As belly dancing gains popularity internationally, young Egyptian performers are working to restore its reputation at home, ...

Exponents of the art of belly dancing - a unique element of Egypt's national cultural heritage - believe it is undergoing a crisis and is in danger of being driven underground. Two years ago, the ...

Originating in the Middle East, belly dancing has evolved to incorporate a variety of styles in the regions it has spread to over the centuries. Now, as it continues to gain popularity ...

In the Middle East, the word ‘belly-dancing’ is never used for this languorous dance form; it’s called ‘baladi’ – best translated from Arabic as ‘folk’ – and was originated in ...

Growing up in the Middle East, I saw women in my community do Raqs Sharqi at weddings and parties. Women often danced with other women, in private spaces, so that this dance was for each other.

Belly dance, also known as raqs sharqi in Arabic, is a centuries-old dance form with roots in the Middle East, North Africa, and Mediterranean regions. It is often characterised by intricate hip ...

Egyptian belly-dancer Menna Emam, 30, full-time instructor at the Taksim Belly-dance Institute, gives an interview with AFP in Cairo on April 12, 2025. (AFP) Egypt ...

In the Middle East, the word ‘belly-dancing’ is never used for this languorous dance form; it’s called ‘baladi’ – best translated from Arabic as ‘folk’ – and was originated in ...