Belly Dance Origins & Icons

Belly Dance Origins & History

maqam

Arabic melody type & scale; literally translating to place, location or position; no rhythmic component; improvisational

iqa'at

rhythmic cycles (singular iqa‘), patterns of beats that repeat every measure. A composition can switch back and forth between many different iqa‘at. Each iqa‘ is defined using a prototypal measure and the two basic sounds: dum (bassy and sustained) and tak (dry and sharp).

taqsim

non-metric, melodic musical improvisation in traditional Arabic, Turkish, Greek, and Middle Eastern music that usually introduces a formal composition or song

mejance

entrance/finale bookends of a set; structure that frames a performance

haflas

informal, friendly party or social gathering hosted by belly dance studios or communities where dancers of all levels perform for each other and celebrate together

Tahia Carioca

first egyptian belly dancer to appear in a motion picture (1935), career peaking in 1940s. Starred in Shatie el-Gharam (Shore of Love, 1950)

Samia Gamal

Legendary 1940s Egyptian dancer & National Dancer of Egypt in 1949. Rival of Tahia Carioca.

Maud Allen

Canadian dancer, chiefly noted for her dance scene Vision of Salome, in which she garnered great attention by performing topless