Snake Hips

For years belly dancing has been relegated to the suburbia of the dance world, never quite making it to the epicenter of what's hip and happening. But the recent wildfire-like spread in popularity of yoga, the king of isometric exercise, has had a runoff effect on belly dancing, the king of isometric dance movement.

Stereotypes still exist. Tell someone you belly dance and they giggle. They think you're either really a stripper or the next best thing to a stripper. Or worse, you're out to seduce any and all who cross your navel-bearing path.

The typical bra and hip belt costume is purely a Hollywood creation. Back in Beirut and Cairo, where the dance originated, people wore party clothes to perform this dance as it was one of celebration, seen typically at weddings or

large family gatherings. Men did it too. Sometimes only the men would do it as the more conservative Muslim women chose not to perform in front of male company.

When Americans picked up on this form of dance it was back in the Vaudeville days. They quickly realized that if they exaggerated movements and did sleazy things with it, they could get more of a reaction from the crowd. Thus was born the highly sexualized version of belly dancing, and Hollywood ran with it. I can still remember watching the original Star Trek as a kid and seeing Kirk stuck on some planet where a green alien lady performs a belly dance solo of sorts. He was mesmerized. But again, here was the insidious stereotype of a hyper sexual woman looking to seduce and using the dance as her means to an end.

Belly dancing is for entertainment. It is fun and beautiful to watch. It is also somewhat difficult to learn; some people can do it and some, well, rhythm and flowing movement isn't their forte. For me these movements have reshaped my waistline quite nicely. There's a lot to be said for isometric exercise, and especially exercise that is pleasing to watch, like belly dancing.