Belly dancers are often used in Europe and America as symbols of a sensuous and exotic Orient. They appear in Orientalist paintings, novels, movies, and even cartoons. We tend to assume that these portrayals accurately reflect the dance as it is practiced in the lands of its origin; in reality they perpetuate a number of erroneous stereotypes: Belly Dance is the dance of the haremIt is a dance of seductionIt is only performed by women for menOnly young women perform the danceBelly dance has no culturally sanctioned role within the modern Middle East. All of these stereotypes are at least partially incorrect. In reality, belly dancing plays an integral role in both westernized and traditional Middle Eastern women's lives, in which--according to anthropologist Karin Van Nieuwkerk, who has done extensive fieldwork with professional belly dancers in Cairo-- "singing and dancing are essentially regarded as expressions of rejoicing." She explains; "entertainers are central to the most important occasions in people's lives, such as births, engagements, and weddings. A celebration without performers is not a real celebration."This book explores the history of belly dancing's origins, development, and dissemination as well as its cultural relevance today in the Middle East and beyond.