What is “Bellydance”?
Bellydance is a dance from the MENAHT region that is both danced socially and performed professionally (typically as a soloist or in a dance troupe). It is danced at social gatherings by all, regardless of age or gender. The heart of this dance is improvising and connecting with yourself, the music, and others.
This piece explores the different terms used for this dance through an Arab cultural and linguistic lens, drawing on my background. The intended audience is English speakers (either non-Arab practitioners or diaspora).
Terminology
In English, we use the term bellydance and it’s an umbrella term for all the different styles of this dance. The word comes from the French colonizers' term of danse du ventre.
In Arabic, it is called raqs (dance), raqs sharqi (dance of the east), or raqs baladi (dance of the homeland). The different terms for this in Arabic can have very different style, music, and class connotations. For example, raqs baladi or raqs shaabi (dance of the people) are more social dance styles that common people dance. Raqs sharqi is a style from Egypt that was made for the stage/cinema. The root of raqs sharqi is raqs baladi. Raqs sharqi was created by taking the common people's social dance (raqs baladi) and modifying it for the stage by adding ballet and western dance styling to it.
Clarifying Nuance
While some differentiate raqs sharqi and raqs baladi as stage dance vs social dance, this framing is overly simplified. Raqs sharqi comes from raqs baladi and professional dancers perform raqs baladi on stage as its own style too. Colloquially, we tend to use these terms interchangeably in Arabic. The stylistic differences are tied more to class, and the stage/social distinction reflects the dance industry rather than the root culture or language.
There are efforts to retire the term "bellydance" due to its colonial origins; I absolutely support this. However, bellydance is still far better known than raqs* or any other term. Many of the existing terms also won’t be perfectly inclusive replacements since this dance is not exclusively Arab. Ultimately, the narrative that this is a seductive, women’s-only, ancient fertility dance is still widely prevalent. I deeply value people unlearning orientalist narratives, as they have real life consequences, and to do that I need to meet them where they’re at, which is typically at the term bellydance.
You might be thinking, “But raqs just means dance!” Yes, but in Arabic, raqs on it’s own typically means this specific dance. Other dances are called different, specific names (ex/ dabke) or references the exact region it comes from (ex/ khaleeji). The linguistic fun just never stops!
Improving people’s understanding of the dance, acknowledging nuance, and correcting orientalist narratives matter most in the long run. Language has limits: the fact that in Arabic we often call this simply “dance” speaks volumes. The pursuit of perfect terminology is a rigid mentality that can prevent true cultural immersion and deeper understanding. Lean into connection and let go of perfection - that’s the heart of this dance. Give everything respect and time; don’t confine your learning. Study history, music, language, and different teachers and styles so you can appreciate the nuance that exists under the term “bellydance.” Remain humble. The work is never-ending, and neither is the art.
One of my goals as an artist is to expand how raqs is seen and understood; explaining words and terminology is one way I can do that. By presenting all the nuance in the Arabic terms that exist, I can help prevent the flattening of our history and connections. Thanks for reading, and welcome to the beautiful complexity of this dance!
