The art of bellydance is one that dates back to ancient times. Its roots can be traced back to India, Egypt, Turkey, North Africa and Morocco. The dance encapsulates the beauty and earthiness of the female form and is a celebration of love, life and femininity.

The following quote is taken from the FatChanceBellyDance website and for me it describes bellydance wonderfully:

"...there was a time in history, a long time ago, when the bounce and sway of a woman's hips was considered so beautiful that they set it to music and made a dance out of it..."

The size of the woman's hips is irrelevant, it's the way that they move them that matters. The beauty of middle eastern dance is as clearly visible in a woman of 80 dressed in a kaftan, as it is in a voluptuous girl in a glittery two-piece, or a snakelike tribal fusion dancer. The one thing they all have in common is that they dance with their heart and soul.