Before They Were Belly Dancers: European Accounts of Female

Before They Were Belly Dancers: European Accounts of Female Entertainers in Egypt, 1760-1870

Focusing on Egypt during the period 1760 to 1870, this book fills in some of the historical blanks for a dance form often known today in the Middle East as raqs sharki or raqs baladi, and in Western countries as â€œbelly dance.â€ Eyewitness accounts written by European travelers, the major primary source for modern scholars, provide most of the research material. The author shapes these numerous accounts into a coherent whole, providing a picture of Egyptian female entertainers of the period as professionals in the arts, rather than as a group of unnamed â€œethnicâ€ dancers and singers. Analysis is given of the contexts of this danceâ€”that was a legitimate performing art form in Egyptian society appreciated by a wide variety of audiencesâ€”with a focus on actual performancesâ€”and a re-creation of choreography.
Country USA
Manufacturer McFarland
Binding Kindle Edition
ReleaseDate 2014-11-19
Format Kindle eBook

Before They Were Belly Dancers: European Accounts of Female Entertainers in Egypt, 1760-1870