Who Invented Belly Dancing?

Oriental or Middle Eastern dance is actually comprised of many different traditions of dance spanning many centuries. Each region had its own dances which share similarities but also differences in style.

The term Belly Dancing only came into use in the early 20th century as a result of a French revue which called a form of this dance "Danse du ventre" or "Dance of the Stomach." This modern name for the ancient forms of dance encompasses a long tradition of dance, as well as the more modern forms that have developed since, such as Egyptian Cabaret and ATS.