She swirled her diaphanous pink shawl and glided through the hall as a band pumped out music, while the crowd broke into rapturous applause — all captured in a video posted online. Belly dancers from Eastern Europe, Russia, Latin America and elsewhere have dominated the scene in recent years in Egypt — long regarded as the birthplace of belly dancing. The Brazilian, known as Lurdiana, said she had performed to enthusiastic crowds at weddings and nightclubs, and had even taught at gym classes.
But researchers say Egyptian society has largely seen the dance as entertainment, to be watched but never taken up as a profession. Recently, authorities have targeted dancers, pop divas and social media influencers who have posted videos online. In , Russian belly dancer Ekaterina Andreeva — known as Johara — was briefly arrested for donning a costume deemed too revealing, after a video of her performance circulated widely.
According to Yehia and other researchers, belly dancing in Egypt is believed to have especially flourished during the 19th century. International dance moves were incorporated into the Oriental dance, and costumes altered to appeal to popular tastes.
Dancers performing to classical Arabic music have also become a rarity, instead usually preferring popular electro street music, known as mahraganat — a genre with fast beats and improvised vocals that purists view as overstepping moral boundaries. Despite the apparent contradictions, foreign belly dancers in Egypt say coming to the country was the right choice. Despite conflicted perceptions, foreign belly dancers feel at home in Egypt. Belly dancers perform during a show at a hotel in the Egyptian capital Cairo.
AFP Arabic terms for dancers — raqasat and awalem — now often bear offensive and racy connotations. Its modern-day manifestation was in part shaped by Westerners during colonial times, she added. Suggested By Editor. Shattered Beirut districts liven up for Christmas.
