sorry for inconvenience...its about my touch pad...

There was an Arabian night show in America that I watched twice and I loved it. It was fantastic. It had belly dancing in it (though only a little) but it looked like "art" and "actual dancing" not the sleazy type.
I do feel sorry for the horses though. Though I have also been backstage and seen how they are taken care of and they was taken care of very well.

You guys are really uneducated about bellydance. some of the Turkish dancers I saw in Istanbul were pretty sleazy, except Birgul. I can see where you might draw a parallel if you see some of them to striptease. I have studied in Egypt, where the best Oriental dancers are and a little in Turkey, I take this dance very seriously. There are morons who call themselves bellydancer dance like a hoochie mama and call it bellydance.Yeah, that's not Oriental dance. Bellydancing IS NOT STRIPTEASE in the U.S. Oriental dancers are usually women of good moral character and education who also study the dance. Strippers are usually very young girls, who do it for the money.

The belly dancing I have seen in Turkey was mind boggling! I could not stop watching, I was amazed at the womans agility and strength, and the gracefulness and beauty with stomach muscles to die for. Nothing sleezy about what I saw. Maybe the ones who don't like it are a little jealous and insecure?

yeah i could do it but i dont have that kind of body :-S

Belly dance is not an erotic activity.

It's very hard to make belly dance figures.
Try to shake your body or belly more than 10 secs to understand what i mean. You may even hurt yourself
A belly dancer can give nearly half a kilgram during her 10 minutes dance.

In older times it was impossible to see the body of belly dancer. She (or he) was wearing a cloth that hides her (his) body. Their clothes was to conservative. But today many of the belly dancers (especially in turkey) tries to attract people with their body not with their dances.
And especially in egypt there are man bely dancers.
There is a few man belly dancer in turkey too. (most of them seems very faminen)

The term Belly Dance was it seems, invented by the French, who called it La danse du ventre. In Egypt is was called Raqs Sharqi or Baladi dance. It can or can not be art...then what is Art?

Traditionally "good girls" did not do it in public. In fact in most Middle Eastern societies it is tantamount to being a prostitute or very close to it.

That in fact was how classic ballet was looked at in the early part of the 20th century. The famous Pavlova's husband would not marry her because she was "a ballerina" Later when he went bankrupt and she went on a world tour to repair his finances, he wanted to marry her. She did marry him, but told him not to tell anyone as it would ruin her reputation.

Now there is some good information! I have videos on youtube you may or may not like. Egyptian style and Turkish style. search Badia in you are interested. I agree whoever said "bellydance is not an erotic activity" THANK YOU! You don't have to be skinny to do it, like they are in Turkey. In fact in Egypt they tend to be a little larger, with ample hips and buttocks.