As a belly dance instructor and performer, one of the most common questions that people ask me is “What style of belly dance should I learn?”. The answer to this question is as individual as the person and really the only way you will know is by watching videos representative of that style and trying it out for yourself to see what resonates with YOU.

How to Choose the Belly Dance Style Right For You:

In the following series of posts I will be describing the different belly dance styles to help guide you in your choice as to where to begin in your exploration of belly dance. But be open minded and realize it is just that-a start. If you don’t connect with a particular style or teacher, just try something else! There is almost always a good fit for everyone-it’s just a matter of finding it.

I also think that music plays a huge role in choosing what style you would like to dance to because it’s what inspires you to want to dance in the first place! If you don’t like the music, it’s not likely you will want to dance to it.

In addition to describing the different styles I have also given you some sample videos to watch of some of the top dancers representative of this style. As they say, a picture says more than a thousand words. And in this case this moving picture will allow you to see and hear what makes each style different and unique.

It’s also really important to emphasize that the descriptions of the various styles are not black and white and it is by no means intended to be a comprehensive or authoritative guide on the belly dance styles. Volumes can be said about each style, but I don’t want to overwhelm you with those details.

My intention is to give you a general sense and overview to better guide your decision as to what style of belly dance to try first. In this world of global influence there can actually be a lot of cross-over and each style of belly dance isn’t “pure” or live in a vacuum. But unique flavors and differences can be seen between them and that is what I would like to highlight for you.