While the origin of the dance is widely debated, this is one of the oldest forms of dance and hails from the Middle East, Mediterranean and North Africa.

Origin theories describe the dance form as being used during celebrations such as child birth, weddings and other major events pertaining to the fertility of the land.

While much remains to be known, one thing is for sure, in today’s day and age, bellydance is quickly changing, fusing and the need to strongly educate dancers on its cultural roots and origins is of utter importance in preserving what makes bellydance unique in this ever changing genre.

The word “bellydance” itself is a misnomer. The correct term is raqs sharqi or raqs beledi. Each country is divided into regions and each region is further divided into its own villages and towns. Among all of the divisions, a distinct dance can be seen ( a result of the people, way of life, resources and etc. of each village).  Understanding the nuances is a great challenge but very much what keeps professional dancers motivated to continue to learn more.