The Art of Belly Dance
In an episode of “Sex and the City,” a midriff-baring beauty slinks her hips left to right as she entertains Carrie and her caravan of friends at a Middle Eastern-themed birthday party. The women hardly pay attention to the dancer, but the men ogle, drool and search for $20 bills to stuff in the dancer’s belt. The scene demonstrates a familiar belly dancing stereotype, but for supporters of the art form, it’s a giant misrepresentation of the truth.
“If you want to piss off a belly dancer, show them that episode of ‘Sex and the City,’” says professional belly dancer Carrara Nour from Monroe, CT. “It’s wrong on so many levels.”
Nour explains that the perpetuation of belly dance stereotypes comes not only from the media, but also from other dancers themselves. In fact, even for dancers trained in a bevy of different styles, belly dancing remains a bit elusive. Dancer Magazine spoke to belly dance experts and enthusiasts to uncover the myths and misconceptions of the dance, and show why studio owners may benefit from adding this style to their business.
Belly Dance Origins
“I would say it’s critical, even from day one, to instill where the dance comes from and the roots of it,” says Nour. “Without that, you are doing a bunch of vaguely compatible dance movements.” If a dance teacher is to instruct a class on belly dance, history is an important element in understanding the motivation behind the movements. However, many conflicting stories circulate about its exact origins. Some believe that ancient Egyptian women entertained the Pharaohs with belly dance. Others argue that belly dancing began as a child birthing ritual. However, most professionals support a far less sensational story. “There’s a lot of misinformation, but there’s no proof [of those stories],” says Daniella Kocal, a professional belly dancer from Queens. Kocal says that what we do know for sure is that belly dance sprang from the social dances of the Middle East. The dance was developed for the stage in the 1800s, when tourists began traveling to the region to experience its “exotic culture.” Then, in the late 1800s, belly dancing came to America via the Worlds Fair in Chicago. In order to play into the exotic motif, dancers in Chicago donned the familiar midriff-baring costumes we see today.
Fusion of Styles
Belly dance is divided into several sub-styles, depending on the region of the Middle East or time period it was developed. There are Egyptian, Turkish and Lebanese styles, as well as newer genres created here in the United States. One such showy style, called American Cabaret, came about in the 1960s in congruence with nightclub culture. American Tribal Style is a much more recent development that first emerged in the late 1980s in California, and is characterized as a kind of group improvisation. Modern-day belly dance in the U.S. is influenced by a variety of cultural and genre-specific styles, ranging from Polynesian to popping and locking. And while the fusion of different movement styles is a naturally occurring evolution in dance (think “funky jazz” or “lyrical hip hop”), combining different styles of belly dance has created some tension in its community. Some worry that disconnecting the style from its roots could alienate Middle Eastern audience members. Others are concerned that fusing without understanding context eventually produces an unidentifiable dance. “There are a lot of people fusing elements of hip hop, Flamenco or Polynesian without understanding what they’re putting into it,” says Nour. “I do think that across the board, the music, the costuming and the movement should be at least 80 percent Middle Eastern-inspired. You don’t want to divorce the dance so far away from the art that you can’t recognize it as belly dancing.”
Let’s Talk About Sex
So what about the pink elephant in the room—the idea that belly dance is a form of light stripping? Of course, as with any dance style, there are those that will sexualize its movements. But rest assured, belly dance professionals do not intend to tantalize or arouse their clients. They simply wish to entertain. “I actually had a lot of parents approach me after class and say, ‘Thank you so much! What you did with them is so much cleaner than what they do in jazz or hip hop,’” says Nour. “Jazz and hip hop are considered acceptable dance styles, but they do some raunchy stuff.” However, that doesn’t mean sexuality is completely stripped from the dance style. There are some in the belly dance community that subscribe to the idea that belly dancing is a goddess dance: a sacred dance passed down from mothers to daughters in celebration of femininity. “As you get older, you can lose a little sight of femininity or self, and hopefully it empowers you to be more confident,” says Amanda Rills, a belly dance performer and instructor from Alexandria, LA. “To me, it brings more awareness to your self in other aspects of your life, outside of dance.” Although the goddess dance philosophy isn’t always embraced as historical fact, for many practitioners it serves as positive motivation. “It is a construct and sort of born out of the feminist movement of the ’60s,” says Cari Rosner Jelen, a belly dance enthusiast from Berkeley, CA. “The idea of ‘We’re going to take this as ours and be powerful.’ I think that’s great. Whatever reason to get out there and dance.”
On the Plus Side
Although belly dance origins, styles and philosophies are debated, one universally agreed-upon concept is that the dance inspires a positive body image for those that practice it. “This is a dance where your hips and breasts and extra fat are looked at as a good thing,” says Rosner Jelen. “When you’re doing belly dance and you have those assets, you’re allowed to move them around in a really fun way.” Ironically enough, those who take belly dancing classes consistently are likely to lose some of that extra fat, as the movements of the hips and abs isolate muscles in the typical problem areas for women. Rills says she’s lost 20 lbs since she started her training. The relative ease of picking up beginner belly dance moves, combined with its confidence-inspiring fitness regime has led to the proliferation of belly dance classes in dance studios and gyms across the country. Adults who’ve never taken a dance class or those who haven’t been to the studio in a while often feel less awkward about enrolling than they would in a challenging technical class such as ballet. “It’s great to bring in another style, a more accessible one you can start later in life that you don’t have to train at since you were 5,” says Rosner Jelen.
Belly Dance in Your Studio
With its popularity rising and positive affects apparent, studio owners interested in adding belly dance to their curriculum might do well to make the leap. However, before hiring a new instructor, it’s important to be informed about quality belly dance credentials—and watch out for red flags. “A big thing with belly dancers is the six week wonder,” says Kocal. “They are the people who take a six week session and decide they are ready to teach.” Nour warns that studio directors should look to see whether a candidate has simply performed at student recitals or more professional venues such as weddings, restaurants or corporate events. She also advises researching which teachers the potential new hire has studied with herself: has she attended professional workshops or master classes? Finally, proper, professional-looking costuming could be a clue that the candidate is legit. “It’s not just the movements, but the history and the culture that you want them to share with the students,” says Kocal. “You don’t want someone misinforming or possibly hurting someone.”
When studio owners do introduce belly dance to their clientele, they often find the experience rewarding on many levels. Not only are they attracting a new audience of dancers—Kocal has students ranging from teenagers to more than 70 years old—but they are also helping to broaden their cultural horizons. “It will give young students an appreciation of a new culture, especially a culture that is so stereotyped these days,” says Rills. “It will help them see there is some beauty there.”