Salome

The Dance of the Seven Veils is most famous from the tale in the bible, known as Salome's dance.

After dancing for Herod Salome asked for St John the Baptist's head (as requested by her mother) and he was executed.

Salome was seen as an evil seductress.

The Dance of the Seven Veils goes back far further in history. In Sumeria the temple ziggurats followed the sacred number 7, based on the number of planets that were visible to the early astrologers/astronomers. The Goddess Ishtar was associated with the number 7 and each veil from the priestess dance was a Gateway to her Mysteries.



Here is the Sumerian temple of Ur.


This illustration below was created by Andrea Beardsley for Oscar Wilde's play, Salome.


The ancient art of bellydance is not just about seduction. Its not just about wiggling your boody for some booty. Its an art of storytelling. Where the core heart to the story is about 'creation' or 'procreation' wink wink, it interweaves amongst an expression of identity.

Im curious about this dance of seduction. Just how does someone dance this ancient art form, woman or man, for good. And not evil. To feel confident in oneself without making their audience, their victim.