Belly dance also known as Middle Eastern dance coined by Westerners (Byrski 12). It is essentially an oriental dance originating from the Arabic-speaking countries of North Africa such as Egypt and the Middle East. Belly dance takes on a series of forms defined and dependent on different countries and regions both in relation to the dance style and the costumes worn during the dance (Cooper 42). With globalization, new styles have evolved in Western nations and other nations around the world. Belly dancing is an important element of numerous Middle Eastern and Arab cultures and has been used as an attraction in various jurisdictions to accompany Middle Eastern cuisine such as Turkish cuisine. During the Victorian era, the term “Dance Du Venter” was applied to Ouled Nail dancers from Algeria. The French term translated becomes belly dance. The dance involved the movement of the abdomen. However, contrary to popular belief, every part of the dancer's body is involved during the dance, but the hips are most present in the performance of the dance. There are two predominant styles of belly dance. These are the Raqs Sharqi which refers to oriental and oriental dance. It is a style that is more publicized and familiar in other parts of the world. It is mainly performed in restaurants, cabarets and catering establishments around the world. In most cases, it is performed by female dancers, but it can also be performed by men. It is performed alone as an improvised dance, although in some cases students perform choreographed dances in small or large groups. Raqs baladi is another style meaning folk or local dance. It is the most cultural and folkloric dance style. It is the dance... middle of paper... adapted to the conventional bedlah (Turkish dance) style. The costume that is normally worn is the bedlah. This is usually a bra or padded top, belt at the hips and harem pants or long skirt. The costumes are richly decorated with crystals, sequins, beads and embroidery. The modern style of the bedlah is attributed to Badia Masabani although it is said that the bedlah may have drawn inspiration from the glamorous costumes of Hollywood and created to attract visitors of Western origin. Belly dance is loved by the public for its seductive nature. It is seductive and may be able to arouse feelings from deep within (Jarrar I). Dancers also consider it a weight-bearing exercise and can even earn money during performances (Harris and Denise 29). People known for belly dancing include Dina Talaat, Terezka Drnizk and Fifi Abdou.