Belly Dancing

There are two main types of belly dancing – tribal dances and Cabaret. While Cabaret dancers will be found in nightclub type establishments or even on the stages of Broadway and will be wearing flashy jewelry and lots of glitz, tribal dancers are more traditional. They will wear more ethnically accurate costumes and will use the same moves as found in the Middle Eastern, Oriental and Lebanese cultures.

Tribal belly dancing costumes actually have such color and grace that every belly dancer wearing them is going to feel at one with her essential womanliness. These belly dancing costumes are overtly flowing, colorful and gracefully gorgeous. They gladden every woman with the flowing lines and gauzy veils that emphasize feminity. Finger cymbals called zills are worn to click between the fingers and the jewelery is exotic and bold. The tribal jewelery includes headpieces that are made of beaten silver or copper and are fairly large and help keep the head scarf in place. There are belts made of coins and semi-precious stones.
                                                          American tribal style belly dance has evolved from their fascination for the exotic rhythms and the music. There is a distinctive stylization to the American version of tribal fusion belly dance that somehow has a touch of Hollywood. Belly dancing is now a hugely popular dance form in the US for the simple reason that in today’s world, women do not get a chance to flaunt their essential feminine nature and by doing the tribal fusion belly dance, they are subconsciously reaching out to the core of their essential womanhood. Many women in the US and Europe turn to tribal belly dancing because they treat it as a kind of self empowerment tool that heals as it teaches. Being able to belly dance is a healing medium for mind, body and soul. It frees them from their inner demons whether they have issues that need healing or otherwise. There is something very uplifting in challenging one’s ability to learn a new medium and frees the spirit in music. It is a spiritual release that endows well being of mind and body.

The large amount of emotion and sensuality is one of the main reasons that belly dancing is so special. Although it is sometimes believed that the belly is the only part of the body that is working; it is actually the whole body that is needed to dance this way. And because it firms the thighs, hips and belly all at the same time, it is a wonderful form of exercise.Thomas Edison made a video in 1898 that featured the Turkish belly dancers Ella Lola and Crissie Sheridan. Through the years, there have been several belly dancers that have made it to the 'famous' category.

 Belly dance festivals, workshops and festivals, not to mention belly dance holidays, give ample opportunity to learn the craft whole heartedly and with dedication within a specified time frame. The art form of this dance has inspired several amateurs to seriously pursue the more advanced forms of belly dancing across the countries where it has originated. Most of the steps in the tribal belly dance are circular motions that are isolated in one body part at a time. The dancer gyrates and shimmies using clever muscle control to keep the rhythm going effortlessly. As you get better at belly dancing, flexibility is increased and tricks using coins and swords are popular to demonstrate the use of muscles especially in the belly and hips.