Glossary
There are so many terms used in the belly dance community today that it's nearly impossible to list
them all! Here's a list of the terms that I use often in class and I most often receive questions about.
If you'd like to see something else listed here, let me know!
Bindi
A forehead decoration commonly worn in Southeast Asian cultures. Belly dancers commonly wear
this as a sign of respect to the Asian roots of belly dance, where it is commonly recognized as a
mark of beauty. See more information from Wikipedia here.
Cabaret
A term commonly used to describe American styles of belly dance (ie. American cabaret). This style
is recognize by it's sparkly costuming with sequins, and characterized by free-form, big movements.
It is usually performed by a solo artist, but it can be performed in groups.
Hafla
This term can mean many different things in the American belly dance community, but it generally
means "party" in Arabic. It can be a structured event with scheduled sequential performances
(usually planned to give students an opportunity to perform), or it can be an informal dance party
with improvisational dancing available to everyone. Check with the event organizer to see what type
of format a specific "hafla" will follow.
Hip Belt
This is another term that can mean many different things. It always refers to a decorative belt that is
worn around the hips to help belly dancers feel the movement in their hips and accentuate that
movement during a performance. However, depending on the style of belly dance, it can be either a
belt with coins, or a cloth belt with very simple decoration.
Floreo
This is a simple movement made with the wrist and hand.
Tribal
This term has many meanings and is difficult to define. It generally refers to a style of dance or
technique that has roots in Middle Eastern styles of dance. In American terminology, it generally
refers to a style of dance that is based on cultural dances. It is usually very "natural" in style,
without a lot of sparkle and shine that is common in cabaret styles of belly dance.
Zills/Zillar/Sagat
Simply: finger cymbals. They are usually worn on the middle finger and thumb of each hand and
played by the dancer as an accompaniment to the rhythm of the music. Zills/Zillar is the Turkish
name, Sagat is the Egyptian name.
Want to see more?
Check out the Belly Dance Dictionary, created and maintained by my friend Nayana, at this website:
www.thesoulstudio.net/bellydancedictionary
There are so many terms used in the belly dance community today that it's nearly impossible to list
them all! Here's a list of the terms that I use often in class and I most often receive questions about.
If you'd like to see something else listed here, let me know!
Bindi
A forehead decoration commonly worn in Southeast Asian cultures. Belly dancers commonly wear
this as a sign of respect to the Asian roots of belly dance, where it is commonly recognized as a
mark of beauty. See more information from Wikipedia here.
Cabaret
A term commonly used to describe American styles of belly dance (ie. American cabaret). This style
is recognize by it's sparkly costuming with sequins, and characterized by free-form, big movements.
It is usually performed by a solo artist, but it can be performed in groups.
Hafla
This term can mean many different things in the American belly dance community, but it generally
means "party" in Arabic. It can be a structured event with scheduled sequential performances
(usually planned to give students an opportunity to perform), or it can be an informal dance party
with improvisational dancing available to everyone. Check with the event organizer to see what type
of format a specific "hafla" will follow.
Hip Belt
This is another term that can mean many different things. It always refers to a decorative belt that is
worn around the hips to help belly dancers feel the movement in their hips and accentuate that
movement during a performance. However, depending on the style of belly dance, it can be either a
belt with coins, or a cloth belt with very simple decoration.
Floreo
This is a simple movement made with the wrist and hand.
Tribal
This term has many meanings and is difficult to define. It generally refers to a style of dance or
technique that has roots in Middle Eastern styles of dance. In American terminology, it generally
refers to a style of dance that is based on cultural dances. It is usually very "natural" in style,
without a lot of sparkle and shine that is common in cabaret styles of belly dance.
Zills/Zillar/Sagat
Simply: finger cymbals. They are usually worn on the middle finger and thumb of each hand and
played by the dancer as an accompaniment to the rhythm of the music. Zills/Zillar is the Turkish
name, Sagat is the Egyptian name.
Want to see more?
Check out the Belly Dance Dictionary, created and maintained by my friend Nayana, at this website:
www.thesoulstudio.net/bellydancedictionary
| Kristi Krueger kristi@kristikrueger.com (920) 946-5994 Belly dance (aka Middle Eastern dance) instructor / teacher and performer in the Sheboygan, WI and surrounding areas Home I About Kristi I Classes & Workshops I Book a Performance I Events I Student Resources I FAQ I Gallery I Troupe I Merchandise/Apparel I Contact Kristi Design and all contents of this website ©2011 Kristi Krueger. All Rights Reserved. Images and content of this site cannot be reproduced or copied without permission.II |