Learning About Egyptian Belly Dancing

Egyptian belly dancing is also known as Oriental dance because it originated in the Middle Eastern region of the world. There is a lot of mythology and misconceptions about belly dancing that may surprise some people. It is an art form at its purest and it came from a place of purity as well, originally intended as abdominal exercises for pregnant women so as to strengthen their muscles for labour. Now, Egyptian belly dancing and other types of belly dancing are used for a variety of reasons and often the misconceptions about belly dancing can lead to an ignorant stigma directed towards this ancient and practical art.

The Middle Eastern and Egyptian regions of the world have often used movement as a means to a spiritual end. Egyptian belly dancing is a spiritual experience in that it gives the dancer access to the body and mind connection that engages the soul. Many belly dancers experience an intense spiritual ecstasy during the belly dancing period and can create such an experience for others as well. It is this deep and passionate meaning that creates a great deal of problems in terms of our North American viewpoint on belly dancing. Comparing it to exotic dancing enrages several professional belly dancers, and rightfully so.

The Real Facts

A lot of the dancing from Northern Africa, in places like Egypt and Morocco, has a rich tapestry of tradition that guides the Egyptian belly dancing and the Moroccan dancing to our modern consciousness. The use of belly dancing in these regions today still exists as a form of a birth ritual that enables the women giving birth to stretch and work her abdomen to better prepare her for the challenges associated with child birth. This is also a way to spiritually prepare for the birth and many women from this region do not use a conventional soothing medicine to numb their bodies. The birth is pure and the belly dancing rituals aid in the smooth delivery.

Women also practice Egyptian belly dancing much like we would in the Western world as a form of entertainment. Women dance for other women, for friends, and for relatives. They may even dance for themselves as a way to entertain themselves during the day when their husbands are out working. It is a form of exercise and a pastime that gathers much enjoyment out of all that practice it.