BELLY DANCE WORLD

BELLY DANCE WORLD

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

ANCIENT EGYPTIAN BELLY DANCE



Belly Dance in Ancient Egypt
Banquet scene from the tomb of Nebamun

Part 1: Are They Really Belly Dancing?

by Andrea Deagon Ph.D.
posted October 19, 2009

One of the most popular illustrations of ancient Egyptian dance in any medium is a painted fresco from the tomb of Nebamun, a nobleman who died sometime around 1400 BCE.  The scene is a banquet in which Nebamun, his family and friends are entertained with endless cups of drink amidst tables piled high with food, enjoying good companionship, and, of course, music and dance.  In its position on his tomb’s wall, this scene of pleasure and celebration was what we might think of as a “magical” representation. 
It invoked the interconnected powers of prosperity, abundance, sensuality, and life force that ensured the rebirth of Nebamun and his family into eternal comfort and pleasure.
In the register below the banquet itself, four musicians, all women, play for Nebamun and his family.  One plays an aulos, a double-reed instrument that would have sounded something like an oboe with a drone.  One appears to sing, while the other two clap for rhythmic accompaniment – Egyptian hand-clapping was a musical form in itself and was capable of providing complex rhythms.  To their right, before a table of offerings, there are two dancing figures. Superimposed on one another and facing in opposite directions, seemingly lost in their own movement, these lovely young women both lean slightly forward as they dance.  One has her hands raised over her head, her fingers entwined in the two-handed finger snap illustrated in the art of several ancient cultures and still common throughout the Middle East today.  The other’s hands reach evocatively forward.
muscians and dancers
Musicians and dancers from the tomb of Nebamun
Like the girls who serve the banqueters in the upper register, both dancers are nude except for their jewelry: a wide necklace, bracelets, a headband worn over an ornamental beaded wig, and a hip belt. 
This same “bejeweled nakedness” is seen in other dancers in Egyptian art of the same period, but jewelry of this sort was worn over clothing by elite women.  In various elite tombs (and now on display in many of the world’s major  museums), archeologists have unearthed wide, beaded collars, bracelets originally worn several at a time, and beaded hip belts that would have rustled gently as the wearer walked (or danced) along.
Who were these dancers?  Since they and the serving girls are dressed alike, could they be household servants, one of whose duties is dancing?  Or are they professional entertainers?  Are they prostitutes?  Or, given their youth – daughters?  And what is the significance of their dance at this otherworldly banquet?
dancers close up
Dancers from the tomb of Nebamun
The Nebamun dancers are probably already familiar to most belly dancers who spend any time online, because they are used to illustrate the “ancient history” segment of any number of belly dance web sites.  They also feature prominently a s illustrations in more general discussions of ancient Egyptian dance.  Though these dancing figures are unusual in Egyptian art in many ways, they are the iconic representation of ancient “belly dance” for the modern world.  These two nearly-naked dancers subtly shape our ideas about the nature of ancient Egyptian dance, and by projection, modern belly dance. 
So what impressions do the Nebamun dancers create of our (as it is often described) “ancient art”? 
On one hand, a voyeuristic reading of the Nebamun dancers as “belly dancers” contributes to the idea of belly dancing as only or essentially sexy seduction, done for the pleasure of the elite at their banquets, and done in the nude, no less. 
On the other hand, the nudity of the Nebamun dancers can be understood as expressing an honest sexuality that is different from the kind of sensuality exuded by the odalisques and harems that so often feature in orientalizing visions of historical belly dance.  This honesty can serve as an exemplar to the modern belly dancer, who must often struggle through layers of self-repression to find her own sensual self. 
But these are just impressions.  The more important question is what is the reality behind the image of sensual, even sexual belly dance the Nebamun dancers seem to display?  Given that they are used so freely to illustrate ancient belly dance, what can the Nebamun dancers actually tell us about the history of belly dance?
Two very significant questions about them remain:
  • Are they really belly dancing?
  • And are they really naked?
Are They Really Belly Dancing?
The real first question is, “What is belly dance?”  Many elements of the modern practice of belly dance emerged in the 20th century. 
Our emphasis on the female soloist, the structure of the typical show in both the East and the West, the style of music we dance to, our costuming, our specific styles of relationship with the audience, and so on, are modern developments.
 Obviously they are still evolving, or we wouldn’t be rushing off to workshops in Egypt or to Tribal festivals or wherever else we go for our favored brand of the modern phenomenon.  We can’t assume that the ideals that define modern belly dance existed in antiquity.  The past is not the place to look (for example) for the personification of dela’a to music or the snaky archetypes of the Tribe.
For the purpose of ancient history, you have to look for a much broader phenomenon.  Its central elements are:
  1. location in the Middle East and North Africa,
  2. solo-improvisation (dances improvised to music by the individual dancer), and
  3. a focus on hip articulation and hand and arm movement. 
This style of dancing has its roots in social dances done throughout the Middle East by both men and women.  Although it has many specific forms in different periods, its recent forms reflect aesthetics common in the Middle East:
  • attention to detail,
  • subtlety,
  • emotional or expressive content,
  • serial structure,
  • circular energy,
  • the dancer’s ability to “play” around a theme until she is ready to move on, and so on. 
We tend to associate these ideas with Islamic culture, but they predate Islam, as the visual art of Middle Eastern cultures reveals.  So it is possible that these aethetics also appeared in pre-Islamic dance as well. The dance is non-narrative – that is, it doesn’t primarily tell a story (though in some manifestations it might). [1] When I speak of “belly dance” in history, as in ancient Egypt here, this broader phenomenon is what I mean.
Funerary Dance
Funerary Dance
Since dance leaves nothing physical behind, it’s very difficult to prove anything about any dance form in the ancient world, and when you can, it’s only in a broad and general way.  This is certainly true of ancient Egypt.  In contrast to other cultures of the ancient Middle East and North Africa, there are many, many illustrations of dance in ancient Egypt in situations that range from banquets to family celebrations to festivals to religious and funerary rituals.
Egyptian art is very stylized, however, and definitely not oriented toward depicting a straightforward reality.
The convention of portraying the human figure with feet, legs, and face in profile, but chest and eye straight-on, that Egyptian artists are not good “witnesses” for the details of the dances of their time.  In addition, Egyptian art was conservative, in that many of its conventions persisted for millennia virtually unchanged.  This might obscure actual changes in dance (and other practices).[2]
Given these limitations in the art, we might despair of ever finding anything that could be considered evidence of belly dance in ancient Egypt. 
acrobat on a pot shardAnd there’s more.  Most of the dancing illustrated in Egypt seems to be either acrobatic, or oriented toward leg movement.  The most common hieroglyph for “dance” includes a pictogram of a foot.  A quick scan of Egyptian art for something like belly dance could come up dry.[3]

Roman Relief Sculpture depicting the Apis Bull Festival
On the other hand, while Egyptian art might not give us much unequivocal evidence of belly dance, one piece of Roman art does: a relief sculpture of the 2nd century CE found in Italy, now in the Terme Museum, and illustrated in Fritz Weege’s Der Tanz in der Antike and in other later sources.[4] It represents the popular Egyptian festival of the Apis bull. Many elements are meant to make it obvious to Roman viewers that the scene is set in Egypt, from the statues in the Egyptian style that stand at its borders, to its use of  baboons and ibis (both associated with the Egyptian god Thoth) as decorative elements.  In the center section, a group of women dance while men lean forward, clapping in rhythm.  The Roman artists are showing a form of music and dance that is typically Egyptian. Close up of women dancing Presumably Romans were aware of Egyptian rhythmic clapping as a musical form, and it is carefully illustrated here.  Also, the artists have taken great care to illustrate the women’s hips as protruding, and their hands in unusual positions. 
In other words, they are clearly indicating a form of dance in which the hips, hands and arms are used in ways that were foreign to Rome.  The dancers are all in different positions, suggesting solo-improvisation. 
Roman ZilsThis relief sculpture confirms the evidence for belly dance we find in Roman literature of the time.  Several Roman authors of the first century CE describe the hip articulations, shimmies, languid arm movements, and zil-playing of female dancers from Syria and other points east as well as the Syrian settlement of Gades in Spain.  Other literary clues suggest that the average Roman was quite aware of this different style of dancing. [5] As in 19th century accounts of belly dance, the most detailed descriptions come from outsiders who comment on its difference from their own styles of dance.
So we have strong evidence that “belly dance” was recognized as typical of Egyptian celebrations (and other Eastern practices) by the Romans by the 2nd century CE.  It is likely that belly dance was a widespread folk dance form in Egypt and other parts of the Middle East before then as well.  There’s every reason to believe that ancient Egyptians belly danced – why wouldn’t they?  Just as we wouldn’t expect my Celtic ancestors to belly dance, based on their later dances, we don’t have any reason to think the ancient Egyptians didn’t, based on what we know of their dances from the second century CE to the present day.
Then where is belly dance in Egyptian art?
The techniques of belly dance, which involve hip articulation and hand movements, are not as easy to portray as acrobatics or leaping in a conservative medium like Egyptian art.  The Roman frieze portrays them deliberately by highlighting their strange (to the Romans) action. if Egyptian artists were to incorporate belly dance into appropriate scenes, they wouldn’t necessarily try to replicate its physical appearance.  Instead, they would rely on iconographical elements that their audiences would recognize.
“Iconography” simply means a traditional way of depicting something or someone in art.  It is a way of conveying complex meanings through visual images to “readers” within the culture.
Musicians and Dancers from the Tomb of Nakht, For example, in the Western world, if you see a woman wrapped in a blue cloak holding a baby in her arms, both with halos, you can be completely sure that you have the Virgin Mary and the baby Jesus, with all the complex meanings about motherhood and salvation and so on that the story evokes.  On another level, if you see an image of a man in a suit striding down a city street, clutching a briefcase and talking into his cell phone, then you probably have a businessmen on his way to an important meeting.  A simple image can carry a great deal of meaning – if you are a cultural insider who knows instinctively what halos, briefcases and cell phones imply. 
I suggest that the ancient Egyptian iconography of belly dance (at least in the New Kingdom) is very subtle, but can be found in many scenes of female musical troupes.  Kheners are usually understood to be “troupes of musicians and dancers” – that is, the expectation is that their entertainment will involve both music and dance. [6] Obviously, musicianship is implied by the playing of instruments, or by the hands held in a clapping position. 
Dance – and I believe, belly dance – is shown iconographically when one or more of the women has the heel of her back foot raised from the ground, especially if her arms are raised, or she is looking over her shoulder.
The “heel up” iconography is very common in groups of women musicians.  It could simply mean that the women are moving around as they play, but usually, when walking motion is implied in Egyptian art, it’s conveyed by the legs apart in a stride.  I suggest that the “heel up” iconography shows that dancing is (or at least appropriately would be) in the scene – and that most likely it represents a form of dance, like belly dance, that does not involve obvious (and easily depicted) leg movement.  I don’t think it always means that the heel-up figure herself is dancing – for example, in instances where a lute-player has her heel up, I suggest the implication is that dancing is going on, not that that one figure is dancing while playing her lute. 
If this reading of Egyptian dance iconography is correct, then belly dance shows up in a number of different situations.  It appears in household celebrations welcoming a triumphant head of household back home.  It appears in banquets.  It appears as the recreation of elite women as they relax at home.  It occurs among professional musicians at many festive occasions.  It appears at festivals, performed by groups of women who also play frame drums.  It appears in scenes of musicians and dancers that decorate the altars of “middle class” households, symbolizing the protection, joy and wealth (material, spiritual, and emotional) that the deities Hathor and Bes bring to the home.[7]
A homecoming celebration, Tomb of Ay, c. 1300 BCE
A homecoming celebration, Tomb of Ay, c. 1300 BCE
In the royal apartments at Amarna; from the tomb of Ay
In the royal apartments at Amarna; from the tomb of Ay
In fact, it appears in many of the contexts where we would expect to find belly dance in the modern or recent Middle East.
So, while there is no proof that there was belly dance in ancient Egypt, there is every reason to think that there was, and that in some aspects, at least, it played roles similar to those it plays today.
So back to the Nebamun dancers. Are they belly dancing?  Maybe, and maybe not.  There are no other scenes in which the dancers are positioned exactly like the Nebamun dancers.  They don’t fit the iconography I propose for belly dance.  They don’t fit the standard for any other kind of dance or movement. There’s nothing exactly like them.  Why not? 
Perhaps because the artist of the Nebamun paintings, whose work has been identified in other tombs of the same time period, was that rarity in Egyptian tradition: an innovator. 
This can be seen, for example, in how he portrays some of the musicians in full face rather than in profile.  So if the Nebamun artist wanted to depict belly dance, he might not have followed the conventional iconography anyway. 
But there are other factors to consider, however.  These dancers are not just performing at any old party.  “The event,” says Egyptologist Gay Robins, “may refer to a meal eaten at the tomb at the time of burial, but it also represents the meal shared by family members at the tomb once a year during the Beautiful Festival of the Valley … it has been suggested that these scenes encode references to sexuality and rebirth.”[8]  Now, the dead enjoy the same sorts of things the living do, so belly dancing may be appropriate at parties in their honor, but we can’t assume that this banquet is one more in the procession of homecoming and festival scenes offered in which a khener included belly dance in its celebratory offerings – assuming that of the iconography is correct and that is what they were doing in the first place.
The elite context also has to be taken into account.  It’s possible that the average Egyptian man or woman, partying at the local Hathor festival or celebrating the birth of a child or just relaxing at the end of the day might have done something we would recognize as “belly dance” (defined broadly), and that the professionals they could have afforded to employ would have danced in much the same style. 
But for many elite women, musical training was a significant element of their education, and there were professional acrobatic dancers, employed by temples and performing for the general public who reached a high level of technical expertise and clearly must have rehearsed to dance in close unison.  In other dance styles, a very high standard had been set among elite audiences at least.
Perhaps the positions of the Nebamun dancers do suggest solo improvisation and torso-oriented movement, the foundation of “belly dance.” Yet it is also possible that the dances performed for the elite classes, even those that were based traditions of solo improvisation and hip and arm movement, had evolved into something quite different from the social dancing based on the same techniques.   After all, modern Egyptian raqs sharqi has distinguished itself from the folk dances that are still practiced alongside it by adopting modern elements that differ in many ways from traditional practice.  So while the dance of the performers at elite ancient Egyptian banquets and raqs sharqi might have similar origins, they might have evolved in very different directions as they developed to meet the aesthetic expectations of the elite audiences they served in their own times and places. 
So if the Nebamun dancers were “real girls” – and of course, if they invested in some rather less revealing costumes and ditched their wigs, which would strike us as just bizarre – would they be hired on as belly dancers in any nightclub from Cairo to Istanbul to San Francisco, even including Tribal coffee houses, dancing as they did?  Probably not.  At the same time, the roots of their movement style and dance aesthetics may well have come from the dance traditions of solo-improvisation and hip, torso and arm movement that arose in the milieu of the ancient Middle East. 
So, the answer to the question, “Are they belly dancing,” really depends on how you define the term.  Define “belly dancing” broadly enough – and that may mean, really, really broadly – and you’re probably entitled to answer “Yes.”

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

BELLY DANCERS IN LONDON ENGLAND


AKAYSHA - "Akaysha is known for her mind blowingly powerful shimmies, flowing movements, energetic persona & her individual style.  In a mixture of movements inspired by legends of the past, Akaysha performs original choreography & improvisation to recorded or live modern & traditional middle eastern music."    

AMBER - "Experimental middle eastern dance artist, traditional Arabic to Romany cabaret to interactive technology 



ANNE WHITE - delicious & entrancing, fun & authentic performer ... see Anne's comprehensive PLANET EGYPT website for more details.   




ASAKI - "Asaki is a professional performer & instructor known for her elegant & feminine style.  Asaki has trained in Tokyo, Dublin, San Francisco & the UK.  Her favourite style is oriental cabaret, together with baladi & Persian (Iranian) dance."




ASMAHAN - "a professional authentic Oriental dancer whose stage career has spanned 20 years.  She has danced in the most prestigious night clubs & 5 star hotels in the middle eastern show business world." Asmahan's experience & credits are simply too numerous to mention - see her extensive website for full details.    


ATIYA -"Atyiya performs with musicians every week at Turkish & Greek restaurants in London & the south east.  She is available for weddings, theme nights, corporate events, galas & other events.  Performances are varied & may include veil, double veil, finger cymbals, sword balancing & fire eating.  Atiya's shows are suitable for the whole family & audience participation is encouraged."  



CASSIA - "I am a professional belly dancer with 10 years' belly dance experience, & a ballet, jazz & latin dance background.  I have performed at corporate events, weddings, hotels, restaurants, clubs & festivals & on TV.  I perform sword ballancing, shamadan, cymbals, wings, double veils, vases & other props" - new website coming soon ... 


CAITLYN - "Belly dance shows in Oxford, London, anywhere in the UK, Arabic and Turkish dance shows & lessons."


CYNTHIA - "Fusing a solid understanding of traditional & modern Egyptian dance with other influences, Cynthia has created her own style of belly dance, one that has her very much in demand as a performer throughout the UK at various public & private events.  Captivating audiences with her powerful presence, inner fire & fine skill, Cynthia portrays belly dance as a true art form."


ESHTA - "Introducing entrancing Eshta, belly dancer in south west London.  Eshta is available for bookings for parties, social events, restaurants & a whole range of venues & occasions.  Props such as stick, sword & veil can be incorporated.  The length & format of show can be varied according to venue & type of event."  Co-organiser of the Saqarah monthly hafla.



EVA GREEN - "A naturally talented dancer, Eva brings a passionate & impeccable interpretation of Middle Eastern music to her bellydance performing & teaching.  Well established in south west London & Surrey, she teaches all levels from beginners to budding professionals, both nationally & internationally, at workshops & festivals.  She is available for bookings as a solo artist, as a duo with the Duende Oriental or with her troupe the Bellybabes. Arabic theme parties can be arranged.

FARAH NASRINE - "A professional belly dancer, instructor & choreographer.  Her dancing talents include a variety of modern & traditional belly dance styles - cabaret, baladi, saiidi - & north African folklore.  She performs regularly in the UK & France, & has been highly congratulated for her professionalism, energy & the enjoyable atmosphere she creates." - photo coming soon ... 

FLEUR ESTELLE - "Fleur was recently featured on BBC's Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two, has appeared in music videos, performed alongside Akon on ITV and in the BBC1 drama series Hustle. She has performed at many top venues in the UK and abroad. Fleur can provide tailor made performances for any event." 

 FRANCESCA - "Francesca offers a harmonious blend of authentic middle eastern choreography with contemporary overtones.  A sensual & elegant performer who radiates both tranquillity & excitement, she is a pure & perfect introduction to the rare, precious treasure that belly dancing truely is.  Francesca is already well established in london but available for performances at events, shows & productions."


GALIT MERSAND - (right) - "As a performer, Galit's stage presence is mesmerising, & her training in ballet, contemporary dance and street jazz is apparent. Galit's flare for drama adds a narrative to her dance style which is unique. Her constant desire to enrich & challenge her own dance skills results in an original and versatile style.  Galit is available for performances at events, shows & productions"

GISELLE - more details coming soon ... 

   
HANNA H MI(left) - "Hannah specialises in tribal, Turkish Romani, cabaret, whirling and the sacred. She is available to perform at festivals, weddings, events and special occasions."  Hannah is an experienced & high profile professional dancer.



COMING SOON! HARRIET GERVASIO ...
HAZEL KING - "Hazel King (Hadiza) has danced for 16 years, specialising in hen parties, corporate events & ladies' birthday parties.  She teaches the guests, so that Egyptian dance can be for all!  Hazel can be booked with her live drummer & duet partner.  An Equity member, she has performed for the BBC, Cafe Royal, British Museum & Morgan Stanley Bank."
 
HELEN (right) - "Helen spent 7 years as a competition ballroom & Latin dancer (studying under Ian Waite of BBC TV's Strictly Come Dancing).  She now performs as a solo belly dance artist & appears regularly in shows, concerts, restaurants, weddings, professional showcases & other events.  Helen is noted for her clean, elegant style & an all-embracing attention to musical interpretation.  Helen has featured as a soloist & troupe performer with Egyptian  percussion maestro Hossam Ramzy"


JACQUELINE CHAPMAN (left) - "Britain's best known belly dancer" 


JAMEELA - "Jameela is a beautiful professional top london belly dancer working all over the UK.  She has performed at many prestigious events & on national TV.  If you wish, Jameela can be accompanied by her Arabic band Mahrajene.  Performance can include veil, Isis wings, cymbals, stick & sword.  Jameela also teaches & runs belly dance holidays"

JEELAN - details coming soon ...
JOHARA - details coming soon ...
JOSEPHINE WISE (right) - "is acknowledged as a leading exponent of Arabic Dance and her dancing style is known for its authenticity and expressiveness" 




KATHRYN - "regularly performs at conferences, shows, hen nights, weddings & charity events.  She is a member of the El Amiraat trio of belly dancers.  Her specialities are modern Egyuptian & baladi, saidi, fusion & veil dancing"


KATIE HOLLAND  - "Katie has been involved with Egyptian dance for 13 years. Combining tradition with her unique interpretation of an ancient culture, Katie enthuses & inspires magical energy. She specialises in Isis wings, sword, stick, fusion (a mix of African, Bollywood, Samba, Flamenco & Salsa), tantric sacred Nepalese dance & the martial art of Tai Chi.  Katie lives & works (performing & teaching) mainly in India & Nepal, visiting the UK regularly to organise her popular Bodies & Beats World Music & Dance festival, & appears at select special events (eg the MAJMA dance festival, & with Hossam & Serena Ramzy). She performs regularly with Graeme of UB40 & FUTJI (Afro/German band), at socialite weddings, river cruises & corporate events, & as a film extra."



KHALISHA (right) - "Khalisha is a graceful & expressive dancer with a predominantly Egyptian oriental style. She lives to dance & dances to live.  Khalisha is a trained cabaret dancer & has performed in Paris, Luxembourg, Portugal & Belgium. She currently dances in middle eastern & Indian restaurants in London & Kent, & is available for weddings, corporate parties or other special occasions."

 
KIMBERLY MACKOY (left) - "Kimberly Mackoy studied tribal fusion dance under Rachel Brice, Frederique David, Jill Parker & other jaw-dropping innovators in bellydance in San Francisco. Her style blends buttery continuous movement with energetic hip work, utilizing modern & ancient elements to transcend the usual boundaries around regions & moments in time." 

 
LYDIA (right) - "Lydia is a belly dancer specialising in Greek tsifteteli music.  She is available for bookings for parties & events.  Her costumes & the songs she dances to can be suited to your occasion"
 

MAYLYNN - "A dynamic & engaging performer, Maylynn provides quality bellydance performance & instruction with strong foundations in the rich history & traditions of Middle Eastern dance, & explorations of urban & world styles."  A sensuous & captivating performer at the recent Shimmy Shake Show!

 


MARIA ... new to London, more details coming soon!   

 

MELISSA (pictured right at Planet Egypt) - stunning Turkish belly dancer

MELISSA ABRAHAM  (below right) - "Of Swedish/Middle Eastern origin, Melissa has lived in Cairo & the Nile delta.  Her perceptive interpretaton of Arabic music is reflected in the panache of her choreography.  She is known for her graceful (often slightly cheeky!) style, & her elegant, pretty cabaret dancing & folkloric styles.   Melissa is available for performances at weddings, corporate events, restaurants, parties, haflas, shows & charity events."  Contact Melissa by phone (up to midnight) on 020 8 657 4229 or by email

 

MELISSA PINA - "Melissa is both a trained dancer & a belly dancer with a unique style that has the reputation of mesmerising all who see her. She is well known for her charisma, energy & passion. Melissa has performed for artists such as Alabina Ishtar, Des-c & Punjabi MC, for the Asian Music Awards (including cheography) & Nike, & has appeared on BBC2's Strictly Come Dancing It Takes 2 & BBC3’s Don't Tell the Bride. Her technique & movement is by far unmatched, & the belly dance & belly dance fusions she performs are extraordinary. Melissa is the artistic director of the BabyBliss Girls fusion dance company."



MIA SERRA - "Mia is the director of the Mia Serra School of Belly Dance in central London & professional dance company the BellyBliss Allstars. In her nine years belly dancing at professional level, Mia has been invited to perform around the globe, from the dunes of the Sahara to the Royal Festival Hall. She has performed on TV, released her own DVDs & toured with many bands, including Oojami, & has performed for many top organisations including MTV, Goldman Sachs, Sandhurst Mlitary Academy & the Wimbledon Championships."

MICHAELLA - "One of London's leading belly dance artists and teachers. She is an entrancing performer of classical Egyptian dance", "Michaella is a beautiful and graceful London-based belly dancer and teacher, specialising in Egyptian and fusion dance forms. Her thrilling performances confirm her reputation as a leading belly dance artist.




CAASI 
- "Full of Eastern promise, Caasi is an exciting belly dancer who has captivated audiences worldwide with her sensuous and dynamic style."  

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

BELLY DANCE IN JAPAN

A brief background on belly dancing -- in Japan and abroad

Belly dance, or to be true to the Arabic, "Raqs Sharqi -- Oriental dance," comes from the Middle East, where long ago it played a role in rituals for purification, harvests, childbirth, marriage and death. It meandered its way around Europe and the Americas in the 18th and 19th centuries and finally made its way to Japan in 1984, when a Japanese woman who had studied in the States opened the first belly dance studio. Though just a handful of women took an interest, more foreign dancers arrived in the 1990s.
Sadia, 56, a Lebanese American from California, was one of them. These were the days before Japanese fashion mags hyped its 'get slim' benefits, and before Shakira, the Colombian pop star who made it a signature part of her dance style.

The tipping point came around five years ago when the scene in Tokyo exploded, and dancers like Sadia found themselves in demand. "Most do it to feel better about themselves," Sadia told me. "They want to be more feminine and sexy, and if they stay with it long enough, they will develop more self-confidence. Many even take on a Middle Eastern name."

Meeting the local belly dancers

One woman who's undergone such a transformation is Keiko Adachi, a 27-year-old Hokkaido native based in Osaka, who goes by "Kerime." Just like her Tokyo counterparts, she's got regular gigs and 60 students who attend her ten weekly classes.

belly dancing in Japan
Henna, dressed in American cabaret garb, improvising to a violin playing the Egyptian classic, "Samia's Dance", at a Moroccan restaurant in Tokyo.
On a recent Saturday evening, I went to see her perform at Nazar, a Turkish restaurant in Osaka. As she twirled, shook and shimmied her way through the narrow aisle that was her stage, the audience watched wide-eyed. At the end, she got half of them to get up and join her. Afterwards, I asked her about the popularity of belly dance. Kerime pondered this for a moment, and said, "Work and pressures of daily life keep Japanese women's femininity down. Belly dancing sets this part of them free."

One of her students at the show, Satomi Kondo, an office worker who is 27, explained she first got curious about belly dancing two years ago because of Shakira, though she ended up getting more out of it than she bargained for. "I used to think just looking good was important," she said, "and I thought belly dancing would make my body more attractive. But after learning, I realized I should try to be beautiful on the inside, too."

Belly dance entrepreneurialism

Japanese dancers are plentiful, so when it comes to getting gigs, foreigners have an edge. This is what Heather Hemphill, a 29-year-old from Oregon, found when she landed in Tokyo four years ago. After an unsuccessful run in Taiwan, she decided to give the booming Tokyo scene a try and, shortly after arriving, was performing four to five nights a week under the stage name Henna. She sees the appeal as a no-brainer: "You learn a craft, get a workout, and you eventually get to wear something sparkly and perform."

To meet the growing demand for all things belly dance, even non-dancers have been getting a piece of the action. Take Ihab "Bob" Sultan, 32, an Egyptian who settled in Kansai a decade ago. His business is thriving. A year ago, he opened a studio in Osaka that already has 70 students, and he's got a team of dancers that do parties around the country. He has also been promoting belly dancing events at clubs and theaters for the past four years, and his most ambitious yet, the Kansai Belly Dance Festival, takes place in May.

Whether or not belly dancing is another passing Japanese fad remains to be seen, but one thing's for sure: Its benefits go way beyond merely getting slim. As Henna put it, belly dancing is a celebration of herself, a way of saying, "This is my body, I'm proud of it and I'm going to decorate it and shake it around."

Tokyo belly dancing dancers/teachers

Sadia: www.bellyqueenjapan.com, E-mail: mail@bellyqueenjapan.com

Farasha: www.farasha.jp, E-mail: info@farasha.jp

Henna: www.hennadances.com, E-mail: info@hennadances.com

Filiz Eren: www.oriental-harem-filiz.com, E-mail: harem@oriental-harem-filiz.com

Mishaal: www.mishaal.com, E-mail: mishaall@me.com

Karima: www.karima.jp, E-mail: karima_info@graphova.jp

Tokyo belly dance venues

Hannibal Tunisian Restaurant: Tokyo Building YFL B1, Sendagaya 3-53-3, Shibuya-ku, tel. 03 3479 3710, http://www.hannibal.cc/

Ginza Istanbul: Tokyo Ginza Corridor Street, Ginza 7-2, Chuo-ku, tel. 03 6252 4080, http://www.istanbul.co.jp/ (There are also Akasaka and Shinjuku locations)

Harem Turkish Restaurant: CI Plaza B1, Kita Aoyama 2-3-1, Minato-ku, tel: 03 5786 2929, http://www.harem.co.jp/

Palmyra Arabic Restaurant: Ikebukuro 2-58-8, Toshima-ku, tel. 03 3981 8293, http://www.palmyra-ib.com/

Shamaim Israeli Restaurant: Art Bldg. 2F, Sakae-cho 4–11, Nerima-ku, tel. 03 3948 5333, r.gnavi.co.jp/fl/en/g868500

Sinbad Lebanese Restaurant: I-Land Tower Bldg. B1, Nishi-Shinjuku, tel. 03 3343 3783, http://www.tradina.com/0333433783/
(Preview image of belly dancer by Hanta Arita.)

Isabelle Djamilah - Belly dance classes in Fukuoka, .
Isabelle Djamilah
Fukuoka, Japan
Type of lessons: weekly class and private lessons
Dance style: Egyptian raqs sharqi
Phone: 092-712-5608    E-mail    
Alegra - Gypsy Queen Oriental Dance Company - Belly dance classes in Tokyo, .
Alegra - Gypsy Queen Oriental Dance Company
Tokyo, Japan
Type of lessons: Daily classes
Dance style: Egyptian Raqs Sharqi
Phone: 81-80-3090-3512    E-mail    
Lisa Culture Salon - Belly dance classes in Osaka, .
Lisa Culture Salon
Osaka, Japan
Type of lessons: Daily, weekly, workshops, privates
Dance style: Belly Dance, Raqs Sharqi, Oriental Tansi, American Tribal
Phone: 06-6377-0628    E-mail    
Henna - Belly dance classes in Tokyo, Chiba, .
Henna
Tokyo, Chiba, Japan
Type of lessons: Weekly classes, private lessons
Dance style: Egyptian Raqs Sharqi, American Cabaret, American Tribal Style
Phone: 080-1249-8759    E-mail    
Tania Luiz-Shahmeran Dance - Belly dance classes in Osaka, .
Tania Luiz-Shahmeran Dance
Osaka, Japan
Type of lessons: Daily Classes
Dance style: Turkish Oryantal, Egyptin Raks Sharki, Assaya, Khaleji
Phone: +81-90-39650419    E-mail    
Filiz Eren - Belly dance classes in Tokyo, .
Filiz Eren
Tokyo, Japan
Type of lessons: Workshops, privates, daily or weekly classes
Dance style: Belly dance, Oryantal
Phone: 090-2029-8846    E-mail    
Sadia,  Belly Queen Japan - Belly dance classes in Tokyo, .
Sadia, Belly Queen Japan
Tokyo, Japan
Type of lessons: Daily Classes, private lessons, workshops
Dance style: Oriental Dance, Egyptian, Lebanese, Turkish
Phone: 090-1806-4739    E-mail    
Ayperi - Belly dance classes in West Tokyo (Suginami-Ku), .
Ayperi
West Tokyo (Suginami-Ku), Japan
Type of lessons: Instructional video, privates
Dance style: Belly Dance, Raqs Sharqi, Neo-Classical
Phone: 090-8464-6587    
Malgorzata - Belly dance classes in Osaka, .
Malgorzata
Osaka, Japan
Type of lessons: workshops, privates, weekly classes
Dance style: Belly Dance
E-mail    
Mishaal - Belly dance classes in Tokyo, .
Mishaal
Tokyo, Japan
Type of lessons: Weekly classes
Dance style: Belly dance
Phone: (+81) (3) 3402-3564    E-mail    
Jansu Dyrin,Jansu Belly Dance - Belly dance classes in Nagoya, .
Jansu Dyrin,Jansu Belly Dance
Nagoya, Japan
Type of lessons: Workshops, privates, weekly classes
Dance style: Belly Dance
Phone: 090-8488-0329    E-mail    
Kerime-oriental bellydance akashastudio - Belly dance classes in Osaka, .
Kerime-oriental bellydance akashastudio
Osaka, Japan
Type of lessons: Weekly classes, privates
Dance style: Belly dance
Phone: 09062610860    E-mail    
Francesca Andrews - Belly dance classes in Takasaki and Maebashi, Japan, .
Francesca Andrews
Takasaki and Maebashi, Japan, Japan
Type of lessons: Classes
Dance style: Oriental dance ( Belly dance )
Phone: 027-373-8632    E-mail    
Laila Kholoussi - Belly dance classes in Tokyo, .
Laila Kholoussi
Tokyo, Japan
Type of lessons: Weekly classes
Dance style: Oriental dance
Phone: 03-3469-8767    E-mail    
Aquarela do Brasil - Belly dance classes in Kanagawa, .
Aquarela do Brasil
Kanagawa, Japan
Type of lessons: privates, daily classes, workshops
Dance style: Belly dance
Phone: 090 1280 9247    E-mail    
Ounnas Nora - Belly dance classes in Tokyo, .
Ounnas Nora
Tokyo, Japan
Type of lessons: Private classes
Dance style: Belly dance, lebanese dance
E-mail