Belly Dancing Books?

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beachbunny

New member
I'm not sure if this is the correct place to post this? :confused:

But do you have any belly dance related books to recommend? Anything, except the teaching books that is!

I am currently reading Snake Hips and it's been interesting so I'm looking for more! Not just story type, also history, make up, something with pictures too! Thank you!;)
 
Janene Aliza

Janene Aliza

New member
I have added "YOU ASKED AUNT ROCKY: ANSWERS & ADVICE ABOUT RAQS SHARQI & RAQS SHAABI (Oriental & Folk Dance)" by Morocco to my wishlist...
 
Sophia Maria

Sophia Maria

New member
Are you reading Snake Hips by Anne Soffee? I have that one and I love it!

I also have Grandmother's Secrets: The Ancient Rituals and Healing Powers of Belly Dance. The book is in three parts: one is an autobiographical bit where Rosina Fawzia Al Rawi describes growing up with her family and her community of women. To me it's the best part of the book, and very genuine.

The second section is a brief history of women's dancing. I'm personally not that enthused about this section, for a few reasons. For one, she sums up a couple thousand years of history in 20-some pages, which makes it sound hugely idealized and shaped conveniently to fit her theory of "women's dancing". Also, the section just irks me in general because I'm not in the "bellydance is a dance by women for women" camp. All the same, it is interesting to look over and get her take on the subject of dance throughout history.

The third section is more worth your time. She moves through all the body parts used in dance and discusses how dance moves through these parts of the body, theoretically and philosophically. Is not, I repeat, NOT a technical description of movements. And then at the end there are good descriptions of social dances that are done, such as the wedding dance, or mourning dance.

I really enjoyed Belly Dance: Orientalism, Transnationalism, and Harem Fantasy. They are very scholarly articles, with lofty university professor-esque language. Don't let that discourage you, though, the book covers really fascinating topics like Egyptian dancers in the movies, male dancers, American tribal, and European orientalism.

As far as fiction, sadly the only book I know is Snake Hips. That book always makes me laugh!:D
 
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beachbunny

New member
Yes! I am really enjoying it! I will definitely have to check out Grandmother's Secrets as I actually am in that camp. ;P Hehe. I will also check out the other one! I really want to get a few books to read on my spare time. Thank you for the recommendations and their summaries!
 
Mosaic

Mosaic

Super Moderator
For a novel there is The Belly Dancer by DeAnna Cameron. Light reading set in the time of the Chicago World Trade Fair.

The gilded Serpent online magazine has a review here http://www.gildedserpent.com/cms/2009/09/24/bonitareviewsbdnovels/#axzz20x2zNuOt

Belly Dancing For beginners by Liz Byrski - A novel about 2 women in their 50s impulsively decide to take a beginners BD class, the 2 women a total opposites one reserved and the other quite outspoke. The teacher is 60 year Marissa, a person who lives her life the way she wants & how she wants.I really enjoyed this book:D
You can read a sample here Belly Dancing for Beginners « Liz Byrski & also purchase it as well.

A Trade Like Any Other: Female Singers & dancers in Egypt by Karin Van Nieuwkerk

There are quite a few listed on Amazon, just type in Belly dance - books.

I love Snake Hips a great read, I also enjoyed Grandmother's Secrets, that was the very first BD book I purchased:D
~Mosaic
 
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Creaky Old Dancer

New member
Belly Dancing Books

Hi another couple of books that might interest you are: The Belly Dance Book edited by Tazz Richards which is a book of essays by many respected dancers and people in the dance. It covers many aspects of history, costuming ,business and spiritual. Good book to read for an overlook of the dance.

This one might be of special interest to you since you are interested in it being a women's dance Sacred Woman, Sacred Dance by Iris J. Stewart - you might also want to read some books by Marija Gimbutas and her work on Mother Goddess :) Creaks
 
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