A form of dance thought to be more than 6,000 years old, the origins of belly dancing lie across many different cultures across the world. If you’re wanting to start your own belly dancing class, it helps to know some of the history so you can pass the knowledge on to your students.
Most of the records we have of belly dancing today come from French explorers that travelled to Egypt in the 18th century, however, the actual history of belly dancing goes back much further.
Belly dancing history
The history of belly dancing is extensive, but in this blog, we’re going to cover what we know about its early history, its origins in Egypt and Turkey, and what belly dancing has become in western society.
Early history
According to some sources, it’s believed that belly dancing first originated as a fertility ritual. In some Pagan societies, its thought it was used to worship and celebrate a feminine deity, as a way of preparing women’s bodies for childbirth.
One theory is that friends and family of the pregnant mother would perform the dance to encourage the mother in labour. Others theorise that belly dancing was used as a way of distracting the Evil Eye from inhabiting the womb of the woman giving birth—although no evidence has been found to support this theory.
It’s thought that belly dancing spread to many different cultures and countries through the travelling Romany people. Each country adopted belly dancing as a tradition and merged it with pre-existing customs and traditions, hence the many different forms of belly dancing we see today.
The origins of belly dancing in Egypt
The first belly dancers in Egypt were the Awalim and the Ghawazi people. These are groups of dancers, although the societal perception of the two at the time were very different.
In the 18th and 19th century, the Awalim were often of a higher social class and performed for the women of the harem in Muslim societies. The Ghawazi were of a lower social standing, and performed in public, which was frowned upon at the time.
At this time, belly dancing was often performed by women after dinner, separate to the men. It was a way in which unmarried women could show their readiness for marriage to the mothers of eligible men of the community.
By the 1920s, nightclubs began to spring up in Cairo, which became a new venue for belly dancing, mostly for European audiences. During this time, Raqs Sharqi (Dance of the East) was popularised through the Egyptian film industry and the need to please a foreign audience.
This style of belly dancing developed from the dancing of the Awalim and Ghawazi with influences from other dance styles such as folk, ballet, cabaret, and Latin dance. What the dancers would wear changed as well, from the more traditional long skirt and shirt to the costume (or bedlah) that we associate with belly dancing today—a bra and skirt bedecked with sparkling beads and glitter.
In modern day Egypt, Raqs Baladi (Dance of the Country) is the most common form of belly dancing. It’s performed to a wide range of musical genres and is often used as a celebratory dance at special occasions such as weddings.
The origins of belly dancing in Turkey
Belly dancing (or Oryantal) has been practiced in Turkey since the 1400s by groups of travelling dancers. This form of belly dancing is recognisable from the use of zils (finger cymbals) and a coin belt.
The most notable difference between the form of belly dancing practiced in Egypt and Turkey is the inclusion of floor work in Turkish belly dance, which was at one point banned in Egypt.
Lastly, another way to easily identify the Turkish style of belly dancing is by looking for two particular moves, the Turkish backbend and the Turkish drop. The Turkish backbend is performed by kneeling and arching your back backwards, and the Turkish drop starts with a spin before quickly dropping to your knees, often ending in a Turkish backbend.
Belly dancing in the West
Belly dancing began to make its way to western society when French explorers came across dancers performing in Egypt during the 18th century. These explorers named it the ‘dance du ventre’ or ‘dance of the stomach’ which is where the term ‘belly dancing’ evolved from.
In 1893, belly dancing was introduced to America by Sol Bloom at the Chicago World’s Fair. At this time, western society was still very strict regarding what they considered appropriate for women to say and do. Therefore, women performing belly dancing in brightly decorated costumes would’ve been both shocking and intriguing.
In western society, there are many misconceptions around belly dancing, such as thinking that the purpose of the dance is seduction. Over time, these perceptions have changed, however, with belly dance classes taught across the US and Europe as a form of fitness and self-expression.
Nowadays, you’ll likely recognise the dance from artists such as Shakira, who has become well-known for a style of belly dancing that has a marked Latin influence. Today, it’s a dance that empowers women and encourages them to feel confident. It is still performed as a celebratory dance in some cultures, too.
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