"In Search of Belly Dance" Photos

On 26 May 2012, Kashmir, her students and special guests Deset Veils, School of Contemporary Belly Dance, El Yasmine Bellydance School and Sonidos Flamenco, went in search of belly dance.

But what is that? Belly dance means different things to different people. Its roots lie in the Middle East and North Africa. And many people are happy to use the label for any dance from the region be it Berber line dance or ghawazee style.

Others limit it to those that sprung from solo, improvised dances using mostly the torso - such as schikhatt, hagallah, and raqs sharqi.

Yet, since the 1960s the West has also added to the genre - the use of veil and other props, troupe work and Tribal in its many forms.

Here is a small selection from the 20-odd items in the show. Some are considered belly dance by most, some by many, and some not at all. More photos can be found on Kashmir's Flickr page.