Belly Dance Tips, Advice and Articles

The following is a collection of articles, poems, and assorted information about belly dancing. Most of the information presented here is about the art of belly dancing - but some information is more general regarding dance, music and other noteworthy topics. We update this section regularly, so check in with us often!

Your First Belly Dance Costume by Atéa

Atea Belly Dance Artist Tips on how to pull together a belly dancing costume from items you may already have in your closet and how to purchase belly dancing costumes for practice or performance.

The Goddess is Dancing by Christina Sophia

Dance as a path of self-revelation for spiritual growth and an evolutionary step for humankind. Discusses the history of feminine power from Paleolithic times to the present. An excellent article - highly recommended by Atéa.

Choosing Belly Dance Music for Practice or Performance by Atéa

What kind of music does a 'real' belly dancer dance to? It all depends.

Belly Dance on the Edge by Denis Kavemeier

Belly dancing to live music can be exciting and memorable.

What is Belly dance and What Should We Really Call It? by Atéa

Learn about the origins, history and definition of belly dancing.

Creating Inner Peace with Oriental Dance by Atéa

Belly dancing for mind, body, and spirit harmonization and healing.

How to Prepare Music For Your Dance Show by Denis Kavemeier

Dance tips from a professional music producer on how a dancer (belly or not) should select music - either recorded or live, including musical quality and preparing recorded music for the performance.

The Phenomenon of the American Belly Dancer by Atéa

How belly dancing came to America and how Americans have helped to preserve and popularize it around the world.

Poems by Ellen Sander (Shoshanim)

Five thought provoking poems that are inspired by Raqs Sharqi.

Dance The Greek Way by Denis Kavemeier

Relive Denis' story as he shares about dancing to Greek music.

Core Belly Dance Moves by Atéa

Learn the essential, basic movements that define this timeless dance.

Core Belly Dance Techniques by Atéa

Learn the basic techniques for creating variety with the core moves.

3 Staccato Hip Moves by Atéa

There are 3 basic staccato hip moves that create the majority of quick, angular hip articulations that are performed by dancers. These moves are most often danced to the rhythm and faster tempos of your music.

Basic Rolling Hip Moves by Atéa

Read about the basic hip figure 8, back-to-front figure 8's, front-to-back figure 8's, as well as vertical and horizontal and hip circles.

Basic Ribcage Circles by Atéa

In this lesson, learn how to perform basic ribcage circles.

Arm, Head and Shoulder Moves by Atéa

Atéa teaches the core moves that form the foundation for many upper body techniques.

Arm Poses and Freestyle Arm Movements by Atéa

In this lesson, learn how to employ freestyle arm poses and arm movements.

About Some of Our Authors

Denis Kavemeier

Denis Kavemeier is a solo guitarist and accomplished musician published on ACA Entertainment. He is best known for his music with the band called Oasis. He studied music history at the University of Wisconsin. His style is primarily mood music, but he's experienced in all styles of music including pop. Denis not only plays guitar but also a Greek instrument called a bouzouki - a long necked fretted lute - similar to a small guitar. He's been honored to play the bouzouki as a soloist at the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra Ball.

Dancing on the Edge

Read Denis' article titled "Dancing on the Edge" about dancing to live music.

How to Prepare Music For Your Dance Show

In this article Denis discusses how any dancer should select music - either recorded or live for a dance. He discusses musical quality and preparing for the performance. You will note this is an order article as he mentions quality from tape cassette - but the concept still applies to today's CD or MP3 digital versus analog recordings.

Belly Dance The Greek Way

In this article Denis discusses how you can dance to Greek music.

Christina Sophia

Christina Sophia worked as a registered nurse from 1980-1990 and also trained in those years as a clairvoyant and spiritual healer/teacher. She has been involved in dance of various forms since age 7, returning to Oriental dance studies in 1990. She appears as a soloist performing contemporary Middle Eastern dance and her own style of "sacred-erotic" dance around California.

She has published articles in Psychic Life magazine, the Holistic Nursing Journal, Jareeda and the SF Bay area Open Exchange. In 1997 she began teaching oriental dance as a yogic type spiritual unfoldment process. She teaches classes in Sebastopol, California and workshops for women or men and women focusing on dance as a spiritual/evolutionary path. She also performs and teaches workshops with her partner William Florian. Together they are creating their own venue for the presentation of Sacred-erotic dance, and events, which heal the relationship between our sexuality and spirituality.

Read Christina's article titled The Goddess is Dancing. This article was written by Christina Sophia in 1997 and later published in the fall of 1999 in Jareeda Magazine. This article about belly dance discusses the "integration or harmonizing of the male and female aspects within the human psyche and an evolutionary step in our way of being in life."

Ellen Sander (Shoshanim)

Ellen Sander is an accomplished writer who has been published in the national media. Having studied belly dance for years, she's also an accomplished bellydancer who has performed in videos and concerts under the stage name of 'Shoshanim".

Ellen has composed several though provoking poems that are inspired by belly dance: 1) Snake Dance, 2) Trance Dancing, 3) Bloodlines, 4) Dance With the Wind, and 5) Magnolia & Fog in January.

At�a

At�a has written numerous articles about belly dance. "Creating Inner Peace with Oriental Dance" describes how your mind and body can be revitalized with belly dancing. "What is Belly Dance" discusses the origins and history of belly dancing. "The Phenomenon of the American Belly Dancer" discusses the history of how belly dancing came to America and how Americans have learned about the dance. In "Your First Belly Dance Costume", learn how to pull together your first belly dancing costume from clothing you're likely have in your closet. If you'd like to know what kind of music can be used in belly dancing, read "Choosing Belly Dance Music for Practice or Performance".