Rumba Dance History - The Dance of Love

The Rumba Dance is one of the oldest Latin American dances. It is a popular ballroom dance in the United States and in other countries as well. But where did the dance originate? And how did it all began? Rumba is believed to be invented by Black African slaves who were imported to Cuba, some Caribbean Islands and Latin America. This same dynamic dance can still be seen in parts of Africa, but the Rumba we now see in the United States has been changed, modified by influence of other races and/or cultures. They say the modern Rumba Dance is a combination of different dances which includes the Cuban "Son" (a slower version of the traditional rumba), guaracha, the rural rumba, and bolero.

The word Rumba was originally a generic name used to classify a music style instead of a dance style. At present, there are three distinct types of Rumba practiced in Cuba, with the steps mainly danced as solo or freestyle. The first is called "Guaguanco," which depicts a seduction between a man and a woman where he tries to "attack" her to get her. The second is called the "Yambu." In this type a flirty woman dances with a man who cannot "attack" her or get her. The last is called "Columbia". This is the more polite type and can be compared to the customary rooster and hen dance. It is like a courtship dance where the male struts his masculinity around the female.

The American Rumba is an altered version of the "Son." It is now known as the "Latin-Ballroom" couple's dance and is properly labelled the "Dance of Romance."

A lot of the sensual movements of the modern Rumba Dance or Ballroom Rumba developed from the original Cuban dancers doing daily tasks such as "climbing a rope," shoeing a mare," or the "courtship of farmyard fowls." The costumes that the performers traditionally wore represent symbolism. Like the woman's ruffled train of skirt which signifies a hen's feathers. And the man's ruffled neckline or chest and/ or shirt sleeves signifies a cock's hackle feathers. Now, the modern Latin costumes are more like lingerie. The Ballroom Rumba is a pleasant dance for dancers to demonstrate their technique, skill and ability, which also shows a polite sensuousness or romantic flair on the dance floor. While the Cuban Rumba is more like a rhythmic street dance which can give the impression to be a cool, yet frenzied and at times the dancers could wild abandon with the technique, rather than a popularized pretty dance form.

Adam J Reynold writes about the Rumba Dance and other Ballroom Dances.

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A History of Belly Dance

The dancing we have come to know as 'belly dancing' arises from the French 'danse du ventre' meaning "dance of the stomach". This term was applied in the Victorian era but is somewhat inaccurate seeing as the dance incorporates every part of the body. Other terms include, raks sharqi which is Arabic for "dance of the east" and "oriental" or "eastern" dance.

Culturally, belly dancing has its origins in early Arab tribal religious cultures that existed around 6000 years ago. The dance was performed as an offering to the goddess of fertility. Pagan peoples of the day worshipped female gods and greatly honoured the divine feminine and the capacity of females to bring forth life. Today in the Middle East, various movements from belly dance are used to assist labour. The deliberate motions of muscle contractions and spasms are very similar to the body's natural movements during childbirth.

Geographically, it has its origins in Mesopotamia. It is thought that gypsies spread the dance through their travels to North Africa.The dance then moved east to India and west to Italy and Spain. Different cultural influences can be clearly seen in belly dance movements along with differing costume styles.

In the West, the Romantic movement of the 18th and 19th centuries popularised belly dancing. They came from the Middle East to perform at World's Fairs or Expos held in various countries thus spreading this form of dance. The terms "oriental" or "eastern" dance were first coined at this time.

Egyptian dancers were influenced by various outside cultural influences such as ballet troops from Russia and European colonials who brought marching bands.

Gypsies travelling from India would perform in the streets and theatres to support themselves. From India they moved to Afghanistan and Persia moving on to Turkey and then to Europe. Some when south to Egypt and North Africa.

This art form is now practised in many countries worldwide including American, Canada, UK and Ireland, Australia and Asia as well as the obvious Egypt and Turkey and surrounding regions. Westerners often consider Egypt to be the seat of belly dancing but contrary to popular belief, belly dancers in Egypt are not well regarded and it is not seen as a respectable profession. Dancers are restricted to certain acceptable movements, there is no floor work and it is not allowed on television. Most belly dancers in Egypt are foreigners who dance for tourists.

Historically in Egypt however, gypsy dancers known as the ghawanzee danced for the public with music and swords, candles, veils and sticks. Dancers where frowned upon by the authorities but tolerated as they taxed the dancers profits. However, public belly dancing was finally banned in Cairo in 1834 due to religious based complaints. The ban was lifted but the dance was only allowed in theatres and thus the Egyptian cabaret-style was born.

However, it has become so popular in the West that you will find classes in almost every town and city, from Birmingham, UK to Birmingham, Alabama, USA, as well as the Middle East.

Debbie Williams invites you to try a on-line belly dance class for free!! http://www.birminghambellydance.co.uk/drum_solo_number_2.htm

Original article

The Origins and the History of Belly Dance

Belly Dance is a Western term for a type of dance that originated in North Africa and the Middle East, involving the forceful and sustained movement of the hips and other parts of the body. It might also be referred to as Middle Eastern or Arabic dance, or by the Greco-Turkish name ciftetelli.

Interestingly, the belly doesn't actually play a major part in the performance of the dance. It is the movement of the hips, the lower waist and the upper body that compels the belly to thrust violently, but the shape and size of the dancer's belly is generally not important.

Belly dance is most typically performed by a lone female as a form of entertainment in restaurants and at specific functions such as weddings and parties. Sometimes though it is performed as a group, and in some instances by men.

The dance has its origins in ancient Arab tribal cultures and made its way across Western Europe during the Romantic period of the 18th and 19th centuries. Its essentially spontaneous nature has led it to be hailed as a possible forerunner of modern dancing.

It was not however universally welcomed in Europe or in the USA, where it was viewed in some quarters as immodest and provocative. This was particularly so in the repressive environment of Victorian England. And yet in spite of this Middle Eastern and North African dancers entertained at all the major World Trade Fairs during this period, fully dressed but still displaying the movements that remained so frowned upon in sections of society at that time.

Nevertheless the essence of the Trade Fairs was for the Great Powers to parade the allure and exotica of their respective empires, and there was nothing which more epitomised the spirit and "feel" of North Africa and of the Arab world than the belly dancer.

In today's more relaxed environment the art of belly dancing is popular everywhere around the world. The style of dance is not identical from one place to the next and different variants have emerged. Today one might find a Russian belly dancer performing a local routine, or somebody else performing conspicuously Arabic dance movements.

What unites them all is the wonderful exotic costumes that they invariably wear, and which brighten up any function at which they are in evidence.

Belly dancers are much in demand at weddings, corporate events, celebrations and parties and are usually regarded as a safe form of family-friendly entertainment. Westerners are themselves able to learn belly dancing at classes that operate from school halls and local community centres.

Mark Richards is a professional writer working for The Middle Man, a business promotion service using its experience and expert knowledge of marketing strategy to generate important new business for its clients at a surprisingly low cost.

Original article