Dance du ventre means ‘dance of the stomach’ and belly dancing can be traced back 6000 years with links to fertility dances of ancient times. The sharp, deliberate hip movements made by muscle contractions demonstrated the body’s reactions during labour and delivery. The thought is that the dances spread from North Africa to Rome, Spain and India by travelling gypsies.

The opinions concerning the origins of Belly dancing vary with several thoughts. The Romani people, commonly referred to as Gypsies, were wandering nomads many consider to be the origin of Belly Dancing as they traveled. However the dance spread, it has continued to increase in popularity over the centuries.

Belly dancing is unique from many other dance forms in that movements are based on the movement on the hips, pelvis and shoulders, but the dance itself is spontaneous as opposed to other dance that is choreographed to a specific style of music.

Belly dancing first become popular in the United Kingdom in 1960 in various styles such as traditional, Greek, Turkish and Persian. There are hundreds of festivals and workshops throughout the region and a newly formed International Belly Dance Congress held each September. The basic techniques of the dance include a circular motion of isolated parts of the body such as a circular motion of the hips or shoulders. Accent movements of pop and lock involve a shimmy or a striking motion in hips or shoulders are common as are feats of flexibility, rolling belly muscles and use of scarves or veils. In the early centuries women could only dance for other women or her family which protected her innocence.

One popular form of dancing is the Rags Sharqi which consists of movement initiated by the feet and executed by the upper body with a focus on the hip and pelvis. This dance is usually solo and improvised by the feeling of the music.

Many women approach belly dancing as a tool for physical fitness, strengthening the body, promoting a healthy body image and empowerment