Many experts say that Bellydance has its roots in ancient fertility rites and religious worship and were carried on by the Gypsies that roamed in the Middle Ages from India, Egypt, Turkey and through Spain. So it is amazing with these ancient roots that Bellydancing is still a thriving international tradition that remains extraordinarily vital today.

In ancient times Bellydance was only performed among women in fertility rituals and to bring glory to a new given city.

Bellydance is an old art form from the Middle East. Bellydance originated as a ritual of childbirth danced by women for women. Bellydance arrived in the U.S. in the 1890s when a dancer named Little Egypt performed at the Chicago Worlds Fair.

Some bellydance movements mirror those of labor. The idea is that the pelvic gyrations help disperse the pain of contractions, orient the fetus and propel the baby into the world.