Health Benefits of Belly Dancing

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Belly dance is a Western term for a traditional Culture of Arabs dance which is also known as raqs sharqi or sometimes raqs baladi (means "dance of country", and so "folk" dance). It is also sometimes called "Middle Eastern Dance", "Arabic Dance" or “Belly Dancing” in the United States.

For centuries, the role of Oriental dance in Middle Eastern society has been that of a folk dance that people would do at joyous occasions such as weddings, the birth of a child, community festivals, and other events that bring people together to party. It was a dance which men, women, and children did for fun, not a "performance" done to entertain an audience. Just as Americans at a modern-day wedding reception might do waltzes, two-steps, or even the chicken dance, so people in the Middle East would get up with their friends to shimmy to their favorite music.
The Health Benefits of Belly Dancing

The graceful hip drops, rolls, and pivots of this dance form utilize muscle groups in the abdomen, pelvis, trunk, spine, and neck, working with the body instead of against it. There is a wealth of health benefits awaiting those who practice this form of dance.

Improved posture and muscle toning - During the dance, the movements of hip drops, circles, figure eights, and shimmies put the joints and ligaments in the lower back and hip through a full range of gentle, repetitive motion. This movement helps increase the flow of synovial fluid (nature's lubricant) in these joints.

Weight loss – Belly Dancing can burn up to 300 calories per hour. This estimate will vary, of course, depending on the intensity of your dancing.

Stress reduction - The repetitive movements of the dance and the concentration needed to do them can help a mind filled with daily stress to "let go" for a while and relax.

Aiding digestion - Exercising the abdominal area, not just by rolling the belly, but also by swaying the torso, helps food move along the digestive system.
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The World's Dance Network

For centuries, the role of Oriental dance in Middle Eastern society has been that of a folk dance that people would do at joyous occasions such as weddings, the birth of a child, community festivals, and other events that bring people together to party. It was a dance which men, women, and children did for fun, not a "performance" done to entertain an audience. Just as Americans at a modern-day wedding reception might do waltzes, two-steps, or even the chicken dance, so people in the Middle East would get up with their friends to shimmy to their favorite music.
The Health Benefits of Belly Dancing