A List of My Favourite Belly Dance Books

As belly dancers, we should not only know how to do shimmies, but also to understand the culture and history of the dance.

Here is a list my favourite books related to belly dance that I thoroughly enjoyed reading, and hope they'll inspire you too!

1. Belly Dance Reader by Gilded Serpent - actually it's two books, each is a collection of the essays about all aspects of belly dance: history and culture, tips for your gigs career, training improvements, etc. Some articles are personal reflections, some are part of serious research projects. This is a great read if you want a variety of topics in one book.

2. Serpent of the Nile by Wendy Buonaventura - I looove this book, and I think I've reread it at least three times, lol. There are some concerns expressed by historians regarding the author's subjective interpretation of certain facts, so keep that in mind. But regardless of that, to me it's still one of the most inspirational reads I've ever had about belly dance.

3. Egyptian Music Appreciation and Practice for Belly Dancers by George Dimitri Sawa - my handbook for  understanding rhythms and musicality. This book is also accompanied by two CDs. Amazing educational tool!

4. Before They Were Belly Dancers: European Accounts of Female Entertainers in Egypt, 1760–1870 by Kathleen W. Fraser - this book will help to understand how European's interpretation of the dance scene in Egypt influenced even today's trends of belly dance all across the globe.

5. Looking for Little Egypt by Donna Carlton - a must-read for all dancers to understand the development of this art form. This book brings us back to the Columbian Exhibition and the legendary dancer called Little Egypt whose impact on the reputation of this dance (or should I rather say, her imitators.... well, better read this book yourself, lol) was beyond any descriptions.

6. The Belly Dancer by Deanna Cameron - on a completely different note: a light fiction book for your leisure time. Please do not take it as a serious historical book. Author was definitely inspired by certain events in the past, but all characters are made up. It's just a cute fiction book with a fun twist at the end, but I've enjoyed reading it, and decided to add to this list too.

Let me know if you found this helpful, and feel free to message me back with your favourite reads! :)

Author: Iana Komarnytska
Photographer: Pedro Bonatto

And here are many more suggestions for your belly dance reads:

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About Iana

Iana Komarnytska is a professional dancer, teacher, choreographer, and passionate content creator helping dancers navigate their dance lives.

She is a graduate from the professional dance program at York University (Canada), host of the Belly Dance Life podcast, creator of the Iana Dance Club, author of numerous articles, and winner of Star Bellydancer Canada 2014 among other international competitions. 

Along with belly dance, Iana performs and teaches Persian Classical and Turkish Romani dancing. She is the first choreographer to start using Triple Isis wings, and since 2012 this is one of her style signatures.