"Introduction to Middle Eastern Dance"
Above is a photo of Karen Custer Thurston, M.S printed with permission
What is Middle Eastern Dance?
Middle Eastern Dance is a term or generalization of an ancient and modern day form of dance. Some other modern day terms known to the world are oriental dance, raqs sharqi, belly dance, danse orientale, gobek dans and oriental dance. What is the proper term to call this oriental dance? That would be different from country to country, and dancer to dancer. This dance now is a form of art worldwide. There are many different interpretations to this ancient art, not necessarily beginning in one single country in area. People are trying to figure out "one" area it originated from. That is very hard to conclude and seemingly impossible for us to figure out. This is a great mystery. As different styles of "Middle Eastern dance" in Europe and the Middle East blended as the ages went on, it continues today to blend through out the world. Different styles today fuse together and will continue to, as if they have for thousands of years. Recommended to read for "belly dancers" in the US is a wonderful article by Shira, who has a wonderful mind and great articles is "Styles of Bellydance in the US".
How old is this dance? Many of the dance moves done today can be found in ancient Indian Statuary and Egyptian Hieroglyphs. This dance is thousands of years old. Some great articles to read about the history of the belly dance are by Carol H. Harding.
Where is Middle Eastern Dance practiced today?
Worldwide, Middle Eastern Dance is very alive. It has become a worldwide phenomenon. There are Belly Dancers throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, and countries throughout Europe, South America, and in Japan. These are all countries besides the Middle Eastern countries. Discovering how long the dance has been alive in each country would be an interesting research! Read a timeline on bellydancing.
Why is Middle Eastern Dance so popular today?
So, now that we know this is a very universal art, why is it so popular?
- we learn a whole new dance vocabulary
- we learn powerful skills
- we have increased confidence... yes!
- we learn new movements
- we educate our mind and our body
- we learn the importance of posture and breathing (in dance and in everyday life... this dance becomes part of us)
- This dance is quite more than the perfect dance steps, it is a complete journey towards self-knowledge... how exciting!!!!