Wow!

Nearly a year ago I found this posting on Arabisto. It says that male belly dancing is back in vogue. Yes. Male. Belly dancing.

The idea seems wrong indeed. Even some of the nomadlife crew were shocked when I brought up the discussion in the forum. But there are evidence in history (ahem, according to wikipedia) that male do belly dance. It must be interesting to see a masculine form of an elegant, feminine, lady-like dance being performed by a male (especially if they are manly men!).

Then, as I was searching for some pictures of belly dance, I found this image and I was astounded.

EILAT, Israel: Israeli male belly dancer and costume designer Asi Haskal performs during the Eilat Festival of Oriental Dance, 19 January 2006, at the Israeli resort city of Eilat.More than 700 professional and armature Israeli belly dancers participated in a long weekend oriental festival of workshops, lectures and performances in the southern Israeli resort 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 credit should read GALI TIBBON/AFP/Getty Images)