About Belly Dance Belly dance is both a celebration of the female spirit and a physical display of the strength and beauty of women. It can be traced back to the rituals of past matriarchal cultures and to the secular entertainments that evolved as the gypsies travelled through India, Central Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and Spain. The term 'belly dance' was coined at the turn of the century by Sol Bloom, organiser of the Chicago Exposition of 1893, which featured a Middle Eastern dancer called 'Little Egypt'. Raqs Sharqi ("Dance of the East") is thought to have its roots in Middle Eastern fertility ceremonies - a dance performed by women for women. It may have originally been taught to girls from an early age in order to strengthen their abdominal muscles in preparation for childbirth. The muscle isolation techniques require practice and control, and the smaller the movement, the greater the control and the more the muscle is exercised. It's a fact that exercise mitigates pain. The women of the Middle East knew this, and so the dance was born through abdominal movements like pelvic rocking and belly roll. Uniquely designed for the female body, Raqs Sharqi is an expression of inner awareness which can be practiced by any age, shape or size woman. Today Belly Dancers are as popular as ever in the Middle East and a traditional form of entertainment for many special occasions. In the UK where women have more freedom to publicly express themselves, Belly Dance classes and workshops offer a fun form of exercise. Haflas (Arabic dance parties) also give the opportunity for women from all walks of life to get together, dance and socialise. A Belly Dancer or Arabic Dance troupe can add colour, excitement and entertainment to parties, events, weddings, hen parties, festivals, fundraisers, restaurants and corporate functions Glossary of Arabic Dance terms used on this site