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Belly Dance

"The term "belly dance" was coined in the 19th century by sideshow barker Sol Bloom in order to entice repressed Victorians to his "naughty" show. Most modern dancers, however, use the term "Middle Eastern" to cover a wide range of belly styles. The Turks call belly dancing Oryentale, the French Danse du Ventre, and in Egypt the common term is Raks Sharki, which means "dance of the East". However, Raks Beledi, which means "dance of the country," describes their rural style of dance, and is probably the most descriptive of medieval and renaissance-style belly dancing."

"To Learn about the history behind belly dance, one must look at each individual country for it's own traditions and rituals. Interestingly, there are documented cases of Middle Eastern influence in both medieval and renaissance Europe. Most notably, the 13th-century Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II, kept his own harem of dancing girls in a castle in Sicily, after embracing the Moslem world when he "won" Jerusalem in a bloodless crusade. The travels and conquests of the Vikings, the Rom people (Gypsies), and the Ottoman Turks also contributed to the spread of Middle Eastern dance throughout the world during these times."

"Traditionally, belly dance was not performed in front of an audience. Occasional demonstrations may have been presented at festivals, but the majority of the dancing was done "for the fun of it" at weddings and other celebrations. Some cultures believed that belly dancing began as an ancient birthing ritual. Women of a village would dance around a friend in labor to help take her mind off the contractions. Certainly rhythmic music of any kind has a hypnotic quality which would have helped ease the pain of childbirth."

To read more about the art of the belly dance, try these historical books:

A Trade Like Any Other, by Karin van Nieuwkerk

Looking for Little Egypt, by Donna Carlton

Veiled Half Truths, Western Travellers' Perceptions of Middle Eastern Women, by Dawn Devine Brown and Barry Brown

 And check the Links page for Belly Dance vendor and web sites.

Renaissance Magazine Vol. 6 #3, Issue #23

Culinary Delights

Victual Facts from the Tudor Era

"The English word "currant" was developed in 1550, taken from the fruit's resemblance to dried currants of Greece, or raisins made from a small seedless grape. The much older English name of "ribes" is of ancient Indo-European origin."

"Pottage and bread formed the core of the Tudor diet for multiple classes of society. Pottage recipes often called for bread as a thickener as well as an accompaniment."

"The reigns of King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth were the golden age for sherry in England, which was produced out of two-thirds of the entire production of Jerez. When Tudor England launched naval skirmishes with Spain, the most celebrated piracy was when Sir Frances Drake sacked the port of Cadiz and stole a mountain of sherry sitting at quayside."

"Sugar paste or marmalade was, from time to time, alleged to be an aphrodisiac. In Tudor times, mint was also considered alluring."

"Trenchers were adorned with prose to be read aloud, thus turning tableware into part of the royals' banquet entertainment."

"It is said that both Mary, Queen of Scots and Elizabeth I were well-known for their skill in hunting. With the aide  of bulldogs, mastiffs, spaniels, and greyhounds, Tudor Englanders hunted everything, from deer, rabbits, foxes, wolves, wild boars to squirrels. According to the rules of the day, wealthy and religious persons were permitted to slay up to two deer, but only after a horn had been blown to begin the hunt (otherwise one could be accused of thievery)."

"Historians report that Henry II got hold of an immense wine-producing region upon his nuptials to Eleanor of Aquitaine, and for 300 years the wines of southeast France flowed without impediment to England."

For recipes check out Page 3

Graphics from ClipArt.  All rights reserved.

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