Music plays an integral role in a belly dance performance. Specific instruments combine to create the perfect beat for each individual dance, creating the feeling that the song and the dancer are one and the same.
Belly Dance Routine Music
Good belly dancers learn to express the rythms and melodies of the music they dance to. In order to put on a good show, dancers must have several changes in the music to express different qualities of their dancing. A belly dance solo typically lasts around 8 minutes, and usually follows a set routine. A dancer may use medium to fast-paced music for her entrance, proceed to a slower rhythm for a long, sensuous section, pick up the pace during a rhythmic drum section, then perform a finale or exit to a faster-paced, dramatic beat. Belly dance music may be live or taped.
Music for Belly Dancing at Home
If you’re new to belly dancing and learning at home with books or videos, feel free to practice to whatever music fits your mood and makes you feel like dancing. However, if you are learning a traditional or ethnic style of belly dance, you should try to learn with music made specifically for that style. Each style of belly dancing coincides with a particular rhythm to enhance the beauty of its individual movements.
Tribal Belly Dance Music
Music for tribal belly dancing includes a wide range of sounds, usually with a lot of percussion instruments. An Egyptian orchestra typically consists of violins, accordions, frame drums, finger cymbals, and flutes. Tribal belly dancers tend to favor music based on folk songs, or songs from several decades ago. Since Tribal-style belly dances are based on group improvisation, songs with a steady, predictable beat are much more suitable than those containing frequent rhythm shifts.
Cabaret or Performance Belly Dance Music
A belly dance show that takes place inside a restaurant or lounge may incorporate music from several nationalities including Turkish, Greek, Arabic, Armenian and more. Folk songs are often chosen, as well as more modern electronic dance music. However, dancers will sometimes choose to dance to Egyptian classics as well, for a more authentic feeling.
