A comprehensive guide to the art of belly dancing • Covers the origins, mythology, and history of the Middle Eastern dance, including its physical and mental health benefits • Contains practical instructions with easy-to-follow photographs • Includes recipes for perfumes, cosmetic creams, and food from the Middle East Belly dance is pure sensuousness and has enchanted humans since ancient times. Yet beyond its erotic aspects, belly dancing offers many physical and emotional benefits. On the physical level it helps with muscle stiffness, autonomic nervous system disturbances, mobility of the abdominal region, and strengthening the back, which in turn enhances the body’s overall posture. Belly dancing also relieves menstrual problems and has been shown to be extremely useful during pregnancy and childbirth. On the emotional side belly dancing increases the libido and has enabled women to overcome self-esteem issues and regain healthy feelings of sensuality and sexuality.Belly Dancing covers all aspects of this ancient art, beginning with its origins and mythical connections to the moon goddess. The authors provide practical instructions and easy-to-follow photographs for the most important dance movements as well as guidance in costuming and related accoutrements. Additional information on foot reflexology and Indian chakras aid the further understanding of the art. The book also contains recipes for Middle Eastern perfumes, cosmetic creams, and food as well as suggestions for musical accompaniment.

"Snake Hips" follows an Arab-American woman through her adventures in love and belly dancing.

Spice things up with exotic music, the twirl of silk, and the rhythmic clapping of finger cymbals. This instructional book includes floor gymnastics, back bends, poses, and stretches--and proves that belly dancing can be as easy and fulfilling as yoga.

In these essays, dancers and scholars from around the world carefully consider the transformation of an improvised folk form from North Africa and the Middle East into a popular global dance practice. They explore the differences between the solo improvisational forms of North Africa and the Middle East, often referred to as raqs sharki, which are part of family celebrations, and the numerous globalized versions of this dance form, belly dance, derived from the movement vocabulary of North Africa and the Middle East but with a variety of performance styles distinct from its site of origin. Local versions of belly dance have grown and changed along with the role that dance plays in the community. The global evolution of belly dance is an inspiring example of the interplay of imagination, the internet and the social forces of local communities. All royalties are being donated to Women for Women International, an organization dedicated to supporting women survivors of war through economic, health, and social education programs. The contributors are proud to provide continuing sponsorship to such a worthwhile and necessary cause.

This e-book is designed to help you learn the basic beginning moves of Middle Eastern Dance. It is best used as a learning aid while taking classes from a professional teacher.

"Come, sit by me," says Grandmother. "Take this chalk in your hand. Now draw a dot and concentrate all your energy into this one dot. It is the beginning and the end, the navel of the world." So Fawzia Al-Rawi describes her grandmother's first lesson about the ancient craft of Oriental dance. Grandmother's Secretsalways circles back to this grandmother and this young girl, echoing the circular movements of the dance itself. Al-Rawi has written a strikingly graceful and original book that blends personal memoir with the history and theory of the dance known in the West as "belly dancing." It is the story of a young Arab girl as she is initiated into womanhood. It is a history of the dance from the earliest times through the days of the Pharaohs, the Roman Empire, to the Arab world of the last three centuries. It is a personal investigation into the effects of the dance's movements on individual parts of the body and the whole psyche. It is a guide to the actual techniques of the dance for those who are inspired to put down the book and move. Al-Rawi conveys in this book not only the history and technique of grieving and mourning dances, pregnancy and birth dances, but the spirit of these age-old rituals, and their possibilities for healing and empowering women today.

At the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, Dora Chambers volunteers to enforce proper conduct on the Egyptian belly dancing exhibition to earn the approval of the World Fair's Board of Lady Managers, and appease her socially ambitious husband. But Dora finds herself captivated by these exotic women and their enigmatic manager, Hossam Farouk--and discovers the truth about the desire and passion in her own heart...

Sumptuous color photography combined with comprehensive and detailed easy-to-follow instructions demonstrate a unique way for women to get and keep fit while expressing their sensuality through Belly Dancing. Would-be dancers who have longed to learn the intricacies of this ancient dance form can now experience the pleasure of learning and mastering all the basic steps, putting together an individualized routine and adding magic to their performance with veils, swords, and the tiny finger cymbals known as zills . Each complex movement of the body is painstakingly broken down into concise step-by-step directions that are easy to follow. Perfect for the basic beginner, the instructions also offer alternatives and additions to the movements to accommodate a dancer’s growing skill. The lavish sequence of images captures each delicately curved hip and splayed finger; the arch of a foot and the arc of a backbend; and the careful placement of a leg. You can practically see the stomach rippling sinuously, the hips shimmying wildly, and the hair whipping around as the dancer twirls.

Are you ready to teach belly dance? Are you looking for ways to change up your teaching techniques? Are you keen to find a fresh approach to bring to your existing classes? This is the book! Sara Shrapnell will help you set up, plan, teach and enjoy your belly dance classes. From exciting games to make learning fun for your students, to understanding the individual needs, desires, and hopes that each dancer brings to class, Sara will help you hone the learning experience to achieve their goals. This book touches on every major aspect of the teaching process including: * Tips for finding the perfect teaching venue* Promoting yourself as your teacher* Planning interesting semesters * Methods for developing comprehensive lesson plans * Understanding your students aims and goals* Providing useful praise and critique* Teaching to a variety of learning styles* Organizing your own events and troupe* Picking music that connects to the learnerAlso includes a glossary, handouts, and sample waivers.Sara Shrapnell has taught belly dance for more than a decade, presenting thousands of belly dance classes, both in the UK and US. She teaches privates, groups, workshops, and provides coaching for dancers and teachers worldwide. www.LetsBellyDanceUSA.com

Beautifully photographed live Belly Dance performances. Photographed during ten years with over 100 dancers. Author Martha Burns: "I wanted to recapture and share the dancers' inspiration and magic by means of visual images. I have been honored with Dr. Christiane Northrup writing my book's foreword, Alice Walker, Jean Shinoda Bolen, MD, and Jalaja Bonheim allowing me to quote from their books and for their encouraging words. Belly dance is a misunderstood art. Through my book, I hope to illustrate belly dance's beauty and power, why belly dancers believe this movement is the mother of all dance and why they dedicate their lives to mastering this art form. Belly dancers celebrate their (and each others') power and femininity with profound respect and reverence regardless of age, color, or size. Many feel a divine feminine energy during their dance transforming them into Goddesses. We all bask in this feminine force; those of us watching also become Goddesses." www.BellyDanceBook.net