A Brief History
Belly dance or Oriental dance has a long history. It is the oldest form of dance in history. Evidence shows that there are oriental dancers(belly dancers) depicted on the walls of Egyptian tombs as early as the 14th century BC and in Persian miniature paintings dating back to the 12th and 13th centuries.
Belly dance movements come from many related areas and traditions throughout the Middle East and the Mediterranean rim. Though some believe the dance form originated in Egypt. The real origins are still in debate amongst dance enthusiasts. It is known the dancers spread the dance Mesopotamia to North Africa from Spain and Italy to India. Where each region and village developed their own style.
Some theorize it came from religious dance while others believe that Belly Dance was used before and during child birth. The movements being taught to each generation of girls to help them prepare for birth and aid in the actual birth of the child.
About Bellydance
Historically the dance we call belly dance was a social dance, rather then the glamorized vision we have of a women on stage sparkling and performing for the masses. It was performed at festivals, weddings, and other joyous gatherings. It was also performed with the sexes separated. Men dance in groups of men and women in groups of women. No Sultan's involved.
Around 600 AD the Islamic state banned the dance. It emerged again in the late 1800's in main stream culture. It premiered to North American audiences at Chicago's Worlds Fair in 1893. With the help from an Egyptian Dancer known as Little Egypt. She showed no skin, yet the dance scandalized the Victorian aged audience. It wasn't until the 1940's when Belly dancers started showing their actual bellies; Modeling their costumes after the show girl outfits of the time
Though we may call it belly dance, most of the Arabian world still calls it Oriental or Arabic dance.
Despite popular belief both and men and women did and do belly dance.
