Belly Dance

Arabic Dance
Arabic Dance

The History of Arabic Belly Dance is one of the oldest dances in the world that combines elements and techniques of different countries in the Middle East and North Africa, although their precise origins have primary origin as ancient Egypt. In Arabic countries this dance is called Raks Sharki that literally means Oriental Dance. The name of the belly dance isbeginning to be used in the nineteenth century by Europeans who travelled to exotic lands in search of new cultures, customs and landscapes. These travellers coined this term caught up in the belly and hip movements that did not exist in European dances. We have to distinguish between Raks Sharki (Oriental dance) and Raks Baladi (Dance of the People). The Raks Baladi dance is a more elemental, almostwithout movement, and predominant hip movements. Raks Sharki is the most refined and rich. It includes movements of Egyptian folklore, classical ballet and contemporary dance, with large movements, revolutions and movements for all parts of the body, although the hip ones are the most important. The belly dance was always performed in small spaces. In Casino Badia had to be adapted to large venues.Badia Mansabny a part from training her dancers, worked with choreographers and dancers in Europe to include elements of other dances (ballet). These dancers were operating normally in groups, although distinguished by their talents were sometimes alone.
The musical instruments used in the Arabic Dance are:
Darbuka. - It is a percussion instrument that sets the pace for the rest of the bandboth in traditional music and the in modern one.
It's made of clay and has two openings. The upper, usually larger than the lower one, is coated with goat skin bonded to its outline.
This tool allows varieties of shape and size as well as appearance or decor. It always has to be easy the understanding between the dancer and musician who runs the Darbuka thus establishing a dialogue between themthat speeds or slows the pace of the rest of the band.
The Laud. - The Laud "Alus" has an oval resonance box, with the mast head tilted back, its back is warped and its belly smooth. It measures about 40 cm. long for the box and 20 cm. more with the neck. In its origins it had four pairs of strings and was played with an eagle feather as a plectrum. It is considered the only instrument capable ofmonitoring all the melodies and strings representing the four elements of nature: fire, land, air and water. He was known by the ancient Egyptians, Assyrians, Chinese and Persians. It is a string instrument, which covers three octaves and a half and has 72 strings tuned by three groups of severe acute. He also called Psalter and within it there is an option called "feeling", which is triangular,with feet or supports. His bronze strings that make his sound being very sweet, they vibrate on a wooden cavity. The materials that are made of are essentially the psaltery, copper and timber, and are one of the most important instruments in the band accompanying the belly dancer.
Nay. - It is a flute made of cane stalks. Alone has a slow melody, but as accompaniment, has a completely differentresult, it is much more lively.

Duf. - Serves as an accompaniment, and indicates the change of pace. This being very useful for the dancer

Tar.- Another tambourine to accompany the orchestra.

The principals oriental dance accessories used in the Arabic Dance are:

In the beginning the foulard had no coins and their use was to emphasize the hips. Subsequently, the coins were added, inaddition to sound. The coins were sown to the foulard because Gawazy (-gypsy dancers) dancing in the streets and plazas in exchange for money, stuffed his handkerchief in the coins were given. Having finally just a matter of decoration.

The Veil.- The veil dance is introduced into Arabic dance during the twentieth century. This accessory is not essential, although an improvement aesthetically...