Shanazel

I want to say the emphasis is on athletics rather than grace, but I don't want to imply grace is not present in new style. Perhaps the most noticeable thing is that new style incorporates many more locks and pops, where old style tends to emphasize undulation and flow.

adiemus

Can you define pops and locks for me please? I think I know what you mean, but not sure.
Personally I really love the undulation, flow and grace rather than abrupt movements, unless of course it's a drum solo!! I love drums!

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meddevi

wow, I think that nails it right there very efficiently. That's why I prefer the old style as well, and what I've focused on studying. One of my teachers used to describe it as "ooey gooey with finesse". I'm not into the pop and lock a mile a minute.

Kharmine

From what I've been able to research, classic American cabaret evolved from Americans learning from a variety of immigrants and dancers imported by the ethnic communities that tended to cluster on the Northeast Coast and Midwest (the largest Arab-American community for quite awhile was in Detroit, of all places. Chicago had two "greektowns" full of restaurants and clubs at one time, large enough to employ belly dancers full-time.).

Many of the longest-established "supper clubs" were owned and managed by Greeks, but they imported a variety of ME, Turkish and Greek dancers and musicians. I grew up in a central California town where the largest immigrant population at one time, the Armenians, had a popular supper club with belly dancers.

Some dancers might have learned an Egyptian style (Dahlena, for instance, said the Egyptian sister performers "Liz and Lynn" were among her inspirations), or a more Turkish style (I think that was one of Serena Wilson's earliest training) or Greek style -- or all three!

The music they danced to also tended to be a mixture of traditional and new, with musicians of various ethnic heritage playing together and often doing Westernized versions of their traditional music.

This may or may not have been a more hybrid style, but the moves came from authentic raqs sharqi, tchiftetelli and oryantal danzi. And Americans began searching out those root styles and folkloric "ancestors" of belly dance whenever they went abroad or could find teachers.

Because it was most often seen in supper clubs, the "American" style came to be called 'cabaret" in a derisive way by the people who were intent on developing a more "authentic" tribal style (which was itself a new style). Which is odd considering raqs sharqi developed in Cairo cabarets.

I've noticed all styles of belly dance tend to have flamboyant performers and those who are more refined or subtle. The various influences of East and West seem to go back and forth, according to what becomes popular, or perhaps from a desire to outshine and stand apart from one's competitors.

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Mark_Balahadia

One thing I'd like to point out is that Egyptian and Lebanese style are more similar with each other than Turkish for obvious reasons. Egyptian and Lebanese style share all the same basic moves but the "styling" is sometimes different. With the advent of Pan-Arab television there has been a lot of cross-country borrowing of moves. I've seen some Egyptian dancers incorporate Lebanese moves in their routines and vice versa.

One major thing that differs with Egyptian and Lebanese style is the "feeling". It's hard to describe....hmmm. Since the folkloric traditions are very different in Egypt and Lebanon these traditions have influenced their regional Oriental. Dabke, although earthy has a completely different "feeling" from let's say Melaya Leff. Does that help?

Anyway, I'd love to write an article on the history of Lebanese style

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Shanazel

Pops and locks: very abrupt, sharp movements involving extreme muscular isolation.

belly_dancer

waiting... waiting.... waiting...... would LOVE to read it

adiemus

Thanks Shanazel - I wonder if these moves are sort of 'borrowed' from hiphop and the older breakdancing - I can remember some of the robotic moves from around Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' time...
I'm constantly amazed at the way humans manage to fuse together elements from here, there and everywhere in culture - not just dance, but language (idiom especially), clothing, music. I can really understand that the differences in style between dancers from different countries isn't really about the movements per se, more about the attitude or something. I love the really relaxed movements of the egyptian dancers I've seen, really laid back... Is it this that makes the difference between styles of dance?

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BellyDance Girl

I went to this category to post a question about Lebanese Cabaret, which is what is being taught to me in my beginners class.

Since I am so very new to the art form (only 5 classes so far) as well as its online communities, I know very little about the different styles, including the one I am learning.

Thank you all for a general overview!

Q-Tip

I am also new to BD and I still don't understand the differences between the styles but I prefer the less-flamboyant styles.

I think this thread does a good job of explaining the differences.