Belly Dance »

A complete background and guide to this ancient, erotic dance.

Library Journal

Hobin (Belly Dancing for Health and Relaxation) dedicates the first half of this book to a review of the origins of dance. She reviews sacred dances of different cultures and analyzes how the characteristics of these dances evolved into the belly dance, a type of movement linked to fertility rites practiced throughout Middle Eastern societies. The latter half of the book is focused specifically on belly dancing, with one chapter that describes the relationship between gypsy dance and belly dance and another on belly dance in the harem. Her historical recap is factual, with many bibliographic references. However, lacking significant interpretation of the historical and critical texts she cites, her text is disjointed and somewhat dull. Hobin veers away from the strictly factual in the book's concluding chapters, when she enthusiastically advocates belly dance for good health, providing readers with a step-by-step guide to basic moves and suggested routines. Her combination of general history and how-to results in a hybrid book that will leave both dance historian and practitioner wanting more. Recommended for large dance collections.-Joan Stahl, Univ. of Maryland Lib., College Park Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.