Belly Dancing is not stripping

Belly dancing in the minds of most Westerners conjures up erotic images of lusty, sensuous movements and suduction. However, Marisa Christensen explains that belly dancing is not what most people think:

No, I don’t give lap dances and no, I don’t take my top off. Not until I’m changing out of my costume in the privacy of a dressing room, at least. When I tell someone what I do for a living, I usually brace myself for their response, which often goes something like: “Oh, kind of like a stripper?”

Belly dancing has it’s place among other types of dance where actual study is involved, including terminology, style and practice.