Musings About Belly Dance:
Essays, Opinion Pieces, & More

By Shira

• A Dance By Any Other Name. What should we call it? Belly dance? Oriental dance? Raqs sharqi?
• Men Who Ogle Belly Dancers. Opinion piece about men with a belly dancer fetish.
• Reflections: My Friends Through Dance. Shira reminisces about the many friendships she has made over the years through dance.
• Public Perceptions: A Double Standard. Opinion piece exploring why the public accepts exposed skin in theaters but thinks belly dancers are sleazy.

By Arabella

• The Term "Belly Dancing". Arabella explores why she dislikes this common name for Oriental dance.
• Dreams Can Come True! Arabella shares one of hers.
• Why Middle Eastern Dance Is the BEST Kind of Dance. Arabella compares her experience with Middle Eastern dance with other dance forms she has studied.

By Joy

• To Men Who Think They Want to "Acquire" a Bellydancer. Joy offers a reality check to the many men out there who want a belly dancer to be their next conquest.

By Jodi Blubaugh

• To Infinity and Beyond. Reflections on figure 8's and the mind/body connection.
• Yin (and Yang). Reintegrating our neglected feminine sides.

By Brea Morgiane

• Yes, But Is It "History"? Tips for determining credibility of claims about belly dance history.

By Valizan

• The Odyssey of the Lizard Boy. On the experience of being a male belly dancer.

By Razi

• Belly Dancers of Color: Defeating the Stereotypes.

By Despina:

• Respect! What we can all do as dancers to heighten the public's respect for our art form.

By Diana DeMille & Friends:

• Belly Dancer Breast Cancer. Dancers share their experience with breast cancer.

By Thea:

• Hair And Home. A belly dancer's humorous tale of her adventures with hair styles and home-selling.
• To Teach Or Not To Teach. One dancer's thought process as she attempts to answer this question for herself.

By Amanda Niehaus

• To All Students, Regarding "Loyalty" to Your Teacher. About the dancer / teacher relationship.

By Lennie Clark

• Why Is It Important to Know What the Lyrics Mean? Added September 16, 2009.