Product Description

A young Arab girl tells her story as she is initiated into womanhood and gives at the same time a history of the dance that is known to us as 'bellydancing'. Far from the slightly risque, 'nightclub' image this kind of dancing has been given in the west, to women in the Arab culture the dance holds a significance that underlies their wellbeing and their sense of womanhood. The girl, now the author Fawzia Al-Rawi, fascinated by her own experience of the dance, has studied its earliest beginnings, through the days of the Pharaohs and the Roman Empire, and into the Arab world of the last three centuries. This book is her revelation of the effects of the dance's movements on both the body of the dancer and the whole psyche. It is also a practical guide for those who are inspired to put down the book and try the movements. The author describes the variations of the dance as it is performed for grieving and mouming, and to aid pregnancy and birth, conveying the spirit of these age-old rituals, and their possibilities for healing and empowering women today. Fawzia Al-Rawi has written a strikingly graceful and original book that blends personal memoir with the history and theory of the dance that leads to womanhood.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #454391 in Books
• Published on: 2001-09-27
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

About the Author
Rosina-Fawzia Al-Rawi was brought up in Baghdad and educated at the universities of Cairo and Vienna. She is an expert in Arabic studies and ethnology, and the author of Golden Sky, Red Earth: Women's Lives in Palestine. She lives in Jerusalem and Vienna, where she teaches Oriental dance.

Customer Reviews

It was the only book on Bellydance in Charing Cross
I am a Hungarian woman, mother of four children.I spent some days in London last November.I started to learn bellydance here at home in Budapest. But in Hungary I could not find any books on oriental dance.At that time I did not know about Amazon.I thought I had to use the opportunity to be on Charing Cross and I should have buy a book on bellydance.The only one was "Belly Dancing".I was very happy to have it.First I had no time read it without interrupting because I was there on a conference and every minute of the 3 days were very busy.But I started to read it and became very excited about it.I was looking forward to have the free 2 hours on the aeroplane flying home to enjoy the atmosphere created by the style of the author.I liked her anecdotes from the childhood,about everyday life of her large Arab family,about wisdom of her grandmother, grandfather.
It is not an instructional book, but helped me a lot to dare to dance, to find harmony in dance
and think about dance like a moving meditation.
I belive we have to dance everyday, to fill ourselves with the help of these ancient 'bellydance' movement.Rosina-Fawzia Al-Rawi made the mysterious Arab world closer to me and made me curious to read more about the Middle-East.Thanks. Tunde Balla

Belly Dancing
This is a wonderfully intimate book, giving a warm insight into the way that dancing is woven into everyday life in Arabic cultures. The writer takes us on a journey of sweet memories of dancing and growing up towards womanhood. It adds a spiritual dimension to the practice of Belly dancing, and gives lots of food for thought as well as practical advice. It is a book which celebrates the wisdom and grace of a mature woman - very refreshing!

Attention!
It is a very good book, but please be aware that it was previously published under the title 'Grandmother's Secrets - The Ancient Rituals and Healing Power of Belly Dancing'.