Belly Dance Forums - View Single Post

Marisha25 · 08-31-2006, 09:17 PM

I've used both words interchangeably but what TribalDancer says makes a lot of sense. Of course, there are also people who this that the term bellydance/ belly dance should not be used at all. For example, I've read in Morocco's article: "There is no term in Arabic (or Turkish or Farsi) ever used for the dance that would translate as "belly" dance, nor is there any other dance form anywhere in the world that is named for a body part, especially since only two of the myriad movements involved are done with the aforementioned muscle, whose proper name is "abdominal" to begin with." and "To use the disgusting misnomer "belly dance" is not only incorrect, it is an insult equivalent to calling Flamenco "cockroach killing". Worse. In Arabic, the dance is called "Raks Sharki" or "Raks al Shark", which translates: "Oriental Dance" or "Dance of the Orient". In clubs in the Middle East, it is often also referred to as Danse Orientale."
I am struggling with what term to use myself. I can see why "Oriental dance" is correct but I sometimes use "bellydance" as well. What do you prefer to use?

08-31-2006, 09:17 PM	#4 (permalink)
Marisha25 Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: New York, NY Posts: 37	I've used both words interchangeably but what TribalDancer says makes a lot of sense. Of course, there are also people who this that the term bellydance/ belly dance should not be used at all. For example, I've read in Morocco's article: "There is no term in Arabic (or Turkish or Farsi) ever used for the dance that would translate as "belly" dance, nor is there any other dance form anywhere in the world that is named for a body part, especially since only two of the myriad movements involved are done with the aforementioned muscle, whose proper name is "abdominal" to begin with." and "To use the disgusting misnomer "belly dance" is not only incorrect, it is an insult equivalent to calling Flamenco "cockroach killing". Worse. In Arabic, the dance is called "Raks Sharki" or "Raks al Shark", which translates: "Oriental Dance" or "Dance of the Orient". In clubs in the Middle East, it is often also referred to as Danse Orientale." I am struggling with what term to use myself. I can see why "Oriental dance" is correct but I sometimes use "bellydance" as well. What do you prefer to use? Last edited by Marisha25; 08-31-2006 at 09:20 PM.