Baladi (Beledi) Belly Dance Explained: Meaning, Music, Moves & Why

When you hear the deep drum beat and see juicy hipwork, you might be watching the style called baladi (also spelled beledi) — the soulful heart of Egyptian folk belly dance. The word “Baladi” often stirs up a plethora of emotions and connotations in the belly dance world. Many times, its meaning is confused with so many other things. So I thought this would be the perfect blog post to share some learnings on it.

I promise, after reading this article, you’ll be able to explain what baladi means and how it differs from other styles.

When I perform at Orlando weddings and events, I always ensure that I incorporate this authentic style, which draws from Egypt’s rich social dance roots.

Let’s break down the word. So Balad = country or land; baladi means literally “of the country”. This applies to everything from music, dance to food, and also one’s rural identity.

Before I dig in any further, I wanted to shout out The Gilded Serpent as a great resource I check every time I am researching about belly dance and its roots (definitely bookmark it if you haven’t done so already). I came across an article written by Hala Fauzi on Nov. 4, 2011, called “The Many Faces Of Baladi” which nicely sums up all the aspects of Baladi and even goes into some basic information about Melaya. I highly suggest it for anyone in the belly dance community. It is important to know all the different styles that exist and educate ourselves on this dance that has such deep cultural roots.

When referring to the dance style specifically, baladi developed in the rural areas of Egypt. It is characterized by an earthy movement quality and a celebratory energy. Baladi dance is the social dance you learn as a kid, or as you watch your family and friends dance at weddings or at home.

I have noticed how, over the years, in theatrical settings, the dance keeps getting more and more acrobatic, but that is not the point of this dance. It should be natural, free, and showcase the folkloric and social context of the people it hails from (away from the stage). As a Colombian American, the easiest way I can connect the dots is to think about how I learned salsa and merengue, and bachata (musical genres with their own dance)…at home, by dancing with my parents and family friends. There were no professional dancers around. We all have a few step patterns to go along with each genre that are passed down, and how well we perform each, and how we feel the music is what makes a great dancer. What we see on shows like Dancing with the Stars and at big Latin dance competitions is so far removed from my culture’s beledi dances that it doesn’t even resemble them anymore. No one dances like the competition dancers at our house parties. It is beautiful just as it is, raw, earthy, and connected to its roots.

Beledi is truly considered to be the social/folk variant of what westerners call “bellydance”.

Over time, as more rural families moved to the city, city musicians began to incorporate new instruments (think the saxophone or the accordion that most modern beledi progressions and songs contain today). The community is what shapes it.

Beledi, baladi dance, the beledi rhythm, and a beledi progression all mean different things. So let’s break it down.

One of the most common rhythms in our genre is the Masmoudi Saghir (called the baladi rhythm in the West). It is a 4/4 rhythm and is noted for its double dum in the beginning (dum-dum, tak, dum, tak).  The majority of the rhythm is mad eup of “dums” as you can see, giving it a heavier feel, which is what you have to match as the dancer.

Then there is something called a beledi progression. This is basically a really popular structure that many beledi songs follow. In a beledi song, the musicians typically start with a taqsim, followed by a Me-ataa (call and answer section). Then we have a gem, the rhythmic section where the tempo starts to pick up as variations of the beeldi rhythm are played or other related rhythms like saidi or maqsum.

The Tet then follows (the music is usually fast at this point!), where you start to hear staccato accents, and its popular to hear the mizmar or ,in modern renditions, accordion, where you can show off some cool articulations and personality (but still keep it juicy and earthy).

To close the beledi progression, we have the famous drum solo section where you can showcase some more technical skill, and is our queue that we are wrapping up soon jajaj!

As soon as beledi music is played, it is imperative that you match the style of dance with the music. Your posture needs to be more grounded (no hyperextending), look to the foundational movement vocabulary like figure 8s, undulations with more internal activation, more natural arm pathways, and carriages. Be you, but earthier. Watch women and men dance at any MENAHT party and you’ll see what I mean.

The galabeya is the traditional garment that should be worn if you are dancing to this style. A headscarf and a hip sash are a must to help showcase your hip movements and keep the hair out of your face. Modesty is key.

Baladi is an Arabic adjective meaning “of the country/land” or “folk/native”. In dance it refers to a style rooted in Egyptian rural and social folk traditions.”

Baladi tends to be more grounded, with heavier hip work, less flamboyant arm and leg extensions, and uses folk music rhythms like baladi progression. Raqs sharqi is more theatrical, with greater use of space and show-choreography.

I implore you to research as you go along your journey. Read all that you can, interview important figures, ask questions, ask for help from your mentors, and dig deep into what it is you are trying to represent and/or take inspiration from.

There is a huge collection of belly dance books and magazines out there that contain a wealth of information. And frankly, you can simply join a MENAHT friend at a party or join in at a MENAHT lounge and learn so much too. Whether you are a seasoned dancer or a newbie, knowledge is attainable for all.

If you have any questions or seek more resources on Beledi, feel free to comment below so that we can extend the discussion. Thank you for all of your support as always, and I hope that this article sparks your interest in learning more about the roots of raqs sharqi dance.