Belly dance
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Belly dance (
Names and terminology
"Belly dance" is a translation of the
The first known use of the term "belly dance" in English is found in Charles James Wills, In the land of the lion and sun: or, Modern Persia (1883).[12]
Raqs sharqi ('Eastern Dance' or 'Dance of the Orient') is a broad category of professional forms of the dance, including forms of belly dance popularly known today, such as Raqs Baladi, Sa'idi, Ghawazee, and Awalim. The informal, social form of the dance is known as Raqs Baladi ('Dance of the Country' or 'Folk Dance') in Egyptian Arabic and is considered an indigenous dance.[citation needed]
Belly dance is primarily a torso-driven dance, with an emphasis on articulations of the hips.[13] Unlike many Western dance forms, the focus of the dance is on isolations of the torso muscles, rather than on movements of the limbs through space. Although some of these isolations appear similar to the isolations used in jazz ballet, they are sometimes driven differently and have a different feeling or emphasis.
Movements found in belly dance
In common with most folk dances, there is no universal naming scheme for belly dance movements. Many dancers and dance schools have developed their own naming schemes, but none of these is universally recognized. The following attempt at categorization reflects the most common naming conventions:[14]
- Percussive: Staccato movements, most commonly of the hips, used to punctuate the music or accent a beat. Lifts or drops of the hips, chest or rib cage, shoulder accents, hip rocks, hits, and twists.
- Fluid: Flowing, sinuous movements in which the body is in continuous motion, used to interpret melodic lines and lyrical sections in the music, or modulated to express complex instrumental improvisations. These movements require a great deal of abdominal muscle control. Typical movements include horizontal and vertical figures of 8 or infinity loops with the hips, horizontal or tilting hip circles, and undulations of the hips and abdomen. These basic shapes may be varied, combined, and embellished to create an infinite variety of complex, textured movements.
- Shimmies, shivers and vibrations: Small, fast, continuous movements of the hips or ribcage, which create an impression of texture and depth of movement. Shimmies are commonly layered over other movements, and are often used to interpret rolls on the . There are many types of shimmy, varying in size and method of generation. Some common shimmies include relaxed, up and down hip shimmies, straight-legged knee-driven shimmies, fast, tiny hip vibrations, twisting hip shimmies, bouncing 'earthquake' shimmies, and relaxed shoulder or rib cage shimmies.
In addition to these torso movements, dancers in many styles will use level changes, traveling steps, turns, and spins. The arms are used to frame and accentuate movements of the hips, for dramatic gestures, and to create beautiful lines and shapes with the body. Other movements may be used as occasional accents, such as low kicks and arabesques, backbends, and head tosses.
In the Middle East
Origins and history
Belly dancing is believed to have had a long history in the
In his book, Andrew Hammond notes that practitioners of the art form agree that belly dance is lodged especially in Egyptian culture, he states: "the Greek historian Herodotus related the remarkable ability of Egyptians to create for themselves spontaneous fun, singing, clapping, and dancing in boats on the Nile during numerous religious festivals. It's from somewhere in this great, ancient tradition of gaiety that the belly dance emerged."[16]
The courtly pleasures of the Umayyad, Abbasid and Fatimid caliphs included belly dancing, soirée and singing. Belly dancers and singers were sent from all parts of the vast empire to entertain.[17]
In the Ottoman Empire, belly dance was performed by women and later, by boys, in the sultan's palace.[18]
Social context
Belly dance in Egypt has two distinct social contexts: as a folk or social dance.
As a social dance, belly dance (also called Raqs Baladi or Raqs Shaabi in this context) is performed at celebrations and social gatherings by ordinary people (male and female, young and old), in their ordinary clothes.[19] In more conservative or traditional societies, these events may be gender segregated, with separate parties where men and women dance separately.[20]
Historically, professional dance performers were the Awalim (primarily musicians and poets), Ghawazi. The Maazin sisters may have been the last authentic performers of Ghawazi dance in Egypt, with Khayreyya Maazin still teaching and performing as of 2020.[21][22] Belly dancing is part of
Throughout the Middle East and the Arab diaspora, belly dancing is closely associated with Arabic music that is modern classical (known as "al-jadid").[25]In Egypt
In the 1870s, Shafiqa al-Qibtiyya was the most famous bellydancer in all of Egypt's theatres and casinos, she was admired by the nation and widely celebrated.[26] The modern Egyptian belly dance style and the modern belly dance costumes of the 19th century were featured by the Awalim.[27] For example, many of the dancers in Badia's Casinos went on to appear in Egyptian films and had a great influence on the development of the Egyptian style and became famous, like Samia Gamal and Taheyya Kariokka, both of whom helped attract eyes to the Egyptian style worldwide.[28]
Professional belly dance in Cairo has not been exclusive to native Egyptians, although the country prohibited foreign-born dancers from obtaining licenses for solo work for much of 2004 out of concern that potentially inauthentic performances would dilute its culture. (Other genres of performing arts were not affected.) The ban was lifted in September 2004, but a culture of exclusivity and selectivity remained. The few non-native Egyptians permitted to perform in an authentic way invigorated the dance circuit and helped spread global awareness of the art form.[29] American-born Layla Taj is one example of a non-native Egyptian belly dancer who has performed extensively in Cairo and the Sinai resorts.[30]
Egyptian belly dance is noted for its controlled, precise movements.[31]
Although belly dance is traditionally seen as a feminine art, the number of male belly dancers has increased in recent years.[32]
In Turkey
Belly dance is referred to in Turkey as Oryantal Dans, or simply 'Oryantal' literally meaning
Another distinguishing element of Turkish style is the use of a 9
8 rhythm,[
8 (dokuz sekiz) rhythm defines the count of the rhythm and is used in both karşilama and Roman havasi.
Belly dance in the musical industry
Influence in pop music
Belly dance today is a dance used by various artists among which are Rihanna, Beyoncé, Fergie, however the greatest representative of this dance is the Colombian singer Shakira,[34] who led this dance to position it as her trademark, with her songs Whenever Wherever and Ojos Así, however thanks to the song Hips Don't Lie, her hip dance skills became known worldwide. Also, thanks to Whenever Wherever in 2001, the belly dance fever began popularizing it in a large part of Latin America and later taking it to the United States.
Over time in her presentations Shakira added this dance mixing it with Latin dances, like Salsa[35] and Afro-Colombian, and she also she expressed that she began to dance these movements since she was little thanks to her Lebanese grandmother. Nowadays the belly dance is a characteristic dance of this singer which presented a variant with a rope entangling it in her body and dancing to the rhythm of Whenever Wherever. Shakira is the only artist in the music industry who has used belly dance on several occasions in her artistic career.[36] She inspired Beyoncé to explore this type of dance in her Beautiful Liar collaboration where she also acted as choreographer. At the Super Bowl LIV Halftime Show event she returned to the belly dance with rope during the transition from Ojos así thus to Whenever Wherever.[37] Today this dance is considered a symbol in Shakira's career and undoubtedly a distinctive dance of her as she's also mixing it with Latin style. She is the second artist to have a distinctive dance in the music industry alongside Michael Jackson and the moonwalk.[citation needed]
Outside the Middle East
This section needs additional citations for verification. (October 2017) |
Belly dance was popularized in the West during the Romantic movement of the 18th and 19th centuries, when Orientalist artists depicted romanticized images of harem life in the Ottoman Empire.
Belly dancing has become popular outside the Arab world, and American, European, and Japanese women who have become professional belly dancers dance all over Europe and the Middle East.[38]
In North America
Although there were dancers of this type at the 1876 Centennial in Philadelphia, it was not until the 1893 Chicago
The popularity of these dancers subsequently spawned dozens of imitators, many of whom claimed to be from the original troupe. Victorian society continued to be affronted by the dance, and dancers were sometimes arrested and fined.[40] The dance was nicknamed the "hoochie coochie", or the shimmy and shake. A short film, "Fatima's Dance", was widely distributed in the Nickelodeon theaters. It drew criticism for its "immodest" dancing, and was eventually censored. Belly dance drew men in droves to burlesque theaters, and to carnival and circus lots.
Thomas Edison made several films of dancers in the 1890s. These included a Turkish dance, and Crissie Sheridan in 1897,[41] and Princess Rajah from 1904,[42] which features a dancer playing zills, doing "floor work", and balancing a chair in her teeth.
When immigrants from Arab states began to arrive in New York in the 1930s, dancers started to perform in nightclubs and restaurants. In the late 1960s and early 1970s many dancers began teaching. Middle Eastern or Eastern bands took dancers with them on tour, which helped spark interest in the dance.[citation needed]
Although using Turkish and Egyptian movements and music, American Cabaret ("AmCab") belly dancing has developed its own distinctive style, using props and encouraging audience interaction.[citation needed]
In 1987, a distinctively American style of group improvisational dance,
In Spain
In
In Australia
The first wave of interest in belly dancing in Australia was during the late 1970s to 1980s with the influx of migrants and refugees escaping troubles in the Middle East, including Lebanese Jamal Zraika. These immigrants created a social scene including numerous Lebanese and Turkish restaurants, providing employment for belly dancers. Rozeta Ahalyea is widely regarded as the "mother" of Australian belly dance,[45] training early dance pioneers such as Amera Eid and Terezka Drnzik. Belly dance has now spread across the country, with belly dance communities in every capital city and many regional centres.
Estelle Asmodelle was probably the first transgender belly dancer in Australia. She travelled extensively throughout Asia and Japan working as a Belly Dancer during the 1980s through to the late 1990s. She also starred in the Australian-produced and distributed film [46] The Enchanted Dance[47] which sold internationally as well.
In the United Kingdom
Belly dance has been in evidence in the UK since the early 1960s. During the 1970s and 1980s, there was a thriving Arabic club scene in London, with live Arabic music and belly dancing a regular feature,[48] but the last of these closed in the early 1990s.[49] Several prominent members of the British belly dance community began their dance careers working in these clubs.
Today, there are fewer traditional venues for Arabic dance in the UK; however, there is a large amateur belly dance community. Several international belly dance festivals are now held in Britain such as The International Bellydance Congress, The London Belly Dance Festival and Majma Dance Festival.[50][51][52] In addition, there are a growing number of competitions, which have increased in popularity in recent years.
The UK belly dance scene leans strongly towards the Egyptian/Arabic style, with little Turkish influence.
Costume
This section needs additional citations for verification. (August 2013) |
The costume most commonly associated with belly dance is the 'bedlah' (
The costume or bedlah (referring to the bra, belt and skirt), of Egyptian Oriental dancers has also had the distinction as being the most popular style. However, fashions have changed over the years with the help of some outside influences.[53]
Earlier costumes were made up of a full skirt, light chemise and tight cropped vest with heavy embellishments and jewelry.
As well as the two-piece bedlah costume, full-length dresses are sometimes worn, especially when dancing more earthy baladi styles. Dresses range from closely fitting, highly decorated gowns, which often feature heavy embellishments and mesh-covered cutouts, to simpler designs which are often based on traditional clothing.
Costume in Egypt
In Egypt dancers wear the bedlah. Alternatively; some also wear a traditional striped dress, usually black with vertical gold stripes or red with vertical white stripes, with mesh-filled cutouts and many glittering ornaments, along with a sparkling waist-scarf. Egypt has laws in place, that require respecting religious and worship places, and disallowing any nudity near sacred places.[54][circular reference] Even though regarding what dancers can and cannot wear, and according to Act No. 430 of the law on the censorship of literary works, dancers must cover their upper bodies (mainly the breasts area),[55] and typically a sheer skin-colored mesh fabric covering the stomach is recommended; many dancers ignore these rules, as they are rarely enforced and performing with much revealing outfits are common mainly in the capital and north coast cities.
Health
Belly dance is a low-impact, weight-bearing exercise and is thus suitable for all ages and levels of fitness.[56][57] Many of the moves involve isolations, which improves flexibility of the torso. Belly dance moves are beneficial to the spine, as the full-body undulation moves lengthen (decompress) and strengthen the entire column of spinal and abdominal muscles in a gentle way.
Dancing with a veil can help build strength in the upper body, arm and shoulders. Playing the finger cymbals (sagat/zills) trains fingers to work independently and builds strength. The legs and long muscles of the back are strengthened by hip movements.[58]
Notable practitioners
Professional belly dancers include:
In popular culture
Egyptian belly dancer and film actress Samia Gamal is credited with bringing belly dancing from Egypt to Hollywood and from there to the schools of Europe.[59] In 1954, she famously starred as a belly dancer in the American Eastmancolor adventure film, Valley of the Kings, and the French film Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves.
In
Belly dancing is quite popular in various parts of the world including India. Belly dancing has been shown in many
Hollywood films regularly include sexualized belly dancers as part of Orientalized and exotic depictions of the Middle East.[62]
See also
References
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- ^ S.Samir, Twelve Egyptian dancers who created belly dancing, Shafika El Qibtya is the pioneer legendary dancer.
- ^ "Badia Masabani: The Force Behind Modern Belly Dance in Egypt | Egyptian Streets". 21 May 2022. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
- ^ "Overview of Belly Dance: Egyptian Folkloric style belly dancing". www.atlantabellydance.com. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
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- ^ Hawthorn, Ainsley (23 May 2019). "Why do we call Middle Eastern dance "belly dance"?". Edinburgh University Press Blog.
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- ^ Gilded Serpent "The Ghawazee: Back from the Brink of Extinction".
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- ^ Magazine, ProgressME (13 September 2016). "Reclaiming Belly Dancing for Middle Eastern Women". ProgressME Magazine. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
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- ^ "تربعت على عرش الرقص ومشى فى جنازتها رجلان ...اسرار فى حياة شفيقة القبطية". June 2021.
- ^ "The "Golden Era" of Belly Dance". Artemisyadancewear.com. 27 March 2020.
- ^ "Bellydance Styles: Egyptian Raqs Sharqi". BellydanceU.net.
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- ^ Brokaw, Sommer (29 November 2014). "Dancing queen: World-traveled Egyptian dancer to perform here". The Sun. p. 2. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
- ^ "buzz words and dancers". Belly Dance Forums. August 2008. Retrieved 10 May 2016.
- ^ "'They said men aren't allowed': This male belly dancer is defying gender stereotypes". 30 July 2020.
- ^ Mourat, Elizabeth 'Artemis'. "Turkish Dancing". serpentine.org.
- ^ "Shakira, ¿referente de la danza árabe?". Universidad Piloto de Colombia (in Spanish). 11 November 2020. Archived from the original on 25 February 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
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- ^ "No More Midway Dancing; Three of the Egyptian Girls Fined $50 Each". The New York Times. 7 December 1893. p. 3. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
- ^ "Crissie Sheridan / Thomas A. Edison, Inc". hdl.loc.gov.
- ^ "Princess Rajah dance / American Mutoscope and Biograph Company". hdl.loc.gov.
- ^ "About Tribal Bellydance". Tribalbellydance.org.
- ^ "Starbelly Dancers Announce the World Premiere of International Theatrical Dance Production: The Radiant Tarot".
- ^ "Belly dancer". Retrieved 2 February 2020 – via PressReader.
- ^ "The Enchanted Dance on IMDB". IMDb. Retrieved 11 September 2021.
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- ^ Coluccia, Pina, Anette Paffrath, and Jean Putz. Belly Dancing: The Sensual Art of Energy and Spirit. Rochester, Vt: Park Street Press, 2005
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- ^ "Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies a People. [Documentary Transcript]" (PDF). Directed by Jeremy Earp and Sut Jhally. Written by Jeremy Earp and Jack Shaheen. Media Education Foundation, 60 Masonic St. Northampton, MA 01060. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 August 2016.
External links
- Media related to Raqs Sharqi at Wikimedia Commons