BELLY DANCE

BELLY DANCE

Sacred Birthing Ritual A woman's dance Societal changes and

patriarchal religious changes made the dance movements lose its sacred connotation and become a social dance.

BELLY DANCE

The basic posture for belly dance, with the knees slightly bent, the pelvis tucked under, and the heart lifted, is excellent for counteracting many of the common discomforts associated with the physical changes to her body which a woman experiences during pregnancy, especially in the last trimester as she approaches her due date.

The hip and torso movements provide exercise to all the muscles of the abdomen and the muscles of the pelvic floor involved in birthing in terms of both strengthening and improving flexibility.

BELLY DANCEAs the labor progresses to the active phase, and contractions become stronger, the woman goes deeper into herself. An emotional turning inward which resembles the mood of the chiftitelli, the slower movements of a typical 5-part belly dance routine, is observed here. Floorwork, dancing on the floor, is often employed during the chiftitelli, and illustrates many of the positions women assume when actually giving birth. In ancient birthing traditions, a shallow depression would have been dug into the earth to receive the baby, and the birthing woman would lower herself to the floor and position herself in such a way as to gently release the baby into this hollow.

BELLY DANCE

Egypt, Turkey, Persia

The Middle East Arab Countries

BELLY DANCE Although Belly Dance has its roots as a sacred

birthing ritual, it has gained much popularity as form of exercise and fitness.

Belly Dance is performed in male clubs, cabarets, in the Middle East.

Belly Dance is performed by mostly women in a tribal form of group dance

Men and women have segregated celebrations. Men dance with men and women with women both in different rooms.

BELLY DANCE

CLICK ON THE PICTURES ABOVE TO SEE AN EXAMPLE OF MALE AND FEMALE BELLY DANCE STYLES

WORKS CITED

http://www.susunweed.com/herbal_ezine/October05/childbearing.htm

http://www.regalrena.com/3.html