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Suggested Reading For Belly Dancers

© Shira

Some of us enjoy Middle Eastern dance as a casual pastime. We go to our classes, but outside of class we don't think about it much. For others, Middle Eastern dance kindles a passion and we love to think about it through our waking moments.

If you're one of those people who is passionate about the dance, here are some books related to this art form that you can read when you're on an airplane, sitting in your doctor's waiting room, or cuddled up at night with your favorite companion. I've read each of these myself, and I highly recommend each.

For each book, I've written a complete review which resides on my own web site. I'll tell you enough here to identify books you may enjoy, but if you'd like to know more detail about one of these before looking for it in your library, you can visit my complete review on my web site.

Books About Middle Eastern Culture and History of the Dance

Many of us love the music and dance forms of the Middle East, but we don't know much about Middle Eastern culture. These books on Middle Eastern culture will provide a deeper understanding of the region where these dances originated.

A Trade Like Any Other: Female Singers and Dancers in Egypt

By Karin Van Nieuwkerk. Published by University Of Texas Press. This book offers a very enlightening look at how professional dancers are viewed in today's Middle Eastern society, particularly in Cairo. There is also valuable historical information about how Oriental dance has evolved as a performing art, especially over the course of the 20th century. It's difficult to read because the writing style is that of a researcher, but it explains so much about why musicians from the Middle East often treat dancers like dirt, why so many of the famous dancers in Cairo have retired from public life, etc. I highly recommend making the effort to read this.

For more detail about this book, see the full review on my own web site.

Guests Of The Sheik

By Elizabeth Warnock Fernea. Published by Anchor Books. This book tells of what it was like for the author to spend two years living in a tiny village in Iraq. It's a wonderful introduction to rural Iraqi culture as it existed in the 1960's, and I enjoyed reading it very much. The author's warm style makes the women of her village come to life.

The copyright of the article Suggested Reading For Belly Dancers in Middle Eastern Dance is owned by Shira. Permission to republish Suggested Reading For Belly Dancers in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.