1.9: Islamic Dance Traditions
- Page ID
- 288407
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Islamic dance traditions started regionally and spread thanks to ancient trade routes throughout the Near East, North Africa, and Middle Eastern nations. Danse du Ventre, or “belly dance” was a name given by the French colonials who didn’t know what else to call the shimmies and shakes performed by women of the region. They misunderstood the original purpose of the choreographed shimmies – which were not for male voyeurism – but instead to be performed in the presence of women only in order to strengthen abdominal muscles for childbirth.
Belly dance was not intended for exhibitionism originally. But since its popularization in the West, belly dance in all its differing forms including – but not limited to, the Saidi, Khaligi, or Zeffa are now part of entertainments at weddings, receptions, restaurants, and other cultural festivities within the Islamic traditions. Finding its roots in the ancient folklore of rural Egypt, Saidi is a form of belly dance that is performed with a stick (Artemisya Dancewear, 2020). It is a traditional dance based on the tribal nomadic performances by men using a staff. The bouncy footwork is energetic and was likened to the movements of riding horses or fighting in battle. Rhythmic and repetitive, Saidi is practiced by many Islamic nations and in Muslim diasporic communities.
The Khaligi is a traditional folk dance from the Persian Gulf countries that include Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. A Khaligi dress is ornamented with gold thread, sapphires, rubies, and emeralds acting a dowry before marriage. The Khaligi dance is performed for women only, showcasing the richness of the dress for a prospective future mother-in-law. The complexity comes not in the footwork or choreography, but in a distinctive method of flipping their hair, as long beautiful hair is viewed to be a feminine asset indicating health and fertility. The mothers of marriage-eligible sons observe marriageable young females performing the Khaligi to make a selection for her son based on kinesthetic competence in the dance, the appearance of fertility, as well as the bride wealth that would come with the dress upon marriage into the family.
In the Zeffa, one female dancer leads a processional at weddings with twelve candles lit in a heavy candelabra atop her head. The dancer serves to “light the way” for the newly married couple as they are paraded through the reception as the guests cheer them on (Nour, 2018). Popular at Jordanian, Lebanese, Palestinian, and Syrian wedding festivities, after the procession, the Zeffa dancer transitions to a celebratory belly dance performance.