Belly Dance Defined
This article & more information about Belly Dance can be found here: http://www.answers.com/topic/belly-dance Native to North Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, belly dancing is based on one of the oldest social dances in world history. Support for this theory stems from similarities between poses from the modern dance form and those depicted in ancient Egyptian art. There are two forms of belly dancing. The first is called raqs baladi, a social dance performed for fun and celebration by men and women of all ages, usually during festive occasions such as weddings and other social gatherings. The second form, the more theatrical version and the one most popular in America today, is called raqs sharqi. Like raqs baladi, raqs sharqi is performed by both male and female dancers. In regions where belly dancing is native, boys and girls learn it informally from an early age by observing and imitating their elders during family/community celebrations and gatherings with friends. Today, these ancient dance forms are taught in classes throughout the world where skilled dancers/teachers share the knowledge that has been passed down to them. The origins of this dance form are actively debated among dance enthusiasts, especially given the limited academic research on the topic. Much of the research in this area has been done by the dancers themselves. However, the often overlooked fact that most dancing in the Middle East occurs in a social context rather than the more visible and glamorous context of professional nightclub performance,[citation needed] has led to a misunderstanding of the dance's true nature and has given rise to many conflicting theories about its origins. Because this dance is a fusion of many different styles it undoubtedly has a variety of origins, many of which stem from ethnic folk dancing.Origins
Gothic Belly Dance Defined
This article & more information about Gothic Belly Dance can be found here: http://www.gothicbellydance.com/gothicbellydance/main.html
Attitude of Movement:
Gothic Belly Dancers access the whole vocabulary of moves found in belly dance, but more often than not, there is an additional aura to the performance. Some of things you'll see in Gothic Belly Dance: a trance-like feeling to the movements, a mysterious, sultry, and/or passionate intensity to facial expression and actions, often the use of mudras (sacred hand gestures) and other classical Indian dance accents, unabashed use of floorwork, and the application of ritual elements. A more Industrial or Cyber performance will often feature harder accents to traditional movements, incorporating moves from the Gothic club scene (what we often like to call "stompy! stompy! moves). And yes, there's a very specific kind of dance found on the Gothic dancefloor. If this is news to you, you've probably never been to one---but if you visited on in San Francisco, New York, Chicago, and everywhere in between and beyond (I've got confirmations in the UK, Australia, and Japan), you'll see a similar grasp of the music.
Also, it becomes clearly apparent to the viewer that a story is unfolding before their eyes. This storytelling is the result of consideration for the movements made and the purpose and intent of the performance.
Going Deeper...
Gothic Belly Dance is a complete entity, from all sides. It's not just dancing to "gothic" music in bedlah, or dressing goth and dancing to standard/traditional Middles Eastern music...and believe it or not, it's not just looking the part and dancing to gothic music either---there is a third element that is vital to the performance: a sense of theatrics, emotional intensity, drama, and purpose. The Gothic Belly Dancer part actress, part vamp, part gypsy, part rebel, part sorceress, and part priestess---and all focused on a known or perhaps unknown (occult) intent. I would liken this third element to phenomenon known as duende in flamenco: a possessive, present, yet ethereal spirit/power, where both the dancer and subsequently, the audience, fall under its spell.