There were no hand cymbals or sequined harem pants, and no Middle Eastern music was playing in the background. And yet the rhythmic, wavy movements of an Iraqi woman's abdominal wall muscles resembled ...

A flyer and a simple “Do you like good music?” from a promoter led to an obsession. At the time, Rebecca Williams was 17 or 18 and went to a concert for a band she had never heard of, Beats Antique.

SEQUIM — Laura Samperi-Ferdig has been studying belly dance since she was 8 and teaching since she was 16. “Belly dance is one of the oldest known art forms,” she said. “Its true name is Raks Sharki ...

Some young Egyptians are trying to reclaim belly dancing as part of their country's artistic heritage, pushing back against decades of stigma — Khaled DESOUKI As belly dancing gains popularity ...