Travel the world through dance

Do you have itchy feet after all these months of lockdown? Now could be the time to do a little homework on the world of dance. And dance does span the globe, with genres found all over that are historically integral to their communities, cultures and regions.

Of course, being culturally engaged is not the only advantage of learning to dance. Moving your body can provide great comforts, both emotionally and physically. Not only does dancing improve everything from cardiovascular strength to bone density and brain activity, but moving your body has also been proven to reduce stress and anxiety, which everyone could benefit from right now.

Here are some cultural dances that you can learn at home through online tutorials or mobile dance apps. Take a look (or a spin) and you might be well equipped when the world is ready for globe-trotting, street parties and celebrations with no limits.

Belly dancing

Origin: Egypt. Also commonly danced in Turkey, the Middle East and India.

When Egyptian women gathered to socialize in the 18th century, they would belly dance. It was a celebration of the feminine, a dance form that distinguishes itself through sharp hip movements, belly rolls and tricky flutters, especially when paired with shimmies, torso isolations and wavelike movements of the hands and arms.

Nowadays, it’s danced at celebrations of all sorts, including weddings and birthdays, and is synonymous with colorful, intricate outfits and coinladen hip scarves that chime to