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Bellydance
Dance Orientale, Danse du Ventre, Raks Sharki, Tsiftetel, Hootchy-Kootchy, American Tribal Style--Bellydance has been known by many names in many places. The origins of the dance are believed to be ancient and its cultural influences are vast, including Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe and most recently the United States, whose early film industry influenced the modern "cabaret" costume. The dance uses both fluid circular muscle isolations as well as rapid pops and locks to convey the rhythmic complexities of the music, which can also be from many ethnicities, such as Turkish, Egyptian or Romani. The folk dances which have influenced theatrical bellydance have generally been performed among women exclusively for each other. Berber birthing rituals suggest that some of the movements may have been handed from mother to daughter to strengthen the abdominals to ease the birthing process.