Belly Dancing History

Series Summary

The various strains and versions of Middle Eastern Dance have become commonly referred to as Belly Dancing in the West, despite the multiple origins and cultural mysteries. It is generally accepted that the tribal and religious dances that we recognize as belly dancing originated in Egypt, though it's also true that Turkey and the Roma people practiced versions as well. Today, belly dancing is performed in the Western world as a form of entertainment, exercise and as a hobby.

In this series of free video clips, the basics of belly dancing will be discussed with demonstrations of beginner moves such as the hip shimmy and chest circle, as well as tips on costumes and other introductory information for those learning belly dancing or refreshing from a beginner standpoint.

Video Transcript

" Hi! I am Kerry Hernandez and I am here today on expert village to talk to you about belly dancing. One of the biggest misconceptions about belly dancing is that it is to entertain men, it is not, it is actually meant to entertain women for fertility rights and it has been portrayed on hieroglyphics in pyramids, it is one of the oldest recorded dances in history. Belly dance is one of the most invigorating fun exercises that I found. It helps strengthen the mid section it is kind of like yoga in a way where it strengthens your inner core because when you are moving the top section you are holding your middle still or when you are moving the bottom section, you are holding this still. Sometimes you are moving two things at once, its kind of like doing one of these, so it really helps you improving your coordination. Belly dance is great for all shapes and sizes and I found it to help me feel better as a woman and comfortable in my own skin."