The thought of a belly dancer for most people conjures up the image of a beautiful woman adorned with expensive looking jewelry and hardly any clothing. This is an appealing image for most people and describes many belly dancers out there. Interestingly, the jewelry commonly pictures is a recent addition to the tradition belly dancing outfit.
It is easy to extract from the symbolism is of expensive belly dancing jewelry that belly dancing is associated with fame and wealth or perhaps the activity of the extremely rich. This is very far from the truth. This view of belly dancing is largely a wester invention and holds little resemblance to the traditional belly dancing of the middle east.
The popular belly dancing jewelry we are familiar with- the jewel in the belly button- was in fact a creation of Hollywood. It was merely a way to get around touchy censorship laws that required the navel to be covered. The use of jewelry provided an attractive way around this and still allowed hollywood to reveal much of the midriff.
Although the jewelry we commonly see today is largely a result of Hollywood’s affect on belly dancing, many believe this is traditional attire. The truth is that belly dancing jewelry is quite rare in most places around the world. Many times no jewelry is worn at all and most of the body is kept hidden underneath modest clothing.
Cloth is More Traditional
For those interested in more traditional belly dancing jewelry and clothing, the use of swirling fabric is closer to reality. Bright fabric was often used along with the undulating body movements of belly dancing to create an aesthetically appealing dance.
Clothing should be comfortable and should not hinder the movement of a dancer. This is important because belly dancing is all about the movement of the body and much less about the clothing and belly dancing jewelry. It is also not necessary to expose a large amount of your body, although depending on where you are in the world, this is often done.
Whether or not you decide to wear traditional clothing or more modern clothing is completely up to you. Although most belly dancing jewelry we see is not traditional, many people still enjoy its aesthetic enhancement. Ultimately you will have to decide on the outfit and adornments that fit your personal style and taste.
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