On this rainy June day I write to you and as promised Part 3 of my History of Belly Dance Series: Resurgence of Women's Dance. 

From the seminal ancient civilizations of Egypt, Greece, Rome and the Middle Ages we take a magic carpet ride over to the Age of Colonization in the 18th century all the was to the early 20th century.  First and foremost- Belly dance as we know it now came from an ideal that Western foreigners had of the Orient (also known as the Middle East and Northern Africa).

Colonization played a large role in exposing Europeans to the Oriental culture.  It was during the 18th century specifically that Napoleon sent French troops over to Egypt.  Hearing from others who came before them, they wanted to see the "dancing girls;" they really meant the Ghawazee, the Egyptian gypsies.  The Ghawazee danced in public for fellow countrymen and foreigners alike, however the Awalem, who were educated and trained Egyptian dancers, did not perform for men or foreigners.  These women performed for other women in private quarters.

Traditionally the Ghawazee & Awalem alike were covered from head to toe.  Their clothing incorporated many layers and most notably their stomachs were covered.  The two piece costume that is familiar today came around later in the early-mid 20th century.

The intense interest in the Orient developed into Orientalism which was a period where many writers, artists, and the wealthy visited Northern Africa and the Middle East; they brought back their perceptions of the Orient based on their Western sensibilities. Orientalism was in full swing by this time as it started earlier with French colonialism.  Many beautiful writings and paintings come from this art period and of course the women and the dancers were the main focus, however their depiction of the Orient was inaccurate.  It was based on fantasy.

The Chicago World's Fair in 1893 was of particular importance. It was here were Middle Eastern dance made its American debut.  It was met with both fascination and repulsion; Victorian morality wouldn't allow people to admit they were fascinated yet Freudian philosophy could explain the fascination.  It was here in this fair we find out how the craze started and America and we meet the legend of Little Egypt.

For the first time in the American public saw Middle Eastern dancers that included the Ouled Nail and Mr. Sol Bloom, the World's Fair organizer, played an essential role.  There was a section known as Cairo Street and this was the most popular section.  At the fair's press release Mr. Bloom improvised a tune on a piano so reporters could preview the performers.  This tune is known as The Streets of Cairo or Poor Little Country Maid and by now it is known by everyone, even if they don't realize it. Trust me when I tell you, you HAVE HEARD this tune! LOL!

The legend of Little Egypt is truly an interesting one because stories abound about who exactly she was or if she even existed.  Even Mr. Bloom himself denied knowing Little Egypt.  What is believed is that she was Farida Mahzar of Syrian descent and received dance training in Cairo.  There are many other women whose names are tied to the legend but only her name can be validated thanks to witnesses her skillful performance and elegant costumes.

The spread of Oriental dance can be tied to world events spanning from the 18th century to early 20th century which heavily influenced how we view Middle Eastern dance.  Social phenomenon such as Industrial Age.  Victorian Era and even Freud's psychology influenced the world and made it just a little smaller. The effect of colonization and the World's Fair are prime examples of how different cultures mixed together and introduced the dance to the Western world. From these events Belly dance as we know it continues to spread and just as traveling gypsies, the dance takes on a different style of wherever it ends up!


See you soon with the last part of my series History of Belly Dance: Middle Eastern Dance from the 19th century...to the Present.