Raks Sharki, or bellydance as many call it, is considered to be the oldest dance in history. Its exact origins are unknown, though you may find speculations of its origins in varied sources, some insisting that their claim are the actual origins itself. What we do know is that it dates back to the earliest of civilizations; that in ancient times it was used in mother-goddess worship in matriarchal cultures and that it was also a birth ritual (and still is in certain parts of the world). One of it's more popular presence was in that of the harems in the Middleast, but even the history on that is misleading to many. It has been a prominent dance in Middleastern cultures for a very long time and there are different variations of it in certain countries. For example, traditional Egyptian-style bellydance in its authenticity is visually different in some aspects to Lebanese style etc. However, all the basic moves of bellydance are more or less the same, if not similar in every culture. Overall, throughout its history, it has been a source of entertainment. Throughout the years, belly dance has been influenced by many different cultures and has borrowed styles and elements from other dances.

If I were to cover even some aspects of the dance historically or the different styles, this would be too long of an About section. The world of belly dance is so varied and people are attracted to the dance for many reasons. The dance in appearance, as many have seen before, is breath-takingly feminine and is embraced by all kinds of women - young and old, short and tall, big and small. Belly dance, popularly regarded as a "Women's only" dance is also embraced by men. However, it appears to be more popular with women than men (at least when LEARNING how to dance, as opposed to simply viewing it ;).

The purpose of this fanlisting is for fans of the dance to show their appreciation for the dance. If there are fanlistings on so many different topics, why not a belly dance fanlisting? For some, it may seem absurd listing yourself simply as a fan of something but since fanlistings are so popular on the internet I thought it fit that someone do a FL on belly dance. I have never been part of a hobby that has inspired so much passion and fascination amongst its loyalists. Therefore, a fanlisting on belly dance is the most ideal topic for a fanlisting :). This fanlisting is opened to anyone who loves the dance - performers, students, researchers or those who simply love watching it.