What is bellydance?

nightdancer · 08-05-2007, 11:31 PM

So I have spent a fair amount of time looking about, etc. I see a lot of threads criticizing peoples' style as "Thats NOT bellydance", and others praising, "She's an amazing bellydancer.." but to the untrained or inexperienced eye, they look much the same.

There are so many fusion styles, etc, out there that people are picking up, and some get criticized (and I do it, too) but others dont. So I thought I would throw this out there for debate.

What is belly-dance, by basic and expanded definition?

Thank you

D

Kharmine · 08-06-2007, 03:38 AM

This topic has come up again and again. Why not do a search or look at the older threads? You might come up with a different take or question.

nightdancer · 08-06-2007, 08:51 PM

I did, actually, and didnt really find any that straight up answered the questions. If you have any that you remember, that I am just not putting the right search terms in, I'd really like to read them. I moderate another forum, and "The search engine is masochistic, use it, it likes it..." is part of my signature. However, this forum is vast, and if I am not using the right terms, I'm not going to find the threads that you are thinking of.

The ones that I found contained a lot of "Thats just not bellydance" but did not include what it really is, then.

Moon · 08-06-2007, 08:59 PM

I like the definitian on A'isha Azar's website:

Egyptian belly dance is an authentic ethnic dance in movement and spirit. The dance and dancer are the physical manifestation of and visual compliment to the music they accompany. The dance has precise movements based on root concepts.

nightdancer · 08-06-2007, 09:02 PM

Ooh, that works nicely, thank you so much.

sultan · 08-08-2007, 12:56 AM

Indeed, the issue has come up before and I gave a rather long answer:

http://forum.orientaldancer.net/deba...html#post29489

So, at bottom, what is ''belly dance''?

It is a divine gift designed to mend troubled hearts and souls. And you have the Bible as authority to prove it!

KuteNurse · 08-08-2007, 04:09 AM

I am glad you are safe and sound Sultan.

Shanazel · 08-08-2007, 04:09 AM

The Bible says belly dance is a divine gift designed to mend troubled hearts and souls? Cool. I'd like to see this Bible of yours, sultan. It would be a refreshing change from the regular one.

charity · 08-08-2007, 05:42 AM

i consider belly dance like any other. though its history is rooted in the middle east, when i dance it is an expression of myself, my soul and not of a people or culture.

one day if i become good at it, i will pay my respects to those who have allowed me to take this dance and make it my own.

TinaL · 08-08-2007, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shanazel

The Bible says belly dance is a divine gift designed to mend troubled hearts and souls? Cool. I'd like to see this Bible of yours, sultan. It would be a refreshing change from the regular one.

There is a series of articles on Gilded Serpent's archives entitled "God Belly Danced" (5 parts going back quite a ways, but worth the search) that cites biblical references to dancing that might answer this question.

Hope no one minds my just jumping in here

.

08-05-2007, 11:31 PM	#1 (permalink)
nightdancer Moderator Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Below the Mason-Dixon Posts: 196	What is bellydance? So I have spent a fair amount of time looking about, etc. I see a lot of threads criticizing peoples' style as "Thats NOT bellydance", and others praising, "She's an amazing bellydancer.." but to the untrained or inexperienced eye, they look much the same. There are so many fusion styles, etc, out there that people are picking up, and some get criticized (and I do it, too) but others dont. So I thought I would throw this out there for debate. What is belly-dance, by basic and expanded definition? Thank you D Last edited by Anatoliy; 08-06-2007 at 01:43 AM. Reason: Sorry, it didnt occur to me that the title wouldnt hold the formatting

08-06-2007, 03:38 AM	#2 (permalink)
Kharmine V.I.P. Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Foot of the Rocky Mountains Posts: 1,246	This topic has come up again and again. Why not do a search or look at the older threads? You might come up with a different take or question. __________________ What if the hokey pokey is really what it's all about?

08-06-2007, 08:51 PM	#3 (permalink)
nightdancer Moderator Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Below the Mason-Dixon Posts: 196	I did, actually, and didnt really find any that straight up answered the questions. If you have any that you remember, that I am just not putting the right search terms in, I'd really like to read them. I moderate another forum, and "The search engine is masochistic, use it, it likes it..." is part of my signature. However, this forum is vast, and if I am not using the right terms, I'm not going to find the threads that you are thinking of. The ones that I found contained a lot of "Thats just not bellydance" but did not include what it really is, then.

08-06-2007, 08:59 PM	#4 (permalink)
Moon Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: the Netherlands Posts: 3,551	I like the definitian on A'isha Azar's website: Egyptian belly dance is an authentic ethnic dance in movement and spirit. The dance and dancer are the physical manifestation of and visual compliment to the music they accompany. The dance has precise movements based on root concepts.

08-06-2007, 09:02 PM	#5 (permalink)
nightdancer Moderator Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Below the Mason-Dixon Posts: 196	Ooh, that works nicely, thank you so much.

08-08-2007, 12:56 AM	#6 (permalink)
sultan Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Minnesota Posts: 116	Indeed, the issue has come up before and I gave a rather long answer: http://forum.orientaldancer.net/deba...html#post29489 So, at bottom, what is ''belly dance''? It is a divine gift designed to mend troubled hearts and souls. And you have the Bible as authority to prove it!

08-08-2007, 04:09 AM	#7 (permalink)
KuteNurse V.I.P. Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Duluth, Minnesota Posts: 2,898	I am glad you are safe and sound Sultan.

08-08-2007, 04:09 AM	#8 (permalink)
Shanazel Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Rocky Mountains USA Posts: 4,060	The Bible says belly dance is a divine gift designed to mend troubled hearts and souls? Cool. I'd like to see this Bible of yours, sultan. It would be a refreshing change from the regular one.

08-08-2007, 05:42 AM	#9 (permalink)
charity Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: north carolina Posts: 819	i consider belly dance like any other. though its history is rooted in the middle east, when i dance it is an expression of myself, my soul and not of a people or culture. one day if i become good at it, i will pay my respects to those who have allowed me to take this dance and make it my own.