Belly Dance Interpretations

What is this ancient dance that has survived the centuries changing shape each time while bringing with it the rhythm and power of the life source itself? Its roots were watered at the banks of the Tigris and Euphrates in the shadows of the great Pyramids and on the shores of the Fertile Crescent over 6,000 years ago. Belly dance has been performed by women in the middle east, the Mediterranean and North Africa among themselves and in homes for generations. They have danced in temples consecrated to gods and goddesses, in joyous celebrations and community gatherings, for money by women of lower class to entertain and danced professionally in classy settings with orchestras and Hollywood style costumes ——— its legends and incarnations have been many. Questions still abound about its original sources and purpose, adding to the mystery of the dance. Today, having spread to America and the West, the dance is undergoing yet another incarnation, shaped by many cultures and influences. Belly dance in America incorporates elements of gypsy flamenco, American Tribal, classical Egyptian and American cabaret styles among others. This is a dance of the center of the the body, beginning and ending in the belly which remains the unifying feature of belly dance. Described as a dance of strength, beauty, sexuality, deep femininity and mystery it has changed the lives of many American women. What exactly is the source of power and mystery of belly dance, the dance-of-the-belly…..La Danse du venture. This collage of photos introduces the viewer to this dance form and its’ changing adaptation to Western society.