Heather Battles

Lecture

Bellydance Education: Fitness Or Art?

For the general Western public, bellydance, also known as Middle Eastern or Oriental dance, has often been regarded as a sexual display and associated, for example, with stripping. Such views are rooted in Orientalism and in the history of bellydance in the West.

Bellydancers have frequently complained about these “Misconceptions” and have made efforts to stress the fitness benefits of the dance, as well as its traditional role in Middle Eastern arts and culture.

I will explore the diverse ways in which the dance is marketed to both the viewing public and to potential bellydance students in North America.

I suggest that rather than simply dispel the Orientalist sexual stereotype of bellydancing, recent promotional materials have resulted in confusion over what exactly bellydance is: an exercise

weight-loss program, a spiritual dance experience, an erotic display, or a cultural/folk dance form.

Further, I examine the tensions in the discourses of dancers surrounding the portrayal of their craft, with particular attention to the Canadian context.