Story: Cultural dance

Belly dancer, 2012

Belly dancer, 2012

In New Zealand, belly dance is the best known of the Middle Eastern dance forms. Based on folk dance, it originally developed as a solo performance dance. Once it became popular in the English-speaking world, variations of the original form, including group dancing, developed. This is the Aida Sajadi, performing at the Middle Eastern Magic belly dancing show in Auckland in 2012.

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MEDANZ - Middle Eastern Dance Association of New Zealand
Photograph by Nina Gastreich

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Courtesy of Nina Gastreich Photography

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How to cite this page:

Megan Cook, 'Cultural dance - Dance in the 2000s', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/44728/belly-dancer-2012 (accessed 25 April 2024)

Story by Megan Cook, published 22 Oct 2014