The origins of belly dancing: a brief history

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.

The origins of belly dancing

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.

As a belly dancing instructor, you can help people reach
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risks.

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