Video Nation: Bellydance by Margaret Gardener
See Hannah at walesonline.co.uk* (non-BBC website)
Bellydancing is a very misunderstood and misrepresented dance form. Most people are familiar with the bejewelled Arabian princess dancing provocatively for a largely male audience. Unfortunately this seedier side still exists, but it is mainly a dance form that celebrates what it is to be a woman.
From a very young age women are told not to stick their hips out, not to lift their chests and certainly not to shake their behinds, but in bellydancing you do all this. And more. It is a dance that uses the female body to show the beauty and strength in all women.
The movements taught in bellydancing centre on the belly and hip area (which is where Hollywood got the name 'bellydancing'). They are either smooth and flowing such as figure 8s, camels and circles - the graceful and soft movements, or powerful and striking such as shimmies, hip hits and Egyptian walks. Both styles of movement are very feminine, and you will see both in a dance performance or choreography.
Bellydancing is a very active dance which builds muscle strength, especially in the thighs, ankles and hips. It also helps tone the thigh and stomach area as well as improving posture. It is known to help relieve arthritis and muscle pain (it helped get rid of a recurrent problem I was having with back spasms), but I would always ask your dance teacher if it is safe to dance if you have a medical condition.
As well as being a great physical workout it boosts confidence and makes women feel not only aware but proud of their bodies regardless of size and shape. It is a dance that says 'look at all these amazing things I can do with this body', and it enables women to get out of that negative mindset of seeing themselves as too fat or believing their chests are too small. There is no such thing as 'the perfect body' in bellydance, all women can do it.
Plus, of course, it is great fun and you and you get to dress up. Costume is an important part of bellydance and in most classes women will wear a coin belt which not only looks nice but helps to figure out the movements using the sound the belt makes. There are all sorts of costumes to suit all of the different styles of bellydance - ranging from the beaded bra and belt cabaret costume to the heavier 'tribal' costumes that have many layers and turban-style headresses.
The history of the dance itself is quite complex and many dancers and teachers prefer to use the terms 'Arabian Dance' or 'Oriental Dance' rather than bellydance which has a trivial connotation. Its origins are mainly Egyptian, but it is found all across the Middle East and North Africa.
It was originally a ritual dance performed for the Goddess, as well as being a fertility dance that helped during the processes of conception, pregnancy and childbirth. It is believed that it was a dance practised and performed by women for women. The dancing for a male audience came about by men who feared this ancient and powerfully feminine dance and wanted to contain it.
Bellydancing is huge in South Wales at the moment and there are classes in Cardiff, Newport, Monmouthshire, the Valleys and elsewhere.
Check your local leisure centres and community halls for details or see what classes are adverstised on the web.
Hannah Corr is a bellydance teacher and performer in Cardiff
your comments
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Deniz Taylor, teacher in Southend, Essex
Middle Eastern dancing is a wonderful form of dance. It's so good for you physically and emotionally. I love to see my students develop into beautiful confident women in such a small space of time. Great friendships have been made during classes and I have been truly blessed by many of these women.
Nof from Cardiff
There is nothing wrong about belly dance in the Middle East. Muslim parents encourages their children to learn belly dance from early age, its a form of art. I think all belly dancers will have a place in heaven. Please don’t associate belly dance with poll dance for the simpler reason belly dance is a talented individual male or female who can perform fantastic things with their body. Just watch trained belly dancers and see how elegant and graceful their moves are - they let their dance do the talking and it's not about revealing their body.
Jane Shaw from Kerikeri, New Zealand
I began to participate in Egyptian dance classes in Chichester, UK, five years ago, after always having had aspirations to do this, and immediately loved it. As a form of exercise it has been wonderful, both physically and mentally. I now live in the north of New Zealand and was delighted to find that this form of dance is really popular here too. I live in a smallish town but there are classes run by three different tutors from Raqs to tribal....what choice. I perform quite regularly now in a troupe and find it very affirming,especially when you start to hit the menopause and life begins to take on a new emphasis. I love to celebrate life through dancing with my friends and to see others perform. It is also a great gift to share dance with an audience; often I find that the initial stages of any performance (especially at private functions) begin with some tension which I believe is to do with the whole preconcieved notion of what we represent. However after a few hearty zagareets to scare them witless, the audience always warms up and shares our enjoyment of it all. To those who are hesitant I encourage to get to a class and try it!
Pauline from Porthcawl
Belly dance classes have brought fun into my already busy life - good exercise, excellent colleagues and fancy clothes. What more do you want? Thrill the man in your life with a little private performance one day and bring the spice girl out in you!!!!!!!! Enjoy!!
Jilly G from Bridgend
This is for Hayley; there are belly dancing classes in both Porthcawl and Aberkenfig. Do you get the Seaside News? Enjoy, enjoy, the fab rhythms; makes you feel good about everything! I even belly dance while doing the housework nowadays.
Coral Williams, Cwmbran
That was a nice piece of writing and it made me know what people call belly dancing and to know how it started and that it can help loads of problems because I wanted to start belly dancing and it's really made me feel that I can't wait to start thank you.
Aliya
Thanks for your lovely write up Hannah. I really think the dance is what an individual makes it - unfortunately we do only see the sexy cabaret side of it if we see it in a nightclub or on TV, so people are largely unaware of how its actually done by local people in rural areas of the Middle East. I have been teaching Egyptian dance for over 20 years and have just moved to Barry and will be teaching mostly weekends around South Wales later in the year. I also have a huge bazaar from Egypt if anyone needs dance goods - www.tamariskdance.co.uk
Hannah Corr
Hi Rachelle,
While I agree that this dance does 'make you feel sexy', there is a lot more to it than that and I feel your comments hinder the hard work a lot of women are doing to legitamise this dance and highlight its depth and beauty. Yes it's a fertility dance but fertility isn't just about sex! It is about creation and therefore opens up a much wider discussion. Also, having performed for an audience that includes men, I can tell you that they do enjoy seeing women shaking their hips & butts but when a woman starts to dance for herself they get very uncomfortable. Or bored!
Rachelle from Eureka
To go off from what Morgan said, I doubt that men wanted to "contain" the women, I think they just enjoyed watching women shake their rears back and forth. I get a bit sick of hearing abstract cliches such as "You get in touch with your sexuality" or "It highlights your strength". This dance is obviously sexual in nature (fertility rituals?) and it may be good exercise but it's primary function is to make women feel sexy. Which is fine, but just admit it!
Charity from the USA
I will be moving to Bridgend in September 2006 and am excited to learn more about the bellydance community in that part of the world. Is it all in Cardiff and Swansea, or are there teachers/studios in Bridgend? Also, regarding the origins of bellydance, most cultures have matriarchal dances involving movement based on the female body.
Read more of Charity's thoughts on the origins and appeal of bellydance
Morgan of Varteg
Irrespective of the comments that this form of dancing is a matter for women, as a normal male, I find it, as I am sure the bulk of my gender must do, extremely provocative and blood stirring. Keep it up girls, there just has to be a sexual connotation at the base line in all of this. Otherwise why bother. The sight of a female doing her thing with her body in the fashion of the dance, is more than enough to start the old ticker pumping and raising the ...well you know what I'm getting at!
louise james cardiff
are there any bellydancing lessions in cardiff, any that are taking beginers, or starting a new season, would be gratfull if anyone new, thanks louise
Gemma Owens, Caerphilly
In my dance school in Newport, they do bellydancing classes. The place is called dance world
lois from cardiff
i am 10 year old n i think danceing is good for eveyone because u will get fit .if u can dance u get a job like a belly dacer , a dance teacher.lois
anne
how about unfit over 60s starting belly dancing?
darklight dancer
To the poster who said bellydance comes from india:
arabic style dancing has nothing to do with india. ALL dance and movement is related, chance is that if someone thinks they have an original move, it has been thought up before. Expressing yourself through movement isn't a new thing. NO-ONE can say where arabic dancing originated, just the possible influences on dance.
As to people from the 'west' have ruined your culture...:
We live in a world wide community now and share so much that it helps break down the bad racial stereotypes that are out there. Why try and close peoples minds? That only leads to racism. I would never have begun to learn Arabic or study Muslim culture in that case. Do you want people to not understand whatever culture you came from?
Anyone can dance what they like, when they like, whatever their age.
Tracey Bryant
I think Star Dancewear in the High Street Arcade, Cardiff, may have some stuff. Phone 029 2064 4091.
Sue Lloyd
Bellydance classes can be found on the Arabesq website... www.arabesq.co.uk. I teach in Tonteg, Caldicot and Newport. I also have a limited supply of costume, belts and music for sale. You can contact me through my website www.safeena.co.uk
Olgre, West Wales
Is there a shop in Cardiff where you can buy belly dancing costumes? The one in Swansea has very limited stock.
Alexis from Cardiff
I would luv to learn but I feel intimidated as it seems only older women take these classes and I'm worried I would feel out of place. Also are all the costumes neccessary or can u turn up in a t-shirt and jeans?
Dance student, London
Forms of bellydance are found throughout the Middle Eastern and Asian world. The most popular form taught in the UK today is Egyptian Raqs Sharqi ('Eastern dance'). Traditional Indian dance is hardly bellydance but they share elements!
btw, shimmmying quickly instantly relieves back stiffness. Hollywood didn't rename the dance 'bellydance', this was coined at a World Fair a century ago and reversed the fortunes of an American impresario. Hollywood ruined the dance's reputation; dancers did not tend to wear revealing clothing before films featured such costumes.
preeto
fluffy duff i think ur mistaken belly the orignal belly dancers didnt wear saris and ur makin a fool outa urself by wearing one. im indian and belly dancing came from india and i am so dissapointed that belly dancing has been westernised by ppl like u, u have ruint our culture and our dance. belly dance was meant for women who were in labour or who were pregnant not for entertaining men, men were not permitted in the room wen women performed this dance to pregnant women
Chris from USA
Why do people not call it tummydance?
NT
Hannah - I agree with your explanation about bellydancing. I am originally from Cyprus, and I have got lots of good Arab friends. My best friend used to teach me how to dance when I was a teenager. I believe it is in your blood to get this talent, as I cannot dance as well as her!! I love passionate cultures - it is the most beautiful way of communicating. I wish you could teach me how to dance. Do you have dancing classes??
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