History Passed Down BodyWorks By Chandani Middle Eastern Belly Dancing

History Passed Down
BodyWorks By Chandani
Middle Eastern Belly Dance
2250 Red Tide Rd Virginia Beach, Virginia 23451
(757) 313-8000

While studying under Donna Whitley, I learned about the fascinating history of Arabic belly dancing. Donna had the honor of living with the women of the villages in Morocco. She then passed what she learned in Morocco onto the students in her classes. When I first began to teach, Donna reminded me of the 5 major points to remember about Arabic dancing.

1) The term "Belly Dancing" actually came from the Europeans because of their fascination with the use of the abdominal muscles in Arabic Dancing. European folk dancing did not use the abs to the extent that Arabs did.

2) The traditional clothing worn in Moroccan Belly Dancing is called a Kaftan. A garment that fully covers the dancer from neck to ankles - - completely covering the abdomen. A Kaftan is loose enough to dance in and still have a hip scarf tied around the waist.

3) Traditionally women belly dance at gatherings, such as weddings, celebration of a newborn baby, naming celebrations and family gatherings. Women dance for women, such as at the Brides home and men dance for men, such as at the Groom's home.

4) Belly dancing is passed down from generation to generation. From mother to daughter and from father to son.

The payment of dancers reflected the status of their patron as well as the skill of individual performers, and the esteem in which entertainers in general were held by society. At the end of the scale we find Egyptian dancers during the fourth dynasty (2680-2560 BC) being rewarded with gold necklaces and precious jewels. In complete contrast were those dancers who performed in the market-place and whose reward consisted of coins tossed at their feet by passers-by, a tradition which has continued down to the present day. Having nowhere safe to stow their earnings, the dancers incorporated them into their dresses, sewing the coins onto the material itself as part of a bodice or head covering, and onto the shawls which they wore round their hips. Another solution was to convert the money into jewelry which could be worn at all times.

In Arabic dance today, the tinkling of bracelets, anklets, pendants and coin-fringed headscarves provides a festive addition to the musical accompaniment, while the gold and silver sequins covering a modern dance costume have developed directly out of this old tradition of a dancer wearing her wages on her body.

When Ishtar's husband, Tammouz, died (to this very day Tammouz means July in Arabic) and returned to the world of darkness, the womb of the earth, Ishtar decided to save him by craft and to bring back the light. She dressed up in all her splendor, tied a girdle around her hips and donned seven veils to enter the netherworld through seven gates. The goddess of love danced seductively at each gate, each time leaving one veil to gain entrance. At the seventh gate, she removed the last veil. During the whole of her stay in the underworld, all life on earth stood still, deprived of love, growth, and celebration. Only when Ishtar returned, fully veiled to shield her secret from human eyes, did life on earth blossom again. Her reunion with Tammouz was celebrated every year at the beginning of spring and symbolized the reawakening of nature and life.

bellydancing - Tidewater

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