Luaus and Belly Dancing

A little known fact concerning the Hawaiian Islands; many people visited the lovely arpeggio before the United States made their claim to the famous vacation spot. In the early 1500s, an intrepid group of royals from India set sail one day, laden with jewels, silken canopies, and their respective harems. Then disaster struck; like the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald saga, a terrible storm engulfed four of the five ships. Only one was washed to the golden beach of what is now the Big Island. As the crew and passengers stumbled to shore their hearts were uplifted by the sheer beauty of the place, and the women began to sway to the sensual dance of their homeland. And so belly dancing arrived to the land of Hawaii, complete with silken skirts, jiggling coin belts, and finger cymbals.

Kidding.

But you’d never know by the intermission entertainment at the Indy Dancer’s luau at the eastside Moose club in Indianapolis last Saturday. I smothered a giggle as twenty or so ethnically garbed women shimmed to the driving beat; belly dancing…at al luau? But as they progressed I became entranced. I love this style of dancing; the sinuousness, the rippling torsos, and the absolutely gorgeous way the dancers hold their arms and hands. I’ve been learning some belly dancing moves via some CDs and you tube; I think it adds much to my dancing, especially WCS and the Latin dances. And so I was able to pick up some more tips watching these dancers.

On the way home I wondered if there was a connection to belly dancing and the hula. Check out these two videos:







I am no expert in either of these styles of dancing, but here are my observations nonetheless. There are differences; overall it seems to me the hula is softer…more delicate. I do, however, see many similarities, especially in the arm and hand positions and movements. I know in hula dancing the hands are telling a story, and I can see that in both styles. The communications may be about different things, but both are absolutely riveting, and quite beautiful.

Once again the universality of dance has made itself known. So perhaps having belly dancing at a luau isn’t so weird after all. I have a jingly belt. Maybe I will purchase a grass skirt.