Egyptian style cabaret belly dance and raqs sharqi (Part 2)
Egyptian raqs sharqi movements
In Egyptian style the movements tend to be more internalised and small than in other styles of belly dance. ‘Less is more’ seems to be this style’s motto. At the same time, even the smallest movement in Egyptian raqs, if performed well, is quite dramatic. Egyptian raqs and cabaret style include some ballet influences, such as in footwork (for example the use of arabesque) and in stance and arm positions, although adapted to an oriental style. Floorwork and certain pelvic moves are banned, due to Egyptian taste and law.
In general, when dancing with an orchestra, dancers tend to move around more and make more use of the space, while if dancing to the sound of one or two instruments (i.e. drums solos) movements are more limited to a small 
area. Sometimes Egyptian style cabaret dancers make an entrance with a veil, which they discard after about the first 30 seconds of dancing.
Egyptian raqs and cabaret costumes
Generally, the Egyptian cabaret costume is the one that many people today associate with bellydance. That is, the two piece with bra and hip belt (although nowadays a lot of Egyptian cabaret costumes have beads sewed directly onto a tight skirt rather than a hip belt). Some costumes are one piece only, but all of them are elaborated and with a lot of beads. Egyptian law forbids to bare the stomach, hence, even when wearing a two piece costume set, belly dancers in Egypt cover their torso with a stocking type of material.
Read more about Egyptian cabaret movements and costumes in Part 1
