Brief History of Belly Dancing
 |
|
'The Oldest Dance In The World' |
|
| Click here to view historic images |
Considered by some to be the oldest dance in the world, belly
dancing's history is obscure.
It is referred to during biblical times and reflected by the artists brush
throughout history but it is thought to go much further back than even
that.
Belly dancing was originally thought to be a "birth right". Women dancing
for women. Middle Eastern women today continue to dance with each other
for health and the joy of the dance.
The first presentation in this country was in 1893 at the Chicago World's
Fair by 'Little Egypt'. The shock to our Victorian eyes and modesty has
been a stain on the art ever since. Stereotypically, belly dancing has been
perceived as anything from stripping to prostitution. There is no question
that there have been and will continue to be women who may use a superficial
appearance of the art to promote certain professions. However, experiencing
the real thing will leave no doubt in the observers mind and heart of the beauty
and honesty of the art.
The dance in the West has continued to evolve since the time of our first
world's fair. Hollywood 's exploitation has left much to be desired. However,
with the world becoming smaller through communication, we have the
opportunity to learn more about the history and varied styles that come out
of the Middle East . Fusion and the interpretation of the dance continues to
evolve and become more appealing to mainstream women.
This is a very short synopsis on the history of the dance.
There are many websites that follow in much more detail the evolution in
this country of belly dance.