Egyptian Belly Dance in Transition: The Raqs Sharqi Revolution, 1890-1930

Raqs sharqi, the Egyptian dance form also known as belly dance, has for generations captured imaginations around the globe. Yet its origins have been obscured by misinformation and conjecture, rooted in Orientalist attitudes about the Middle East—a widely accepted narrative suggests the dance was created in response to Western influences and desires. Drawing on an array of primary sources, the author traces the early development of raqs sharqi in the context of contemporary trends in Egyptian arts and entertainment. The dance is revealed to be a hybrid cultural expression, emerging with the formation of Egyptian national identity at the end of the 19th century, when Egypt was occupied by the British.

ISBN-13: 9781476666747

Media Type: Paperback

Publisher: McFarland & Company - Incorporated Publishers

Publication Date: 01-25-2018

Pages: 220

Product Dimensions: 6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.44(d)

Age Range: 18 Years

Heather D. Ward is a Middle Eastern dance instructor, performer and researcher based in St. Louis, Missouri. She specializes in Egyptian belly dance, and has conducted in-depth research into primary textual, photographic and pictorial evidence as well as on-site investigations in Cairo of this fascinating dance form.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Preface
Notes on Transcription and Translation
Introduction
One—Egyptian Arts and Entertainment at the Turn of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries
Two—The Rise of Raqṣ Sharqī
Three—Reconstructing the Technique of Early Raqṣ Sharqī
Four—Reconstructing the Aesthetic of Early Raqṣ Sharqī
Five—Raqṣ Sharqī Performance at the Turn of the Century
Six—The Raqṣ Sharqī Costume in Historical Context
Seven—Raqṣ Sharqī as Part of the Egyptian Cultural Heritage
Conclusion
Chapter Notes
Bibliography
Index

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