MIDEAST-ISRAEL-CULTURE-BELLY DANCE

An Israeli male belly dancer performs during the Eilat Festival of Oriental Dance, 18 January 2007, at the Israeli resort city of Eilat. More than 1000 professional and armature Israeli belly dancers participated in a long weekend oriental festival of workshops, lectures and performances in the southern Israeli city of Eilat, with Jordan bordering to the east and Egypt to the west, highlights the diversity of Israeli belly dance whose deep roots are set in the Arab world, of which Israel is a part. The Israeli style of belly dance acquired its reputation from the great diversity of styles, the ethnic backgrounds of the teachers, variety of styles ranging from classical Egyptian to Turkish Sufi, and from ancient tribal to modern cabaret. AFP PHOTO/GALI TIBBON (Photo by GALI TIBBON / AFP) (Photo by GALI TIBBON/AFP via Getty Images)