Bellydance is a Western term for traditional Arab dance styles, especially raqs shargi. It is sometimes called "Middle Eastern Dance" or "Arabic Dance" in the United States, or by the Turkish term ciftetellii.
Bellydance is a misnomer as all parts of the body are involved in the
dance, the most featured body part in raqs sharqi being the hips. Bellydance takes many different forms depending on country and region, both
in costume and dance style, and new styles have been invented in the
West as its popularity has spread worldwide.
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