About the Dance!

Belly dance or Middle Eastern dance is a beautiful artform that is characterised by hip movements and body undulations. Isolation of different parts of the body from the whole give the dance its unique look. Layering different types of movement on different areas of the body simultaneously are the hallmarks of a great dancer. Snaking arm movements and isolation of such parts as the head or rib cage also lend a hypnotic effect to the dance.

The Movement

Why Tipping? (Or don't just applaud, throw money!)

The dance goes by many names such as Belly Dance in America, Danse du Ventre in French, Danse Orientale, also French, or bauchtanse in German, but Raks Sharqi is how it is known in the Arabic world. What we call Middle East used to be know as the Orient and raks sharqi's literal translation is "dance of the orient." Whatever it's called, the dance is a celebration of life and and love!

The History

Why do belly dancers get tips? It is certainly not because we are strippers!!!! In the cultures where the dance comes from, whether it is Greece,  or Egypt, or Morocco, tipping, ot baksheesh, is a way to show appreciation for a performer. So whether you tip the band, the singer, or the dancer, that is the best way to show that you like what the performer is doing, and would to have more of the same. The best way to tip??  The dancer will love you and think you are really in "the know" if you shower her over the head with several $1's at a time!!!!