
Still today women are looking to belly dancing to discover the beauty and power of their bodies and to receive the physical and emotional benefits that arise from dance. Practicing the dance tones the muscles, gives a great work out, enhances the posture, strengthens the lower back, and mobilizes the abdominal and pelvic regions. Belly dancing also relieves menstrual problems and has been shown to be very useful during pregnancy and childbirth. Belly dancing has enabled women to overcome self-esteem issues and increased their libido.
A big misconception about bellydance is that it is intended to entertain men; in fact segregation of the sexes was common in the part of the world that produced bellydance, men often were not allowed to be present. That bellydance developed from social dancing helps explain its long lasting popularity. Belly dance offers women a community of friends that share and celebrate joy in the music and dance.
Bellydance was introduced to America when a dancer known as little Egypt performed at the Chicago World’s fair in 1893. Americans were fascinated (and scandalised) by the freedom and rhythms of the dance and thus began a fascination with the ‘exotic orient’. Early Hollywood fell in love with the dancing girls and created glamorous flowing costumes based as much on Leon Bakst’s fantasies as on garments of the Middle East.
Still today women are looking to belly dancing to discover the beauty and power of their bodies and to receive the physical and emotional benefits that arise from dance. Practicing the dance tones the muscles, gives a great work out, enhances the posture, strengthens the lower back, and mobilizes the abdominal and pelvic regions. Belly dancing also relieves menstrual problems and has been shown to be very useful during pregnancy and childbirth. Belly dancing has enabled women to overcome self-esteem issues and increased their libido.
