THE HISTORY, MYSTERY AND HEALING POWER OF BELLY DANCING Dance
historians have traced the origins of dance the Egypt over 5000
years ago. Due to it's geography, Egypt was isolated for
thousands of years from the influence of other civilizations.
Hence, Egypt's unique art forms remained pure, and were nurtured
extensively by a culture that viewed art and life as
inseparable. One of the art forms of ancient Egypt was its
dance. Little if anything is known for certain about the actual
movements of the ancient dance. The linear representations found
in temples of Ancient Egypt are typical of the drawing style of
the times, but may have actually been, as well, the predecessors
of the flowing form no known as Raks Sharki, Dans Orientale, or
Dance Du Venture. Raks Sharki is the Arabic title for belly
dancing. The more familiar name, "Belly Dancing," is a
colloquial title, and was coined when the dance was first
introduced to Western audiences at the Columbian exposition at
the beginning of the 19th century. The setti