Egyptian Belly Dancers | National Geographic

it’s as if it was in her blood and sorta
really dancing is my life hanger dancing
I’m happy but she wasn’t born with
traditional Egyptian dance
Sariah Carvalho is six thousand miles
away from her native Brazil a
professional belly dancer working in
Cairo the entertainment capital of the
Arab I came here for the art Brazil past
years but I came here because the orders
might follow Elmo a big responsibility
to get the dance must leave some people
believe belly dancing dates back to the
time of the Pharaohs others say it
developed as a pelvic exercise a way to
help women in childbirth
feel less pain this is the oldest loot
store in Cairo for almost a hundred
years it’s been crafting the instrument
of the dance Eid Muhammad Ali has
witnessed the rise and fall of the art
from right here in his neighborhood
years ago you would find belly dancers
and musicians standing outside ready to
go to weddings or parties but now it’s
definitely in the last 20 years as
Islamic conservatives have preached a
more puritanical morality some people
have come to believe that belly dancing
is Haram or taboo that attitude upsets
foois Losey she’s one of the few
Egyptians taking it up professional
some Egyptians who remember that special
magic feel that for all their skills
up-and-coming dancers like Sariah
still something essential it’s not just
to go out but after years of study it’s
second nature for seraya her dedication
is putting her in the spotlight
Kyler’s Sheraton Hotel is one of the
best places in the city to perform a
stage many dancers dream of tonight she
gets to live that dream