Read more
Raqs sharqi, the Egyptian dance form also known as belly dance, has for generations captured imaginations around the globe. Yet its origins have been obscured by misinformation and conjecture, rooted in Orientalist attitudes about the Middle East--a widely accepted narrative suggests the dance was created in response to Western influences and desires. Drawing on an array of primary sources, the author traces the early development of raqs sharqi in the context of contemporary trends in Egyptian arts and entertainment. The dance is revealed to be a hybrid cultural expression, emerging with the formation of Egyptian national identity at the end of the 19th century, when Egypt was occupied by the British.
List of contents
Table of ContentsPreface
Notes on Transcription and Translation
Introduction
One-Egyptian Arts and Entertainment at the Turn of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries
Two-The Rise of Raq¿ Sharq¿
Three-Reconstructing the Technique of Early Raq¿ Sharq¿
Four-Reconstructing the Aesthetic of Early Raq¿ Sharq¿
Five-Raq¿ Sharq¿ Performance at the Turn of the Century
Six-The Raq¿ Sharq¿ Costume in Historical Context
Seven-Raq¿ Sharq¿ as Part of the Egyptian Cultural Heritage
Conclusion
Chapter Notes
Bibliography
Index
About the author
Heather D. Ward is a Middle Eastern dance instructor, performer and researcher based in St. Louis, Missouri. She specializes in Egyptian belly dance, and has conducted in-depth research into primary textual, photographic and pictorial evidence as well as on-site investigations in Egypt of this fascinating dance form.
