Belly dancing originates from Ancient Babylon in southern Iraq. Arabs introduced belly dancing and drumming and was passed on from generation to generation. Later on, when the Arabs settled in Egypt, they also passed on the belly dance and then to the Ottoman Empire. Outside the Middle East, belly dancing was popularized during the Romantic movement of the 18th and 19th centuries, whereby Orientalist artists depicted their interpretations of harem life in the Ottoman Empire.

Keep in mind that you can watch a live belly dance show at Turkuaz Restaurant on Friday and Saturday evenings. This would cheer up your shy date or bring a lot of fun to parties.

Here is a short video of the Turkish version of belly dancing. Enjoy!