HistoryofBellydance

The United States supposedly got its first taste (and possibly myth) of Belly Dance in 1893 at the Chicago World's Fair when legendary dancer 'Little Egypt' shocked the Victorian era with vivacious dance moves and hip and stomach gyrations. During Victorian standards at the time, women wore long, full skirs, corsets, hair covering hats and bonnets, and bustles. Called "Hootchie Kootchie" dance, the Victorian public flocked in large crowds to see this "exotic" dance. Although the dancer, Little Egypt was covered in fabric and her dancing probably simple and modest, it is believed that her outspoken dancing and her feminine control deemed her a loose cannon in an age where women were still ruled by their fathers and husbands and had to freedom. In bellydance, Little Egypt stands for feminine freedom!

Sadly, due to the narrow minds of the Victorian times, the dance that had been performed in Africa and the Middle East for thousands of years became known as the exotic "Belly Dance".

The reality is that Belly Dance is made up of natural movements indigenous to various cultures throughout the Middle East. It is a dance of self expression. Belly Dance is not a sexual dance. Belly dancing in no way involves the removal of any of the dancer's clothes. She does not perform in a lewd manner. Belly dance is a true cultural and family form of entertainment. Belly Dance is a folk dance that is performed by men, women, and children. It is excellent exercise for your body and your spirit. It is a great reason to get together, eat, dance, and celebrate!

Since then, Belly Dance has been portrayed inaccurately with myth and legend. Movies, books, and art are filled with images of beautiful women portrayed as love slaves to sultans or sexy sirens. This is not the case and this sort of portrayal has led to terrible misconception about Belly Dance that lingers today. Don't believe it? If you tell your family you want to perform ballet, they would not bat an eye, but tell them you want to be a bellydancer?....Good Luck! You will find fierce resistance.

What you see in Hollywood is not what Belly Dance is about. The cheesy movies glorifying harems, sheiks, and mummys are fake. No flying carpets, no magic genie bottles, and no sex-serving bellydancers. It is all FAKE. There is no true "Dance of the 7 Veils" and there is no "I Dream of Jeannie", there are no white male actors, invading a harem of dark beauties singing and falling in love, and although Elizabeth Taylor's "Cleopatra" was a beautiful, mega movie production, it was historically inaccurate.

But, even today, there are people who still view this dance form as obscene and risqué because they do not know the history of this wonderful dance.

Belly Dance is saturated with myth, legend, and folklore. Although the age of Belly Dance is disputed from 10,000 years to 3,000 years old, India, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Greece, Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt, Turkey, Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia all commonly stake a claim to the origins of this dance form.

Many believe that the dance's original purpose began with sacred rites and became a method of celebration and/or a way to express worship. Eventually, "The Bellydance" became a way to express joy! In conservative cultures, public performance went against Islamic belief. Professional dancers were hired to entertain in homes, weddings, and for royalty. A hiring of musicians, dancers, and entertainment for your event was a great way to showcase wealth!

Bellydance was also performed in the private family home. Dancing with family members was a great way to share stories, spend time with family, and socialize. It is believed that dance moves were originally passed down through the family from grandmother to mother to daughter.

Enter the age of Orientalism (1870-1930). This term refers to the study of the East or better yes, the Middle East by Westerners during the 18th and 19th centuries, where travel to the Middle East was considered a "hot" vacation destination. Victorian tourists immersed themselves in Middle Eastern culture. It affected clothing trends as Victorian girls took off the corset and adapted the freer style of Arabic influenced clothing, cuisine, and artwork. Some of the greatest artists of the Victorian period were part of the Orientalism movement, and some of the most striking and beautiful scenes of Egypt, North Africa, and Arabia were produced.

Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, painters and photographers from many countries, were attracted to the Islamic world of North Africa and the Middle East. Although they produced a rich array of images, most of the artwork was based on fantasy and fiction of the European imagination of a mysterious, perfumed Orient. Also, many photos were taken. Individulas posed as Cleopatra, belly or exotic dancers , sultans, harem girls, and kings and queens (not quite unlike when we take Western or Cowboy studio photos on our on vacations!)

Most Islamic households at that time were segregated based on gender. In reality, most male vistors would never have been allowed into a another man's home to paint...let alone see respectable women, like his wife and female relatives, and children. Foreign men would have never been allowed into private family gatherings. Although Orientalism was beautiful and curious in its intentions, this movement unfortunately created a terrible stereotype of Arabic culture that still exists today.