Desert Moon Dance Academy's Middle Eastern Dance Page

The Desert Moon Dance Academy teaches and performs Middle Eastern folkloric dances and "Dances of the East," known as raks sharqi in Arabic and referred to as belly dancing in the United States. The following information is intended to provide a greater understanding of the history of belly dance and the dances performed by the Desert Moon Dancers.

Terms Defined

Folk Dances

Origins of Belly Dance

Current Trends

Famous Middle Eastern Belly Dances

Desert Moon's Dances

A Few Terms Defined

Several of the terms described below relate to dance styles performed in the Middle East. In addition to a wide variety of folk dances, there are several dance styles involving isolated hip, chest and abdominal movements that have been singularly classified in the United States as belly dance.

Baladi, Balady, or Beledi – In Arabic means "my country" or "my home town" See Raks Baladi.

Bedleh – In Arabic, literally means "suit." It refers to the cabaret-style beaded bra/belt/skirt costume that a belly dancer wears for a performance.

Belly Dance, Belly Dancing or Bellydancing – Western name given to a wide variety of Middle Eastern dances that involve isolated body movements. The exact origin of the term is not known but may have come from a misunderstanding of the word "Baladi" or the phrase "Danse du Ventre."

Danse Du Ventre – In French means dance of the stomach.

Dumbek, Darabuka, or Tabla – Is the most popular drum in the Arab world and is prominent in bellydance music.

Ghaziya (plural Ghawazee) – Egyptian professional dancers, originally from gypsy tribes.

Hafla – A party/celebration with music, food, dance and (maybe) drink.

Khalij, Kahlej, Kahleeg, Khaleej (and other spellings) – In Arabic means the gulf.

Khaliji Dance – A style of dance performed on all side of the Persian Gulf. These group dances are performed by women for women and emphasize the beauty of the costume and dancers hair. The dance movements include sharp quick shoulder shimmies, poly-rhythmic clapping, and some footwork.

Orientalist – Scholarly knowledge of Eastern cultures, languages, and people that began in the 18^th century.

Oriental Dance or Danse Oriental – A term sometimes used synonymously with Raks Sharqi is used more commonly to refer to the modern "belly dance" styles that evolved from Raks Baladi through Western and Hollywood influences.

Raks – Means dance. The word is derived from the Assyrian word Rakadu "to celebrate."

Raks Baladi – In Arabic means "dance of the people," the traditional form of women’s solo dance in the Middle East with folk origins.

Raks Bat'n – In Arabic means "dance of the stomach." It is a phase for non-performance style of dance involving isolated body movements. It is used to refer to a "get up and dance" type of spirit similar to rock dancing at a party in the West.*

Rakassa – Arabic for dancer.

Raks Sharqi – Literally means "dance of the East" and is essentially the same dance style as performance style "belly dance" in the West.

Shamedan Dancing – Dancing with a candelabra as part of a wedding procession. See a picture.

Takht – In Arabic, literally means platform. It is the name for the Egyptian traditional music ensemble.

Middle Eastern Folk Dances

Folk dance refers to dances that are born out the traditions of a particular country or region. Folk dances generally have movements that a large number of people are capable of learning. The dances are intended to perform various socializing functions within a society and are not intended for theater. When taught in the traditional way, folk dance is passed down from generation to generation within the community where the dance is performed. Additional general information regarding folk dance, is available at the following web sites:

	Folk vs. Ethnic Dance
	Teaching Folk Dance: Purposes Informing Method

In the United States, any reference to Middle Eastern dance is often incorrectly termed belly dance. As stated by Mona Madi, the wife of Egyptian Ambassador Gehad Madi, "In case you thought Egypt was only known for belly dancing, think again."

In fact, there is no singular folk dance of the Middle Eastern countries. While many Middle Eastern folk dances have similar styles of music, each country has its own dances, dance styles and numerous variations of style within each county. Within Morocco alone, for example, there are over 200 folk dances (For further information see Dance As Community Identity in Selected Berber Nations of Morocco). The following web sites provide a sampling of folk dances from several Middle Eastern countries.

		Dance of Iran
		Dances of Morocco
		Turkish Folk Dances
		Sufi Dancers of Egypt
		Folklore Dance in Yemen
		Dabke the Dance of a Lebanese Village
		Traditional Music and Dance of Emirates
		Folk dances in the United Arab Emirates

Origins of Belly Dance

While pictorial relief provides insight into the world of dance in the early civilizations of Egypt, Greece and Rome, little was written about dance before the 18^th century. By the time foreign travelers began to document Middle Eastern dance, what may have originated as sacred and ritual dances had already evolved into folk dances that had been influenced by many ethnic groups.

Folk dance generally refers to traditional dance originating within a nation or region. Folk dance is the dance of the community, with moves that can be learned by a large group of people. While thousands of folk dances evolved throughout the Middle East, many focused on female isolated movements of the hips and abdomen.

Two dance styles that are believed to have influenced the evolution of Raks Sharqi are the dances of the Ghawazee and the dance style known as Baladi. The Ghawazee were professional female dancers of upper Egypt that are believed to have origins from India. (See the web site
A Short History of the Ghawazee) As noted in a June 1999 article from Cairo, "although Egyptians like to believe that bellydancing originated with the pharaohs, the dance was brought here (Egypt) from India in the 10^th century by gypsies and then re-exported around the globe." The Ghawazee were travelers (or as known to the Western World as gypsies). During their travels, they adopted some of the local traditions including dance styles. As a result, by the time they settled in Egypt their dance has been influenced by dances of Turkey, North Africa, Persia, and other Middle Eastern countries. Western travelers were fascinated by the dances they saw in Egypt and brought news of them back to Europe. The first significant accounts of the Ghawazee were during the 18^th century. (For additional information see Raksat Ghawazee- Dance of the Ghawazee.)

Baladi means my country or my home town. Raqs Baladi was performed in various villages throughout Egypt. The dance was originally performed in the home by women to entertain each other. The dancer’s center of movement was firmly in the hips. Arms were held casually and elbows were heavy. The dance was performed with flat feet and had a heavy grounded look.

Beginning in the mid 1800’s trade shows became popular. Middle Eastern dancers performed at these shows in Europe, France and the United States. The first show with Middle Eastern dancers was in Paris in 1889. In 1893, Middle Eastern dancers appeared at a Chicago trade show where a promoter advertised the dance with the French phrase "Danse du Ventre." The phrase, meaning "Dance of the Stomach", was a promotional ploy that led to misunderstandings and misrepresentations of the dance.

At the beginning of the 20^th century, Cairo was a cosmopolitan city with a population of over a third of a million people of which nearly 20% were not Egyptians. Most of the foreigners were there due to Cairo’s importance as a commercial trading hub. The Baladi style evolved with the urbanization of the population. When the rural people moved to the city they were exposed to influences from many countries that resulted in changes in their dance style. The Baladi style, influenced by the West, and by dances from Greece, Turkey, North Africa, Persia (snake arms), India (head slides), other Middle Eastern countries and possibly through contact with the Ghawazee evolved into a new dance form that came to be known as Raks Sharqi. The new dance was a blend of styles and costuming specifically for female solo dancers. People frequently refer to "Raks Sharqi" as the "women's solo dance," to distinguish it from traditional folk dances that are group dances. While the dance retained many of the hip movements associated Baladi, the center of movement shifted to the upper torso.

In the West, Raks Sharqi became known as belly dance. This misnomer may have evolved from a misconstruction of the term Baladi or from the French contrived name "Danse du Ventre."

In its modern form, belly dance is sometimes referred to as "Cabaret." This generally refers to the style intended for performing in a show-business venue, such as a restaurant or nightclub. The cabaret-style performance costume (known in Arabic as a Bedleh) is the beaded bra/belt/skirt. This style of dance and costuming only emerged after Hollywood exploited eastern dance with Western fantasies of the East. Hollywood contributed to the popularity of Middle Eastern dance in the West during the 40s and 50s, resulted in a wide production of belly dance albums and, unfortunately, blurred the distinction between burlesque and Middle Eastern dance. The Hollywood image was then adopted by professional dance entertainers of the Middle East and re-exported around the world.

Although Middle Eastern dance may be ancient, there is no documentation to support the myth that modern belly dance has any significant resemblance to ancient dance. Numerous other myths have evolved along with the historical cultural influences that have shaped modern belly dance. These myths have led to a variety of dance styles and the use of props, like snakes and swords, that have no proven roots to Middle Eastern female dances. Additional information regarding belly dance myths is included in the article "Steps of belly dance."

For additional information regarding the history of Belly Dance, visit the following web site:

The Origins of Oriental Dance

		Current Trends
	Introduction Belly dance is gaining popularity throughout the world except in the Middle East. Rigid adherence to Islamic law forbids females to be entertainers, whether it is dancing or singing. Women may dance only in the company of other women (regardless of the dance style). For the past several decades Islamic fundamentalism has been on the rise in many Middle Eastern countries. As a result, most forms of female entertainment are controversial and some forms are forbidden in numerous parts of the Middle East. Read the following articles to learn more about Islamic fundamentalist and how it affects women and the performing arts:
		An hour for God and an hour for the heart: Islam, gender and female entertainment in Egypt.
		Under wraps on the stage: women in the performing arts in post-revolutionary Iran.
		Persian Dance and its Forgotten History

Belly Dance (Raks Sharqi)

With the rise in Islamic fundamentalism in many parts of the Middle East, that has limited all forms of female performing arts, it is no surprise that in Egypt, Raks Sharqi has been losing favor. Although its public popularity plunged during the past two decades, the dance continues to be customary entertainment for private parties of the wealthy.

In 1995 statistics were released in Egypt indicating that the country's 12 most famous belly dancers contributed the equivalent of 264 million dollars in taxes; the fifth largest source of revenue at that time. In addition, it was reported that of the 62 million population of Egypt, there was one belly dancer for every 5,000 inhabitants. Currently, there are only 1,500 licensed dancers (the number of dancers performing without a license is not known). While the decline in popularity continues, as of September 2000, a top dancer can still make $3,000 for a 45 minute performance.

In 1999, Egypt hosted its first five day belly dance workshop. In a June 1999 article from Cairo (AFP), "Egypt Rediscovers its Stomach for Belly Dancing," it was implied that this workshop signaled that the popularity of belly dance in Egypt may again be on the rise. However, in an April 2000 article from Cairo, published in The Times, it was reported that although "militants' puritanical tirades against belly dancers have receded in Egypt" there is only a handful of public venues in Cairo where belly dancers perform compared to 30 or 40 in the 1970s. In addition, teachers say there is a lack of new talent.

For additional information about other recent trends involving belly dancing in the Arab World see the following web sites:

		Khairiyya Mazin Struggles to Preserve Dying Tradition of Ghawazi Dance In Egypt – A 1996 article about the history of the Ghawazi in Egypt and their present decline.
		Belly Dancing Making Comeback – A 1999 article about belly dancing making a comeback in Egypt after losing favor due to a wave of Islamic fundamentalism.
		Belly Dancing: Centuries of Culture in Tinselled Lycra – Article from the financial times regarding belly dancing in Egypt.
		Inside Africa – February 2000 article regarding the decline of belly dancing in Egypt.
		When in Cairo Belly Dance – Year 2000 article about this writer's visit to Cairo clubs with belly dancers (including Fifi and Lucy).
		The Mystique of Belly Dancing – This April 2000 article suggests that the recent fundamentalist attacks against belly dance has led to a new generation of foreign dancers in Egypt. The article also provides information on places to see belly dancing in Cairo.
		The Forbidden Dance – April 2000 article regarding current government decisions involving belly dance.
		Egypt has a bellyful of its exotic dancers – April 2000 article regarding government decision to limit belly dance licenses.
		The allure of the belly-dance – A July 2000 article from the Middle East Times about the 2nd Egyptian workshop on belly dancing. (It is unfortunate that political disputes enter into dance.)
		Sikidim, sikidim – A July 2000 article about the 2nd Egyptian workshop on belly that includes several pictures.
		Oriental Dance – Another 2000 article about the 2nd Egyptian workshop on belly that includes several video clips of Egyptian belly dancers.
		Tummy Trouble in Cairo – A very good September 2000 article from Middle East Online regarding current trends in Middle Eastern belly dance. The article includes a picture of Dina and some good historical facts.
		Inside Africa – A February 2001 article regarding the raqs el-sharqui controversy in Egypt.
		Belly dancing goes global – June 2001 article by the BBC regarding belly dance workshop and dance seminar in Cairo, Egypt.
		Egyptians lose out in battle of belly dancers – July 2001 article regarding favorable treatment of foreign belly dancers in Egypt.
		Egyptian dancers get bellyful of racy rivals after crackdown – February 2002 article discusses the popularity of foreign belly dancers, costuming and appearance.
		Foreign Moves – February 2002 article discusses foreign belly dancers in Egypt. Includes a time line of belly dance history in Egypt.
		Dance Seen as Symbol of Joy in Face of Repression – February 2002 article about women continuing to dance in parts of Middle East where it is forbidden.
		Turkey's had a bellyful of stereotypes – May 25, 2002 article describes the current attitude toward belly dance in Turkey and suggests that belly dancing is not banned.
		A Syndicate of One's Own – July 2002 article. Egyptian actors have a syndicate; shouldn't belly dancers have on also?
		Satin Rouge – See the movie about a belly dancer that was recently released and made in the Middle East. Also read two reviews and interviews with the director. Self-Empowerment by Way of the Midriff: Raja Amani's Satin Rouge and Come to the Cabaret.
		"Everybody has a belly” – October 2002 article about the famous Turkish belly dancer Nesrin Topkapi, who now teaches belly dance.
		"Belly dancer loses freedom in post-Saddam Iraq” – Article about belly dancer Milad Siri who misses dancing for one of her best customers, Saddam Hussein's son Uday.
		"Learning to Burn” – July 2003 article about Egypt's 2003 belly dance festival.
		"Egypt may ban foreign belly dancers” – August 2003 article.
		"Egypt bans foreign belly dancers” – Another August 2003 article about the foreign belly dancer ban.
		"The Dance and the Ban” – Another August 2003 article about the foreign belly dancer ban with a more personal in depth review.
		"Dina stimulated by sound of music” – October 2003 article. In Egypt, Dina has agreed to star in upcoming drama series and Dina will begin a singing career. The article includes a picture from her recent performance in Dallas.
		"Egypt gets tough on foreign belly dancers” – ABC13's November 2003 article about the foreign belly dancer ban.
		"The Dance and the Ban” – January 21, 2004. Law banning foreign belly dancers in Egypt is upheld by courts.
		"Dance Ban Appeal Goes Belly Up” – January 21, 2004, article from Cairo Times. Law banning foreign belly dancers in Egypt is upheld by courts.
		"Egyptians reclaim belly dancing, sort of” – This article on the foreign belly dancer ban includes an interview with Rakia Hassan.
		"The Party's Over” – Meeting the demand for belly dancers after the ban on foreign belly dancers.
		"Enhance Your Moves” – Belly dance costumes are gaining popularity with Egyptians.
		"Egypt allows foreigners to belly dance” – September 5, 2004. Egypt repeals the belly dance ban.
		"Egyptian belly dance in crisis” – March 2005. Now that Egypt has repealed the belly dance ban is the dance becoming instinct?
		"Tourism body bans belly dancing in hotels in Qatar” – June 2006. One more Middle Eastern Country imposes restrictions on belly dance.
	Although belly dancing has had difficulties in the Arab countries of the Middle East, it continues to gain popularity in Israel.
		"Belly Dance in Israel” – 2004 article about the belly dance trends in Israel.
	In the United States, the popularity of belly dance is very much on the rise. In the February 7, 2000 edition of the magazine "for women First" an article about belly dance is titled "the trendiest way to Get a perfectly toned body." Articles on belly dance popularity have also recently appeared in US Magazine, Health and YM Magazine. Recently released movies like "Charlie's Angels" include a scene with belly dancing and so do music videos by the popular singers Britney and Shakira (See Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie" Video and Fans' Video". The rise in belly dance popularity may be attributable to a growing interest in alternative forms of exercise or the rising interest in foreign cultures.For additional information about trends in belly dance and what the media has to say about belly dancing see the following web sites:
		Shake, rattle and roll - The exotic art of belly dancing works your body image - July 1998 article about the low impact exercise benefits of Belly Dancing.
		Desert Moon Bellydance at CitySearch - A 1999 article about the recent popularity of Belly Dancing tied in to information about our dance company.
		Good Medicine Fact Sheet - Belly Dancing - About the "trendy exercise" good for the body and stress.
		Wiggle Your Waist Like Shakira - Article about the popularity of belly dancing increasing thanks to Shakira, Britney and other female stars.
		The Better End - Shakira - Belly dancing linked to Shakira's beautiful rear view.
		Belly Dancing - a unique and relaxing way of keeping fit. September 2001 article about the increasing popularity of belly dancing for fitness.
		Secrets of the Shimmy, Shoulder Roll, Belly Roll and More - Program hosted by national public radio. Website includes the broadcast in real audio, movie of Artemis teaching the NPR staff and a brief article.
		Belly Dancing, the Ab-solutely Fab New Trend - May 2002 article from BET regarding the increasing popularity of belly dancing among African American women.
		Shaken' All Over - October 2002 from Time Magazine attempts to address the reason for the current popularity of belly dancing.
		Belly Dancing: Swivel Your Way to Fitness - Although many articles have recently been written on belly dancing in local papers throughout the United States, it was particularly exciting to find that CNN found it newsworthy to write this June 2003 article.
		Belly Dancing Boom - June 2003 article from Dance Teacher Magazine discusses how belly dancing has entered the cultural mainstream and its growing popularity.
		Belly dancer shakes her way to the top - The "Iowa State Daily" found it newsworthy to write an article about Shiara winning Desert Moon Dance Academy's MEDINA belly dance competition.
	In addition to the United States and the Middle East, belly dancing is popular in numerous other countries throughout the world.
		The gyrating belly -March 2000 article from "Life Style" about a Russian belly dancer
		If you can stomach it, belly dancing eases life's aches and pains -1999 Article about belly dancing in Japan
		To Your Health - the Belly of the Best - January 2005 article about Filipinos belly dancing.

		Famous Belly Dancers in the Middle East
	Learn about famous Arab Belly Dancers by visiting the following web sites:
		Dance History in Israel – Founders of Israeli belly dance
		Dina's Profile – A brief biography with several pictures.
		Dina's Pictures – Pictures of Dina taken with me.
		Dina's Pictures II – Pictures of Dina performing in Cairo taken by Catherine Barros.
		Dina - The vamp next door – August 1999 article from the "Cairo Times" about Dina, one of Egypt's famous belly dancers.
		Farida - Dancing into the Twilight – Article about Farida, the famous dancer from the Reda troupe.
		Fifi's Abdou - Egypt's Most Celebrated Belly Dancer
		Jordanian Professional Belly Dancer,Dina and Amani – The Culture and Creation of Belly Dancing – An article about the Lebanese belly dancer Amani. She has created her own style of Dance Oriental and is nationally recognized for her style.
		Lucy: Learning to Talk – A biographical article about Egypt's famous belly dancer Lucy.
		Nagwa Fouad - Egypt's Belly Dancing Legend – A short article with pictures about Egypt's famous belly dancer Nagwa Fouad.
		Nagwa Fouad - "Hours of glory" – A brief biographical article article with pictures.
		Suhair Zaki - "Making the body sing" – A fantastic article that includes a brief biographical sketch, information about how the dance has evolved in Egypt, and general information about belly dancing. In her words "Being a dancer is not about showing off your body and posing on stage."

Desert Moon Dance Academy's Dances

Our Belly Dances - The Desert Moon Dance Academy teaches Raks Sharqi dance steps that have origins from several of the Arab-Asian countries (e.g. Iraq and Lebanon) and African-Arab countries (e.g. Egypt and Tunis). Some of our dancers add a bit of ballet and other Western dance steps for flare and grace. The result is an eclectic belly dance style in which our soloists are free to interpret the music and fully utilize their own creative dance talents. To retain the traditional flavor of the dance, our music is from the Middle East.

Our Ethnic and Folkloric Dances - In addition to belly dance, the Desert Moon Dancers perform Khaleeji, Debbke and Yemeni dances. We also perform dances that have the style, music and costuming flavor of traditional folk dances representative of many different Middle Eastern countries. These traditional styled dances are not, however, folk dances but rather a contemporary fusion of folk dance steps from several Middle Eastern countries. We refer to these dances as "folkloric". As defined by Professor of Sociology Alkis Raftis, when a traditional dance ceases to be transmitted in the traditional way and is taught in a modern style it is then called "folkloric" dance.