"The power and strength of the dancer are feminist in nature; she projects her individuality, personality, skill, and her own interpretation of the music through her movements.
She is unashamed of her body or level of expertise. She is abundantly free and beautiful! The ornate, meticulously  handmade costumes, hip scarves, props, jewelry, and makeup only accent the light that radiates through her performance. She may physically perform for many people or sensually for her significant other.
She dances, however, only for herself and her spirit."

--Gretchen Margarita García

"Belly dance is a Western name for an Arabic style of dance developed in the Middle East. In Europe, it is sometimes called oriental dance. Similarly, In Turkish it is referred to as oryantal dans ("Dance of the East"). Some American devotees refer to it simply as "Middle Eastern Dance". In the Arabic language it is known as raqs sharqi ("eastern dance") or sometimes raqs baladi ("national" or "folk" dance). The term "raqs sharqi" may have originated in Egypt.

The term belly-dance is a creation of Orientalism, and is first attested in English in 1899, translating French danse du ventre.

"Raqs Sharqi (“belly dancing”) uses movements in every muscle group of the body. It is, fundamentally, a solo improvisational dance with its own unique dance vocabulary that is fluidly integrated with the music’s rhythm. Raqs Sharqi dancers internalize and express the emotions evoked by the music. Appropriately, the music is integral to the dance.

The most admired Raqs Sharqi dancers are those who can best project their emotions through dance, even if their dance is made up of simple movements. The dancer’s goal is to visually communicate to the audience the emotion and rhythm of the music. This is especially apparent during the drum solo portion of a performance. Many see Raqs Sharqi as a woman's dance, celebrating the sensuality and power of being a mature woman. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belly_dance)"