"When anyone hears that a belly dancer is going to preform in most cases, the first thing that comes to mind is all the cliches about sexuality and sensuality for the benefit of male provacation. The dancer was originally anything but that. First, let us trace briefly the origin of the term- Belly Dance. Until fairly recently, this dance was referred to by middle Easterners simply as the Oriental dance. When the French saw the dance they called it the Danse Du Ventre- which translated means, dance of the abdomen and much latter the American G.I. was to see the dance and translate the French expression into "The Belly Dance". The history of this dance goes back to the early cult of the Mother Goddess- about 4,000 B.C. in Mesopotomia and was known as the BIRTH MAGIC RITUAL. Men were excluded from the ritual since it dealt with childbirth and the movements in the ritual imitated the involuntary spasms precading the birth of a child. In the worship of the Mother Goddess there was the hope of a normal pregnancy and a quick and easy delivery. Archaologists have found many Venus and Mother Goddess figurines squatting in the position of childbirth and some are in the process of parturition. The ritual was preformed in empathy at the bedside of wpmen in labor. The Mother Goddess had many names and her role changed in different places but originally she was the patroness of women and regeneration. The Temples mantained dancers as a special class. Egypt imported solo dancers from countries famed for the dance even for religios services and waya from its home ground the birth magic ritual was to lose its religious and devotional significance and become and artistic dance pantomine. In its theatrical form, th eritual chenges and the dancer uses her entire body. Basic movements develop and the dancer improvises within the form. Improvisation and acrobatics depend on the ability of the individual and it goes withoyt saying that there are good and mediocre exponents of any art form. and so the birth magic ritual is exponents of any art form. And so the birth magic ritual is exported through the Phonetian Trade routes of Etruria. The dancing girls of Cadiz, a colony of Phonecia were famous for their performances up to a tine of the early Roman Emperors."
--Jamila
The following essay is an expanded version of a presentation given by Z-Helene on May 18, 1997 International Conference on Middle Eastern Dance at Orange Coast College, Costa Mesa, California. This paper is an assimilation of 20 years of her personal research, experience (performing and teaching), thinking and discussion concerning the ancient Great Mother Goddess and her relationship to Middle Eastern dance. Z-Helene is a very inspirational person and I recommend that you take the time to read this inspirational essay.
THE EMERGENCE OF THE NEW SACRED TEMPLE PRIESTESS by Z-Helene
Photo used with permission of Z-Helene.
© Copyright 1997 Z-Helene Christopher, All Rights Reserved
Introduction of the dance to the western world
Bellydance was introduced to the US at the Worlds Fair in Chicago in 1893. Little Egypt was introduced at the world's fair.... and they advertised the dance by saying this, " She slithers like a snake... every muscle in her body moves at the same time!" An American promoter named Sol Bloom brought a troupe of North African folk dancers to the Chicago World's Fair. It was here that the term "belly dance" originated, probably formed from the Arabic word "Beledi," meaning "of the people." Beledi can refer to types of music, dance, or costuming, but it has nothing to do with anatomy. In the Middle East, the phrase "belly dance" has no meaning.In the US today, the most popular variations of Oriental dance is American Nightclub style (cabaret) , Egyptian Raqs Sharki , and Tribal.... also known as Tribal Fusion. Middle Eastern Dance is a combination of dance, excercise, and art. It is the oldest dance form known to man. Middle Eastern Dance or bellydance as we know it today fisrt surfaced in Egypt. This we can be reasonably sure. The belly movement were added by the Turks.In ancient Egypt there were only hip, shoulder, and walking movements at that time in Egyptian dancing. Here in the United States the dance is known as Middle Eastern Dance, Raqs al Sharki (pronounced Roks Sharkee), bellydance, or danse Oriental. Each and every style varying from cabaret to tribal are each valid representations of Middle Eastern dance. In the Arab world though, there are
three types of women's dance that all fit under the heading of belly dance (as many call it in the US, Europe and Australia)
Biography of Jamila Salimpour
Jamila Salimpour began her performing career at the age of sixteen in Ringling Brothers Circus as an acrobatic dancer. She studied Middle Eastern music and dance, and in 1974 began appearing at cultural events and ethnic clubs in Los Angeles, and later in San Francisco where she owned the Bagdad Cabaret. She began teaching in 1952, developing a unique method of verbal breakdoen and terminology for her movements. Historians would agree that the Tribal Fusion style was created by Jamila Salimpour in San Francisco, California, in the 1960's. Her dance company proudly called themselves Bal-Anat. Jamila has trained innumerable teachers and performers from all over the world, and produced week-long seminars and festivals, often co-teaching with her daughter Suhaila Salimpour. In 1969 she created the first tribal troupe on the west coast, Bal Anat, performing and touring with the forty member troupe. Jamila Salimpour's complex finger cymbal patterns were published in her own Finger Cymbal Manual with an accompanying instructions audio tape. Both contue to be invaluable resources to dancers today. She also published a history of Middle Eastern dance, 'From Cave to Cult to Cabaret, as well as a photographic collection of Middle Eastern Dancers at the Chicago WOrld's Faire, and her Dance Format Manual. From 1974 to 1990, Ms. Salimpour was the Contributing Editor for HABIBI, a major Middle Eastern Dance periodical. <>
