Egypt is a country full of wonders, with an extraordinary history, but also an outstanding culture and incredible customs. Embarking in an Egypt travel experience can help you uncover the amazing dance traditions Egypt has to offer, along with the many other cool historical and cultural places you can visit. But there’s one interesting custom in Egypt that can be overseen at times, and that’s belly dancing.

What should you know about belly dancing?

You might have seen belly dancing in various movies, but not a lot of people know about its origin. Before you go to the Cairo belly dance festival, you should note that belly dancing has been around for centuries. It originated in Egypt, and it has been a part of the local culture for a long time, albeit in different forms. The first time the term belly dance appeared was in a review of The Dance of the Almeh orientalist painting.

However, we should note that many Roman and Greek sources from millennia ago describe dancers with undulating movements who were playing castanets. These dances were also mentioned in medieval manuscripts, suggesting this was a popular dance when it came to oriental courts. In modern times, belly dancing is a part of many cultural exchange events, and one of the dance traditions Egypt has transferred all over the world.

What kinds of movements are popular in belly dancing?

What you will notice in the case of many belly dance workshops is that movements will vary based on the music of that dance. But in general, there are 3 main movement categories used in belly dancing, which include:

• Percussive movements are also known as staccato movements. Their focus is on accentuating beats by using the hips. Usually, percussive movements include the dancer either dropping or lifting their chest, hips, performing twists or hip rocks. If you engage in dance tourism Egypt, you will find this to be a common move, especially when attending the Raqia Hassan belly dance festival.
• Fluid movements are using the continual motion of the body to accentuate the lyrical and melodic lines. You will have infinity loops, vertical figure 8s, or abdominal undulations.
• Vibrations, shivers, and shimmies are also very popular because they add a depth of movement and texture to the dance. Shimmies are combined with other movements usually. Yet they can be very fast-paced, slower-paced, or they can provide a more intricate, unique set of movements.

Of course, the aforementioned torso movements are not the only ones found in Belly dance events Egypt. In fact, Egyptian belly dancing includes a variety of other styles and ideas, too. Those can include turns, level changes, spins, along with head tosses, backbends, and low kicks, among others. These imbue the belly dance performances while taking them to the next level and enhancing their style!

The most common belly dance styles

A lot of people think there’s a single type of belly dance. However, there are various styles to consider. The Egyptian style belly dance is the most iconic, and it covers complex, fluid, and smooth hip movements with embedded shimmies.

The Lebanese belly dance is very fast-paced, and it has dramatic yet dazzling performances. It’s characterized by very complex shimmies, chef lifts, and frequent hip drops. While the Egyptian one is mostly set to Arabic music, here we have that, in combination with Lebanese music as well.

Some of the other belly dance styles that have become popular are the Iranian style belly dance with fewer undulations and belly movements or the American cabaret style. There are also others, like the tribal style that focuses on group formations or the fusion belly dance that incorporates other dance genres like hip hop or Indian.

What should you know about the Ahlan Wa Sahlan Festival?

If you are passionate about Egyptian belly dancing, then the Ahlan Wa Sahlan Festival is definitely the first thing you need to check out. The Ahlan Wa Sahlan Festival takes place every year in Cairo at the Mena House Hotel and it has the pyramids as the backdrop for this exquisite dancing experience. It’s the most popular and coveted belly dance festival Egypt has to offer.

Why should you attend the Ahlan Wa Sahlan Festival:

• The Ahlan Wa Sahlan Festival Raqia Hassan belly dance festival is where you can find some of the top belly dancers in the world competing for the grand prize.
• The competitors are all bringing in not only their A-game but also state-of-the-art, amazing outfits that look visually stunning.
• It’s one of the most coveted options if you want to engage in dance tourism Egypt.
• You get to see a trust mastery of technique and movement since belly dancing requires not only fluidity and grace but also lots of strategy and practice.
• What makes the Ahlan Wa Sahlan Festival unique is that you can actually enter some of the belly dance classes based on the skill level you want to pursue.
• There are dedicated vacation packages that will help you attend the belly dance festival along with having a great place to accommodate.

If you enjoy belly dancing and want to take classes or attend one of the most prestigious belly dance events Egypt has to offer, then check out the Ahlan Wa Sahlan Festival. The festival is widely regarded as one of the top belly dance festivals in the world, and it’s truly iconic.

Having the opportunity to see so many incredible dancers showcase their craft and trying to win the grand prize is a sight to behold. Not only is it very enjoyable to attend the event, but it’s one of the most unique Egypt travel experiences as well. It’s extremely interesting, rewarding, and fun.

We encourage you to try out the amazing Ahlan Wa Sahlan Festival today if you are very passionate about belly dancing and Egyptian culture. It’s a great way to see some of the top belly dancers in the world, and you’ll also have a great time learning some of the dance moves!