The Historical Origin of Belly Dance

Religious theory

It is believed that belly dance originated from a religious dance, which was performed by a priestess in an ancient temple at the birth ceremony. The tradition of belly dancers dancing barefoot just proves that belly dancing was a religious ceremony in ancient times. Barefoot is to show that they are close to nature and keep the most direct contact with the earth, showing the profound artistic conception of nature and the vitality of human reproduction. From 65438 BC to 0000 BC, dancers can be found in some temple murals in Mesopotamia, Egypt and Greece.

Reproductive worship theory

People think that belly dancing is a kind of dance related to fertility and production, and the movements of belly dancing, especially abdominal movements, are to prepare women for the smooth production. Many abdominal movements in belly dancing are imitations of the abdominal rhythm of women during childbirth.

An American folklorist once recorded the thrilling "dance birth ceremony" she witnessed in a remote village in Morocco: when a Moroccan woman was in labor, other women in the village formed a circle around her. When singing, they do slow but powerful abdominal movements, and their stomachs sometimes roll, sometimes flap and sometimes shake ... until a newborn is born.

Social dance theory

/kloc-Before the European colonists invaded the Middle East in the 9th century, belly dancing was not called belly dancing, but actually a folk dance in Egypt and other Middle Eastern countries. Usually, men, women and children dance at festivals and weddings, which is a social group dance.

However, in conservative Middle Eastern countries with Islam as the main belief, there is a strict tradition of separation between men and women on most occasions. Middle Eastern women only dance at women's parties, not in front of men. These parties sometimes invite professional dancers and musicians. Of course, in some modern cities in the Middle East, the system of separating men from women is not strictly enforced. Occasionally, in some family or social gatherings, men and women will dance together.

Gypsy ancestor theory

People think that belly dancing originated more than 5000 years ago. With the westward migration of Indian Gypsies, their music and dance first spread to the Middle East. When Gypsies finally moved to Europe, a new dance-flamenco was born there, which also explains why modern flamenco and belly dance have many similarities.

Harem theory

This view holds that belly dancing originated from court lust and was a means for the harem beauties of Ottoman Empire to please Sudan. It is said that the way to choose beautiful women in Sudan is to let ladies-in-waiting cover their faces with shawls and dance in front of Sudan only with their bellies exposed.

This statement is very popular with the public because it is full of legend and sensory stimulation, but in fact, it is the most unfounded. All the legends about the harem beauties dancing belly dancing to seduce Sudan actually originated from the speculative description of the harem of Sudan by the European Oriental School in the19th century, which reflected the imagination and yearning of European colonialism for the mysterious Middle East world at that time, but it was by no means true.

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