Is Belly Dancing Like Twerking?

Table of Contents

Belly dancing and twerking are both dances that emphasize hip movements, but they have distinct histories and techniques.

Belly dance originated as a folk dance in the Middle East and North Africa. It is also known as raqs sharqi or oriental dance.
- It has ancient origins as a celebratory and social dance. Belly dancing has roots as a spiritual, trance-inducing dance.
- Key elements of belly dance include:
  - Articulated hip movements like shimmies, hip drops, hip lifts, and undulations
  - Isolations and layering of different body parts
  - The use of props like veils, swords, and finger cymbals

Twerking originated in the 1990s in New Orleans bounce music and diasporic African dances.
- It grew out of dances like the mapouka from Côte d’Ivoire.
- Twerking was popularized by artists like DJ Jubilee and later mainstream pop stars.
Key elements of twerking include:
- Bouncing, shaking, and thrusting motions of the hips and rear
- Faster, more energetic movements than belly dancing
- No specific costumes or props

Belly dancing originated in the Middle East and North Africa as a celebratory folk dance.
- It has ancient roots and origins as a social, spiritual, and trance-inducing dance.
Twerking originated in the 1990s from styles like New Orleans bounce and West African diasporic dances like the mapouka.
- It was popularized by DJ Jubilee and mainstream pop stars.

Belly dancing focuses on:
- Shimmies
- Hip articulations like drops, lifts, circles, and slides
- Undulations and isolations
- Fluid and controlled movements
Twerking emphasizes:
- Bouncing and thrusting motions
- Faster, more energetic movements
- Hip shaking and gyrating

Belly dancers often use props like swords, veils, and finger cymbals.
- Costumes reflect Middle Eastern styles like bedlah.
Twerking has no specific costumes or props.
- Dancers often wear street clothes or athletic apparel.

Both belly dancing and twerking emphasize hip movements as the primary focus.
Hip shimmies, slides, drops, circles, articulations are key in both dances.

Both dances are improvisational and emphasize personal style and interpretation.
Dancers can incorporate varied hip movements like isolations and undulations.

Both dances developed outside mainstream Western culture and were influenced by diasporic cultures:
- Belly dancing: Origins in Middle East and North Africa
- Twerking: Origins in West African diasporic dances
They reflect cultural celebrations and social dances vs Western performance focus.

Belly dancing and twerking both utilize hip articulation and movement.
However, they have distinct origins, history, techniques, and costuming:
- Belly dancing has ancient Middle Eastern roots and controlled, isolated movements.
- Twerking originated from West African diasporic dances and emphasizes bouncing, shaking hips.

While belly dancing and twerking share some attributes like hip focus and improvisation, they are unique dance forms.
Each dance has cultivated specific movements, styles, and purposes over decades of development.

It is inaccurate to equate belly dancing and twerking or use the terms interchangeably.
Doing so overlooks the rich, diverse histories and distinctions between these dance styles.