Belly dance
Belly dance is a family of dance traditions known for articulated torso and hip movements, with forms rooted in the Middle East and North Africa.
Hip drop: A dance movement in which one hip is sharply lowered, often by releasing a lifted leg. A basic accent isolates the hip while the torso remains controlled.
Raqs sharqi: An Egyptian stage and social dance genre whose name means “oriental dance.” It is a prominent modern form often presented internationally as belly dance.
Egyptian wedding: A marriage celebration in Egypt, commonly involving music, dancing, and communal festivities. Dance at weddings demonstrates its role beyond the theatrical stage.
Khaleegy: A Gulf-region women’s dance tradition characterized by distinctive hair movements and flowing garments. Its regional movement vocabulary is distinct despite frequent grouping under broad belly dance labels.
Cultural appropriation: The adoption of cultural elements by outsiders, especially amid unequal power or disregard for their source. The term frames disputes over who profits from and represents the dance.
Hip circle: A circular movement of the pelvis performed in a horizontal or vertical plane. It shows how pelvic articulation creates continuous pathways rather than sharp accents.
Awalim: Professional women entertainers in Egypt, historically trained in music, poetry, and performance. Their performance traditions form part of the historical context for Egyptian dance.
Raqs baladi: An Egyptian social dance style associated with baladi music and urban popular culture. It connects belly dance movement with everyday social and musical settings.
Dabke: A Levantine line dance performed at social celebrations, often with synchronized steps and stomping. It is a major regional dance tradition, but not a torso-isolation genre.
Oriental dance: A European label for dances associated with the Middle East and nearby regions. Its history reveals how external naming can flatten diverse dance traditions.