Bellydance: Art Empowering Women

The term "bellydance" can conjure up many different images, from slinky Bellydance Superstars to "harem girls" surrounding a sultan, to mature divas performing Raqs Sharqi or Danse Orientale, to groups of new age women dancing for camaraderie.

But only some of these perceptions are accurate. The seediest images of scantily clad women dancing to entertain men are at best Hollywood fantasy, and at worst, vulgar misrepresentations of a beautiful art form. Indeed, the roots of this dance are in the Middle East, where women have danced for women for many, many years. I'd like to quote the legendary dancer and historian Morocco, "Danse du ventre, or belly dancing, is not at all what Western society thinks it to be, i.e. a dance of sex and seduction. This is an erroneous and ignorant belief, reinforced and perpetrated by stage and movie writers too lazy to do research." Morocco further expounds on the roots of the dance at her excellent web site. Morocco also discusses how "bellydance" is a misnomer, as most of the movements are from the hips.

I discovered bellydance by accident. Years ago I searched for an advanced dance class catering to adult students, and a friend recommended bellydance. Admittedly, I was skeptical, because the few images I knew did not suggest it to be a rigorous, authentic dance form. Mainstream movies and music videos do not do justice to bellydance.

And yet, with just a few lessons, I was hooked. The torso movements are very natural, but that does not mean they are easy. The variety of styles, accessories, and music provides something for every dancer, from folkloric Debkes to demure Egyptian style to eclectic urban fusion. The movements are also accessible to all sorts of different body types, and one of the reasons I love this art form is because it looks so beautiful on so many women, regardless of age, size, or ethnicity.

~~~ Sahira Zedaré