埃及舞肚皮舞英文介绍

Belly dance

Belly dance is a Western name coined for a style of dance developed in the Middle East and other Arabic-influenced areas. In the Arabic language it is known as Raqs Sharqi and in Turkish as Oryantal dansı, which is translated as "Dance of the East". For Europeans, this translation sounded like a perfect fit, hence it was also known as "Oriental dance", "danse Oriental", "Exotic oriental dance", "Oriental belly dance" and the like. The term "Raqs Sharqi" is claimed to be originated in Egypt. The name suggested an exotic dance originated elsewhere, and thus it had a higher status than the local dance.

Belly dance - Health and belly dancing

The benefits of belly dance are both mental and physical. Dancing is a good cardio-vascular work out, helps increase flexibility and focuses on the torso or 'core muscles'. It is suitable for all ages and body types and can be as physical as the participant chooses to make it. Individuals would be wise to consult a doctor before starting belly dance, just as with starting any new exercise routine. It is also advised that one talks with the instructor to see what level his or her classes are geared for. Mental health benefits, for many bellydancers, include an improved sense of wellbeing, elevated body image and self-esteem as well as a generally positive outlook that comes with regular, enjoyable exercise.

Belly dance - General

It is thought that the dance has been known through the oral tradition in Egypt since the pre-Islamic times. There have been many theories about the origin of belly dancing, but most evidence links it to the Mediterranean, Middle East and Africa. Egyptian tomb paintings dating from as far back as the fourteenth century BC depict partially clad dancers whose callisthenic positions appear to be very similar to those used in belly dancing. It has a long history with depictions in Persians miniature paintings from the 12th and 13th centuries. It is known to have been popularized during the Romanticism movement in the 18th and 19th century as Orientalist artists depicted their interpretation of harem life of the Ottoman Empire. Around this time dancers from different Middle Eastern countries appeared at the various World's Fairs, often being the largest crowd drawers after the technological wonders also exhibited at the fairs. Dancers were filmed, and one short film, Fatima's Dance, was subject to wide distrubution in the nickelodian theaters, drawing criticism for "immodest" movement and then censored due to public pressure. Some western women began to learn from and imitate the dances of the middle east, which at this time was subject to colonization by European countries. Mata Hari is the most famous example, but the French author Collette and many other show hall preformers engaged in "oriental" dances, passing off their own intrepretations as authentic folkloric styles. The great dancer Ruth St. Denis also engaged in middle Eastern inspired dancing, however her approach was to put the orientalist dancing on the stage in the context of ballet, her goal being to lift all dance to a respectable art form (in the early 1900's it was a common American and European assumption that any dancer was a woman of loose virtue)

During the course of history many of the dances we associate with belly dance today were performed as separate dances; men for men, women for women. There are few depictions of co-ed dances. For many years this made it so that a "good" woman would not be seen dancing by any but her husband, her close family or the women she was with at a get together. This extended to separating the musicians so that only female musicians could perform for female dancers. This custom continues in much of the Middle East, depending on which country you are in. In some areas the professional dancer will go to a womans gathering with the musicians, get the women up and dancing then go to the men's portion of the house and preform for the male guests at a function.

Belly dancing gives the female body legitimization to be "round", in contrast to modern Western cultural preferences for flat stomachs. Most of the basic steps and techniques used in bellydance are circluar motions isolated in one part of the body ie; a circle parallel to the floor isolated in the hips or sholders. Accents using "pop and lock" where a dancer either shimmies or makes a striking motion in her sholders or hips are common, as are feats of flexibility, rolling one's stomach muscles, balacing various props like baskets, swords,or canes, and dancing with chiffon or silk veils.

Dance basic topics, List of dances, Zil, Category:Belly dancers

Belly dance - Raqs Sharqi

Raqs sharqi is performed both by women and men, usually solo, to entertain spectators in public or private settings. Despite its alias, "belly dance", Raqs Sharqi dancing involves movements from the entire body. It is fundamentally an improvisational dance with its own dance movement vocabulary, fluidly integrating into the rhythm of the music.

In Raqs sharqi, the dancer internalizes and expresses the emotions evoked by the music. Therefore, the music is integral to the vocabulary of the dance movements. The most revered of dancers are those that can best project their emotions through the dance, even if their movement vocabulary is very simple. The dancer communicates to the audienc visually the emotion and sounds of the music.

Many see it as a woman's dance, celebrating sensuality and power of being a woman. Sohair Zaki, Fifi Abdou, Lucy, Dina, who are all popular dancers in Egypt, are above the age of 40. Many feel that you have limited life experiences to use as a catalyst for dance until you reach "a certain age".

Egyptian style bellydance is based on the dancing of bellydance legends Samia Gamal, Tahiya Karioka, Naima Akef, and other dancers who rose to fame during the Golden years of the Egyptian Film industry. Later dancers who based their styles partially in the dances of these masters and have risen to nearly the same level of stardom and have become as influential to the style are Sohair Zaki, Fifi Abdou, and Nagwa Fouad who all rose to fame between 1960 and 1980 and are still popular today.

In Egypt, three main forms of the traditional dance: Baladi, Sha'abi, and Sharqi associated with belly dance.

The most important non-Egyptian forms of belly dance are: the Lebanese belly dance and the Turkish belly dance.

Egyptian bellydance was one of the first to be wittnessed by Westerners. During Napolean's invasion of Egypt (the same military action that yielded the Rosetta stone that led to the translation of Hieroglyphics) his men encountered the Ghwazee (there are many other spellings)tribe. The Ghwazee were a tribe who survived as professional entertainers and musicians, with the women engaging in a little prostitution on the side. They often had a street dedicated to their use in the towns they resided in, but some were also quasi nomadic. The French at first were utterly disgusted by their apperance, which involved heavy jewlery and perfumed hair and found their dancing "barbaric" but were soon lured by the hypnotic nature of thier movements.

Belly dance - Turkish forms

Some mistakenly believe that Turkish oriental dancing is known as Çiftetelli due to the fact that this style of music has been incorporated into oriental dancing by Greeks and gypsies, illustrated by the fact that the Greek belly dance is called Tsifteteli. However, Turkish Çiftetelli is more correctly a form of wedding folk music, the part that makes up the lively part of the dance at the wedding and is not connected with oriental dancing.

Even though Turkish belly dancing has deep roots in the Sultan's palatial harems of the Ottoman Empire, Turkish belly dance today is closer to its Romany (Gypsy) heritage than its Egyptian and Lebanese sisters, developing from the Ottoman rakkas to the oriental dance known worldwide today. As Turkish law does not impose restrictions on Turkish dancers' movements and costuming as in Egypt, where dancers are prevented from from performing floor work and certain pelvic movements, Turkish dancers are often more outwardly expressive than their Egyptian sisters. Turkish dance also remains closer to its Romany roots because many professional dancers and musicians in Turkey continue to be of Romany heritage. Turkish dancers are known for their energetic, athletic (even gymnastic) style, and particularly, until the past few years, their adept use of finger cymbals, also known as zils. Connoisseurs of Turkish dance often say that a dancer who can't play zils is not an accomplished dancer. Another distinguishing element of the Turkish style is the use of the Karsilama rhythm in a 9/8 time signature, counted as 12-34-56-789. Turkish belly dance costumes can be very revealing, with the belt sometimes worn high up on the waist and split skirts which expose the entire leg, although dancers today are costuming themselves more like Egyptian dancers and wearing more modest "mermaid"-style skirts. The Turkish style is emphasized further by the dancer wearing high heels, and often platform shoes, to perform. Famous Turkish belly dancers include Tulay Karaca and Birgul Berai.

When immigrants from Turkey, Armenia, and the Arab states began to immigrate to New York in the 1930s and 1940s, dancers started to perform a unique mixture of these cultures in the nightclubs and restaurants. Often called "Classic Cabaret" or "American Cabaret" belly dance, these dancers are the grandmothers and great grandmothers of some of today's most accomplished performers, such as Anahid Sofian and Artemis Mourat.