The Forbidden
Dance
by Lucy Pappas
Bellydancing is the last vestige of
goddess worship in the Middle East and is in danger of becoming extinct.
Bellydancing began as ritual for childbirth preparation in the ancient Middle
East. Before Islam and Christianity, when the Mother Goddess was worshipped, sex
and childbearing were sacred. During this time, many societies were matriarchal,
and bellydancing was performed by women for women.
Bellydancing Origins
In Arabic, the dance is called Raks Sharqi,
meaning "Oriental Dance". Bellydancing was later translated from the French
Danse du Ventre, or stomach dance, which was used to describe tribal dances from
a group of matriarchal Berbers in Algeria called the Oulid Nail. Bellydancing is
not the only dance done by women in the Middle East. There are regional
folkloric dances which also emphasize hip and abdominal movements. However,
bellydancing is the most popular well known international dance.
The dance was done with many layers of
colorful clothing, belted at the waist. No skin showed. The dancers bounced
layers of skirts by tilting their pelvises violently.
There is an old tradition rarely seen of
young men bellydancing in long, unrevealing robes with a scarf tied around the
hips. They danced in coffee houses, strictly for the enjoyment of men, who were
excluded from women's gatherings. To this day, Middle Eastern men exhibit a
fascination for the dance, and for participating in this ancient women's
art.
The Middle East
Restrictions
Today many Middle Eastern countries forbid
women to perform the dance. During the 1950's, bellydancing was declared illegal
in Egypt. After a popular uprising ensued, the government repealed the ban with
one condition -- that dancers no longer show their stomachs. (That law still
remains in effect.)
Why is bellydancing being stopped? Dallal, a
professional Mideastern dancer, thinks, "The anti-bellydancing sentiment and
reactionary religious extremism was beginning when I visited Cairo. The
bellydance shows were not decadent in any way, but the dancers had such charisma
and strength that the audience was compelled to silence by the lift of a
dancer's arm driven to frenzy by a dancer's union with the drumbeats. I think
the Arab men are afraid of the tremendous power in the hands of women when they
perform this dance."
Recently, radical Islamic fundamentalists
have succeeded in removing bellydancing from televised programming, and they
terrorize restaurants and nightspots that feature the art. Famous dancers that
performed the art have either retired or moved to other countries. In 1893, the
promoter of an Egyptian music and dance group at the Chicago World's Fair became
concerned because nobody was interested in seeing the dancing show. It occurred
to the promoter to rename the performers Bellydancers. Thus renamed, the dance
created a controversy that became a media sensation. Lines gathered around the
block, eager to witness the outrageous act of Bellydancing.
In the U.S., women are becoming involved in
this very ancient dance. Bellydancing is used as a way of celebrating woman's
femininity, as it helps women gain confidence in their bodies. Bellydance
exercises are also used in natural childbirth classes, and a recent survey done
by Mideastern Dancer Magazine reports that women who bellydanced delivered their
first child with shorter periods of labor.
Bellydancing acts as an aid to exercise as
the sweat and gentle nature of the hip movements help one to stay fit. Women who
bellydance are having a lot of fun and feel young at heart!
 Recommended
Book:
"Grandmother's
Secrets: The Ancient Rituals and Healing Power of Belly
Dancing"
by Rosina-Fawzia
Al-Rawi.
Info/Order
book
More books about belly
dancing.
About The
Author
Lucy Pappas has a degree in ethnomusicology from
UCLA and is studying bellydancing. The above article was written in
collaboration with Dallal, who teaches bellydancing (Mideastern dance). Lucy and
Dallal can be reached at Mideastern Dance Exchange, 350 Lincoln Road, #505,
Miami Beach, FL 33139.
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