Oriental dance which country. Belly dance: history
Introduction
Oriental dance... After these words, our mind’s eye imagines a mysterious, beautiful oriental beauty-witch, performing a fabulous dance and bewitching everyone who sees her. It’s impossible to take your eyes off her magical movements, sparkling embroidered outfit, and expressive eyes.
Belly dancing...... Have you ever wondered why oriental dances are called so originally? If you have seen a dancer at least once, dancing dance belly, you will never be able to forget the magical impression this dance made on you.
The origin of oriental dance can be compared to the origin of life on earth - many legends, conflicting information and theories, and not a single proof that everything was exactly like this and not otherwise. Apparently, the development of dance was not considered so important event to document its history.
Oriental dance is a mystery ancient culture, a riddle, the answer to which does not lie on the surface. Secret human body. The secret of merging with music, which has completely different rhythms, tones and instruments. The mystery of our energy and how unlocking that energy works wonders.
The history of the origin of oriental dance
Arabic belly dancing has many roots. Its origins can be traced to the frescoes of the ancient temples of Mesopotamia. The frescoes were preserved beautiful images dancing people. Similar frescoes, whose age dates back to approximately 1000 years before the birth of Christ, also have ancient egyptian temples. It is generally accepted that these frescoes describe an ancient ritual dance dedicated to fertility and the birth of new life.
Priestesses who danced in temples sometimes served as "sacred prostitutes" who through their dance addressed the spirit of the Great Goddess. It is possible that some of the movements of their dance were preserved in the belly dance performed by modern dancers. It is interesting to note that there were different castes of dancers. Ghawazi (translated from the Egyptian dialect - foreigners), who performed on the streets and, as a rule, were not distinguished by education. Avalim, who were dancers of a completely different level. Alme (singular number from Avalim) - this is the name of a dancer who received a special dance and musical education. Avalim knew how to play on various musical instruments, were well versed in poetry, could perform poems and songs own composition like geisha medieval Japan. The dance styles of Ghavazi and Avalim were quite different. People who study the history of belly dancing believe that it originated as a ritual in preparation for childbirth. In those days there were no hospitals, painkillers and other medications to facilitate the process of childbirth, so you had to give birth as nature intended.
It is not surprising that women turned into a ritual those movements that strengthened and toned the muscles and thereby made childbirth easier. It is easy to notice that many belly dance movements are concentrated in the abdomen or pelvis. Representing a combination of muscle tension and relaxation, they train internal organs and tone the abdominal muscles. The wave-like movements actually engage those muscles of the woman that push the baby out during childbirth.
The prototype of belly dance was known in many ancient civilizations - China, Arabia, Africa, and from there it came to the ancient Slavs long before new era. It was here that this dance became ritual. It was performed only in the evening and was danced by a woman for her own sake. The main meaning of the dance was to show that the wife was beautiful, young, desirable and capable of procreation.
Several centuries before the birth of Christ, Slavic ritual dance came to the East to Asia along with migrating Slavic tribes. Here it existed until the 1st century. AD without any changes. It was only in the new millennium that some dancers began to charge for their performances. By the 5th century AD dance from a ritual one finally became a secular phenomenon. The cult has become an entertaining erotic spectacle. Gradually, belly dancing spread throughout the East and South - India, Ceylon, Japan and even Africa.
By the 7th century, the name “Arabic” was firmly rooted in this art. And dancers from many countries, including Europe, dreamed of going to the East and learning all the intricacies of belly dancing.
Today there is a real Renaissance of this art, which has become popular throughout the world. Experts count more than 50 types of bellydance and 8 main schools of oriental dance: Egyptian, Pakistani, Botswana, Thai, Bhutanese, Aden, Jordanian and many smaller and insignificant branches. The most popular and widespread are the Egyptian and Turkish schools of belly dancing.
The semantic meaning of the dance
It is no coincidence that this fascinating oriental dance is called “belly dance”. After all, the “belly” is life. And life leads to a woman-mother. In in different countries ah was associated with the cult of the goddess. And dance became the very expression of the very foundations of life - conception, bearing a child and the birth of a person. All the eroticism of belly dancing, which has been preserved in full to this day, was fully justified and carried sacred meaning.
In in Arab countries ah belly dance had big influence, which could even change the fate of a simple dancer. Girls from poor families could use this art to earn a rich dowry, or even become a mistress from a slave.
Even today in Arab countries and the Caucasus, many weddings are not complete without this dance. Through their movements, the dancers symbolically wish the young people health, passionate love on long years, healthy and numerous offspring.
The healing properties of belly dancing
For many people, belly dancing is simply a beautiful, erotic oriental dance. However, in addition to the sacred and aesthetic components, the dance also carries a healing load for female body. It normalizes the functioning of internal organs responsible for reproductive function, strengthens the body as a whole, prolongs youth and has the strongest positive energy.
History of oriental dance begins in ancient times, when belly dancing was a ritual of preparation for childbirth. At that time there were no hospitals, painkillers and other medications to facilitate the process of childbirth, so women turned into a ritual those movements that strengthened and toned the muscles and thereby made childbirth easier.
Many belly dance movements are centered in the abdomen or pelvis. Alternate tension and relaxation of muscles trains the internal organs and abdominal muscles. Wave-like movements, according to experts, involve those muscles that push the baby out of the uterus.
There is a theory that these movements may have been set to music and turned into ritual in the Middle East, as part of the ancient women's religion of goddess worship. Subsequently, the ancient women's religions were suppressed by the emerging patriarchal ones - Judaism, Christianity, Islam. However, echoes of ancient rituals of worship of the female goddess live in contemporary art oriental dance.
The term "belly dance" (bellу) comes from Arabic word beledy, which means "homeland", " hometown" The word “beledi” refers to music, dance and costume. From the very beginning, beledi has always been a dance of female self-expression, and was most often performed in the company of women away from male eyes.
Beledi developed into a multicultural art, today known as "oriental dance", during the Ottoman Empire, when women from different countries lived together in the harems of the Turkish sultans and, of course, danced there. Undoubtedly, many sultans had the good fortune to enjoy beautiful dance, but the woman herself resembled only a shadow writhing behind the lace covers. The eroticism of belly dance comes from the mystery of the forbidden and hidden.
Men were attracted to belly dancing not only because of its overt sensuality, but also because for them women were surrounded by an aura of mystery: a man did not have access to the part of the house where women lived, and could not attend women's meetings, of which he was an integral part. belly dance.
In today's post-industrial world, women around the world are fascinated by the ancient art of belly dancing. Some people do it like physical exercise, others are attracted by music and mystery oriental culture. When a woman falls in love with oriental dance precisely as a hypostasis of art, she gradually discovers more and more new features of oriental dance. Having reached a certain level of mastery, she begins to use her body in a new way, using it to express everything from the healthy matriarchal feminine power to the refined, sublime flights of the soul. When a woman least expects it, dance reveals new aspects of her self that she has yet to realize and explore.
Oriental dance is a mystery of ancient culture, a riddle to which the answer does not lie on the surface. The mystery of the human body. The secret of merging with music, which has completely different rhythms, tones and instruments. The mystery of our energy and how unlocking that energy works wonders.
History of oriental dance as mysterious as the desert dance itself. There are many versions of the origin belly dance. In ancient times, this was a ritual dance - women surrounded the woman in labor and danced away from men’s eyes, driving away evil spirits from her. They made movements similar to the movements of labor pains, so that the spirits could not recognize which of the women was giving birth, and could not steal the soul of the newborn.
Later belly dance became continuously associated with the spread of the cult of the Goddess of Fertility. The main occupation of the Arabs was agriculture, and dance was the most means of expression to depict any activity. If speak about belly dance, then it reflects the process of conception, gestation and, finally, birth. This is why belly dancing contains erotic elements.
Institute temple prostitution was directly related to belly dancing, which was part of certain rituals. It is unfortunate that people often associate temple prostitution with brothels. In ancient times, the concepts of “love” and “fertility” were considered interrelated. People turned to the services of the servants of the temples of love not only for the sake of a good harvest, but also for reunification with the earth, the Mother Goddess. In this case temple prostitution had a big spiritual meaning, And belly dance played important role in the ceremony of preparing an act of love, that is, finding a person’s lost connection with the Earth-Mother and renewing one’s strength. Until now, not a single Eastern holiday is complete without belly dancing - it brings joy to the house and the “lamp of Allah” lights up in the house.
Dancers of that time dressed completely differently than they do now. During belly dance, they performed in long closed dresses, the hips were emphasized by a scarf. Dance image changed only under the influence of Hollywood. The costume - a bodice, a belt on the hips and a bare stomach, originally appeared in the movies. Egyptian dancers began to copy this image, so the movements became clearer, and the first films with the participation of oriental dancers appeared. Since then, the concept of choreography has appeared in the east, since previously dance was improvisation from beginning to end. But the group dance was still unsynchronized and unclear, since the dancers were not very technical.
And then the era of solo belly dancing begins - in clubs in Beirut, Algeria and Cairo. Such entertainment was popular among Western tourists, but initially it was only dirty brothels, until the Syrian dancer and actress Badia Masabni opened the Casino Opera club. Famous oriental dancers such as Samia Gamal, Tahiya Kareoka, Nadia Afek and others began their careers at Casino Opera. Samia Gamal is the first dancer to use a veil and wear heels in her dance.
Many of famous dancers oriental dances and influenced the style belly dance, using a veil, sword or snakes as accessories, but they did not have much impact, since it ancient art was formed over centuries, each nationality added its own touches to it, but its basis is beauty and plasticity female body– remained unchanged.
Great influence on belly dance provided by the gypsy tribes. The Navar, which means gypsies in Hindi, traveled throughout India, the Middle East and Europe, settling temporarily in Spain. Many researchers believe that the Nawar are the ancestors of the Ghawazi. A close look cannot hide the similarities between Indian folk and oriental dances.
Outstanding bellydance dancers - interview with Orit Maftsir
In any dance direction have their heroes. Belly dancing is no exception. This dance has given the world a lot of outstanding performers, some of whom have already finished their careers, while others are still at the top of their popularity. Today we invite you to read excerpts from an interview with star bellydance dancer Orit Maftsir.
Every dancer has their own story of discovering dance, how did it happen for you?
I loved dancing since childhood, but despite my inclination this species art has never danced on professional level. I decided to start studying any field professionally only at the age of 26. Due to the established personal relationships, I had a lot of time, which I decided to spend usefully. By nature, I have always been emotional and expressive, so I decided to choose a direction that suited my temperament. At first I opted for flamenco, but I was unable to enroll in a dance school, since all the studios had already finished enrolling students. After searching a little more, I decided to change my priorities and turned my attention to belly dancing. Despite my roots, I knew little about in this direction and, having signed up for training, began to study dance from the very beginning.
