A'isha, I don't think it's the costuming and music - although the music influences the dance - looking at what people here are saying, and reviewing some of the videos, it seems to be more than that. I think it's that 'modern' seems more of a 'performance', although having said that, the majority of YouTube footage of earlier dancers is from movies, and I wonder how choreographed their work is.
One distinction I can see is something you've all alluded to - the abdominal work is less separated or isolated from the whole body movement, this integration of movement is a feature of all the movements of the Egyptian-style dancers compared with a more western style. It seems like the isolations in western dance are there to draw attention to THAT movement and part of the body, while the Egyptian older style especially seems instead to flow from that part of the body to emphasise the music. Wish I could explain this better!!
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