Belly dance is a traditional public entertainment commonly seen in the Middle East and Arab societies. The origin of the dance comes from Egypt and through history spread over geography. Belly dance is an artistic activity and a central figure of special events such as weddings, parties, meetings, etc. The tradition was always popular and even in the 21st-century belly dance is becoming trendy in civilized societies like the US and UK. There are schools that teach dance which is also accepted as a training method as you definitely need strong muscles to perform.

It is mostly performed by women, the figures and clothes may differ among the countries. In Turkey, in Ottoman Times, belly dancers were mostly influenced by Egpytians however, now we may figure out the Gypsy effect in the Turkish way of belly dancing. The music is pretty lively, generally is in a 9/8 time signature and formed by oud, ney, clarinet kanoon and hand drums. Sometimes, the dancer accompanies the music with hand cymbals. Turkish costumes are more revealing than the other examples, they are very shiny, colorful and daring. Also, Turkish belly dance has its own characteristics regarding the moves. The most famous ones are the ‘Turkish backbend’ and ‘Turkish drop‘. Spins, shimmies and seductive floorwork are the key and distinctive moves of Turkish-style belly dance.

If you are looking to witness a belly dance experience in Turkey, besides the touristic organizations you may see them in some taverns, weddings, especially in circumcision feasts, new year parties and concerts. The easy way is to book a Turkish Night which is advertised all over, belly dancers are one of the main actors of the events. There are some shops that sell costumes which may be an authentic souvenir from Turkey. Also, some workshops teach how to belly dance, at least it could be a nice way of starting to learn during your visit to Turkey.