Volume 1 Issue 1 ISSN# 1708-3265
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Belly Dancing, the Original Women's
Movement! by Janet Privett 
What visions come to mind when you hear the term "Belly Dance"? A
"hoochie-coochie" dance perhaps? A sleazy strip show degrading women? A
serious setback to feminism? At the very least, "Belly Dance" conjures
visions of voluptuous women in gossamer costumes, seductive
undulations, and exotic music. Would it surprise you to learn in
ancient times this dance was considered sacred and not intended to be
seen by men at all? Belly Dance is the purest expression of a woman's
natural power, a celebration of womanhood. It was a dance of life, a
dance performed for women by women. Hieroglyphs on the walls of ancient Egyptian temples and tombs portray
women with arms raised in dance. Sometimes it's called the ancient
dance of the Pharaohs, but belly dancing dates back to an era long
before the pyramids were built. It's images were reverently painted on
cave walls at the beginning of time. Prehistoric women had a high mortality rate in the childbearing years.
The original dance was a form of Lamaze, a primitive ritual
preparing a woman for childbirth. Girls from an early age were taught to
practice abdominal undulations, breathing exercises, and to concentrate
on the isolation and strengthening of muscles which might make the
difference between life and death during the birthing process. When a woman went into labor, her female friends and relatives would
gather to act as coaches. They danced to keep her focused on breathing.
In the struggle to create new life, this ritual was a way to both
celebrate the creation of new life and increase the chances of survival
for both mother and child. Early cultures worshiped fertility, and women danced with bare feet
because it connected them directly to the fertility of Mother Earth.
This was a mystical way of uniting forces within the physical and
spirit worlds. When you learn about the history, it's no wonder this
revered dance was passed down through centuries as the dance of the
people and the ultimate in female expression. Belly Dance was a also way for a poor woman to elevate her position in
society by performing in the marketplace. People would throw coins in
appreciation of her skills, and she would sew these coins onto the sash
worn around her hips. This was a way to build and display her dowry so
she could marry into a higher class. To this day, costumes reflect
the tradition with sequins or coins sewn onto sashes or belts. Even the
word "sequin" is from an ancient Turkish term for a gold coin. With the arrival of patriarchal religions and the Dark Ages, this
celebration of womanhood was demoted to a
performance for male entertainment. Women's freedoms were taken, and
the law required veils. The original spark of belly dancing went
underground and became the first feminist rebellion. Women still
performed the dance when they gathered without men present. Imagine how
liberating it must have felt to remove those hot and heavy veils and
whirl in the cool air of the harem. Belly dance became a dance of
protest, an expression of freedom, the first "burning of the bra!" Some sources say the term "belly" dance comes from the word Baladi
which means "of the people," a country dance belonging to everyone. The
French named it "dance du ventre," or dance of the stomach. Middle
Easterners also call it "danse orientale" or simply Middle Eastern
dance. Influences came from all around the Middle East, Turkey, India, Persia,
Afghanistan, North Africa, and many other sources; including elements
blended from each region or tribe, which had developed its own style. Rhythmic instruments called finger-cymbals or "zills" were worn on the
thumb and middle finger of each hand. Gypsies brought the Middle
Eastern dance to Spain where zills became the Spanish Flamenco dancer's
castanets. Many legends surround Middle Eastern Dance. In the legend of the sword
dance, a woman would perform for the enemy camp with a sword balanced
on her head. Men of her village would have been killed, but the enemy
thought a woman was no threat and welcomed the entertainment. While the
men were too mesmerized by her movements to react, she would grab the
hilt, stab the sheik, and escape into the desert night. Women of any age and without any dance background can master the
natural and fluid belly dancing movements. It is an artistic expression
of the music, like watching the music come alive. Unlike ballet, there
are no set rules. Instead, it's based on personal interpretation.
Attempts to standardize the dance into named steps have failed because
this is a dance of individual expression, a journey of self-discovery.
There is no wrong way for a woman to express her mysterious, sensual
spirit with her own captivating movements. This dance of freedom is
unique to each woman. It's the closest thing to flying without wings. Health benefits include increased strength and flexibility, weight
loss, improved posture, vitality, sensuality and enthusiasm for life.
Because the dance is non-impact, doctors have recommended it for
recovery after injuries or childbirth, for the elderly, and for the
management of arthritis and back injuries. Most women gain confidence,
and improve balance and grace. Practice reconnects the body, mind and
spirit in an experience which can be magical for the dancer and for
anyone watching. I can speak from personal experience because belly dancing helped me
lose 40 lbs. and gain confidence. Anything which is so influential has
to affect all aspects of your life. I used my dance background in my
newly released action-adventure novel, "Power of Love". The main
character is a Belly Dance instructor who escapes a dangerous situation by
using her dance skills in a most unusual way. Isadora Duncan, one of the world's most famous dancers, was a champion
of women's rights. She transformed modern dance with influence from
Middle Eastern Dance, and gave the most beautiful and profound
description of the dance I've ever read: Go ahead, you can do it. Learn to belly dance! Find hinges in your body you never knew you had, and loosen up those rusty joints. Put the
magic of romance back in your relationship. Join the oldest Women's
Movement. Celebrate your femininity and let your soul fly! Like the character in her award-winning novel, "Power of Love", Janet
Privett is an environmentalist, a belly dance instructor, and is
married to her high school sweetheart. Reviewers hail Janet's writing
as "powerful, a journey full of vivid imagery and riveting action. Her
descriptions shimmer with imagery which would do a poet proud."
Please visit her website and you can contact
her via e-mail. |
Copyright (c) 2003 by Timeless Spirit Magazine. All articles are the copyright of the particular writers and cannot be reprinted without their expressed permission. All rights reserved. International copyright laws prohibit reproduction of or distribution of this page by any means whatsoever, electronic or otherwise, without first obtaining the written permission of the copyright holder. We retain legal counsel to protect our copyrights.
Any advice given is for informational purposes only.
