About the Dance

Why Bellydance?

Fun - Learning to dance in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere can be great fun, as can social shimmying with your classmates at our haflas (hafla is Arabic for party!). We organise regular social events as well as our classes and workshops, including informal haflas where everyone is welcome to dance and perform, and trips to Middle Eastern restaurants to watch other people dance whilst eating tasty food.

Exercise - Oriental dance provides a low-impact workout, suitable for all ages, sizes and fitness levels. It improves core strength and balance, as well as general fitness.

Confidence - New bellydance students often become more confident and self-assured as they learn to control their movements and maintain an elegant posture, and experience the thrill of performing!

Of course, oriental dance is also a beautiful artform, which can range from ethereal and mesmerising to joyful and cheeky - but whether you want to learn for a fun workout or because you are enthralled by the power and mystery of this dance form, or anywhere in between, you are welcome at OMEDS classes!

About Bellydance

Bellydance is more correctly known as Oriental Dance, or Raqs Sharqi in Arabic (and Oryantal Tansi in Turkish) - the term bellydance is misleading for many reasons (if you're interested in learning more there is a good article on Shira's site), however it is the name most people recognise so we have decided to use it here so that people can find our website.

Oriental dance has its roots in social dances and folk dances from throughout the Middle East. These dances are often performed at parties, special occasions and social gatherings, often by both men and women, or by women for their female friends and relatives. It was only in the early 20th Century that oriental dance in its modern staged form started to emerge in the nightclubs of Cairo, made famous by by dancers such as Samia Gamal and Tahia Carioca.

Today, Oriental dance is popular across the world, both as a performance art and as a hobby. Many different styles of dance fall into the 'Middle Eastern Dance' category, from the styles performed in nightclubs throughout the Middle East, to various regional dances such as Baladi (urban Egyptian folk style), Saiidi (from upper Egypt), Turkish Roman (gypsy), Khaleegee (from the Arabian gulf), Chiftitelli (Greek), and many more, all of which have their own distinctive style, movement vocabulary and cultural background.