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Raqs sharqi is performed by women, usually solo, for entertainment of spectators in public or private settings. Despite its alias, "belly dance", raqs sharqi dancing involves motion of the whole body, from head to feet. Basically, it is an improvisational dance, although based on a certain vocabulary, rhythmic and fluid at the same time.
It is 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".
The music is as important as a vocabulary of movements from which to draw. The dancer becomes the vehicle of communication to make sound and emotion visible to her audience.
In Egypt, three different forms of the dance: Baladi, Sha'abi, and Sharqi are known.
(to do)
The term "belly dancing" is generally credited to Sol Bloom, entertainment director of the 1893 World's Fair, the World Colombian Exposition in Chicago. It was here in the Egyptian Theater, where the USA first got a look at raqs dancers, when Bloom presented "The Algerian dancers of Morocco". The dancer who stole the show, and who continued to popularize this form of dancing was "Fatima", also known as Little Egypt. Her real name was Farida Mazar Spyropoulos.
The dance performed by Little Egypt had also been called "Hootchy-Kootchy" or "Hoochee-Coochee", the origin of the name is unknown, and "danse du ventre", which is French for "belly dance".
Today the word "hootchy-kootchy" means simply an erotic suggestive dance.
Bellydance today still retains much of the Hollywood stigma and many dancers and instructors are working hard to overcome this image. Considering belly dance started out as a dance by women for women, as teaching aid to learn about bodies and prepare for child birth, the images of women dancing for a sultan are undeserved. While Raqs Sharqi is still popular in the west, dancers here have also embraced other forms such as tribal or tribal fusion which borrows from gypsy and Spanish traditions as well as Egyptian styles.
Some of the contemporary (1985-present) outstanding dancers are: Suhaila Salimpour, Ansuya, Alexandra King, Delilah, Cassandra, Rachel Brice, and Susan Del Vecchio.
There is much debate over where and when men became part of the belly dance world. Many believe that men have no right getting involved in this historically female art form. However, it is becoming clear that men did indeed bellydance in the Middle East. I might also add, they were not eunachs as some would imply. Male bellydancers today are becoming, if not completely commonplace, at least more visible. They are no longer the "set pieces" or props for the women. In fact, some Arabic countries have banned female belly dancers, calling those who do prostitutes. In their place, men have become the standard. A friend who recently traveled to Egypt said that the only place you will find female dancers in Cairo is in the American hotels after midnight. But, men were dancing everywhere.