Each country has developed its unique trend of belly dancing. When it comes to the Egyptian school, audiences are taken on an emotional journey with soft and lean moves, while the Turkish school employs “fast and furious spins and shimmies, sharp isolations, and evocative floorwork,” according to bellydanceu.net.
Turkish belly dancing is flamboyant and dynamic. Its movements are higher, faster, and lighter than other styles, such as Egyptian Baladi, for example, as the 'tak' in Turkish rhythm is more frequent than in Egyptian rhythms. Hence, the predominant hip movement is the hip lift, rather than the hip drop.
Belly dancing is popular in Turkey. Night clubs are the most common venues, but belly dancers are also hired göbek atmak (“to toss the belly”) at weddings and special events. Far from being a resuscitated tourism show, this is a very old art form still enjoyed by Turks of all classes and ages.
Baladi is the most common style of dance in Egypt today and is used to dance to all sorts of music, including Western pop and Al Jeel. Women dance this style at haflas, weddings, at home and in clubs. It is seen on TV and in the theatre.
1. Egypt. Egypt is La Mecca for belly dancers all over the world, especially the cities of Cairo and Luxor. Egyptian belly dancers are considered amongst the best in the world and Egyptian belly dance teachers are extremely sought after.
Not native to America, Immigrants brought belly dancing from Egypt, Turkey, Greece, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Central Asia, Lebanon, Israel, Armenia, The Balkans, Persia, Iraq, India, and Africa.
Overall, there is no universally accepted proscription against dancing in Islam. Some Muslims may feel belly dance is acceptable, but less so when it is associated with alcohol, drugs, or sexuality outside of marriage, while others may feel only each individuals' behavior and relationship with God matters.
Although some Egyptian men have no problem shaking their hips and bodies while dancing in weddings or parties to have fun, the male belly dancing profession is regarded by many Egyptians as taboo. Performers are regarded as being gay, which faces widespread opposition in Egypt.
Tanoura is a traditional national dance in Egypt. Its peculiarity is that only men perform the dance. The etymology of the word has Arabic roots and is translated as a skirt. The basis of the dance is a circling artist around its axis, necessarily counterclockwise.
Origins in Egypt
The first belly dancers were a group of traveling dancers known as the ghawazee. These women were considered gypsies in Egypt in the 18th century, and were banished from Cairo during the 1830s, but went on to perform in Upper Egypt and later in the Middle East and Europe.
Halay is a term used for some of the folk dances found in Turkey and is performed to a large extent in Eastern, South-central, Central, and Southeastern Turkey. The rhythmic and choreographic elements of these dances are very diverse.
Even though Turkish belly dancing has deep roots in the Sultan's palatial harems of the Ottoman Empire, Turkish belly dance today is closer to its Romany (Gypsy) heritage than its Egyptian and Lebanese sisters, developing from the Ottoman rakkas to the oriental dance known worldwide today.
Van and Adiyaman are the most frequently dance styles that have grown popular in Turkey. They are performed with various groups in different ceremonies to ignite the dull spirit of the crowd.
Recent rumors of the death of Turkish TikToker Yasin Cengiz, known for dancing with his belly, have been making their rounds on social media. However, the dancing influencer is alive and well as of February 3, 2023.
This article explores the history and contemporary revival of male belly dancers – zenne or köçek – in Turkey and in cities with large Turkish populations, such as Berlin.
Didem Kınalı (born 6 June 1986) is a Turkish belly dancer, model, and singer.
Styles of belly dance. Egyptian Persian Turkish, Tribal and cabaret.
Carimbó Also known as the forbidden dance, from the time that Brazil was a Portuguese colony, Carimbó was a common dance in the northern part of the country. Carimbó was a loose and very sensual dance which involved many spins by the female dancer, who typically wore a rounded skirt.
Ghawazi (also ghawazee) (Egyptian Arabic: الغوازي) are female dancers who dance in return for money; the male equivalent is khawal.
Belly dancing is part of Egyptian culture, with tremendous influence on Arabic culture as a whole. Throughout the Middle East and the Arab diaspora, belly dancing is closely associated with Arabic music that is modern classical (known as "al-jadid").
Much like the rest of the Arab world, Egyptians believe it is rude if you cross your legs so the sole of your shoe faces someone else.
It came to represent not only femininity. It became a symbol of pride amongst feminist to not only showcase their bodies and consider themselves goddesses. This art form became one with empowerment. The belly dance world was connected to something more than that, people also went back to the source.
There are certain guidelines in regards to what is considered al- halal and al-haram within the Muslim religion. Muslim women are not allowed to dance with men and are not allowed to dance in front of them. However, some Muslims dance in their homes with their brother(s), husbands, or even their fathers (Banes 247).
While moderate Muslims generally don't object to music and dancing per se, a large portion of the faithful view sexually suggestive movement, racy lyrics, and unmarried couples dancing together as haram, because they may lead to un-Islamic behavior.