Dance for union: From Aug 12 to 17, dancers from 60 countries will meet at Kerry Hotel for the largest belly dance festival in the world. Photo provided to Shanghai Star

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Belly dance is also known as Oriental dance, Egyptian dance, Arabic dance or Middle Eastern dance.

It is a social dance as well as a performance art in the Middle East, characterized by abdominal movements and articulations of the hips.

"In Egypt, people dance for celebration, at weddings, parties and whenever they are happy," says Aoyouna, a Chinese dancer who has lived in Egypt for 10 years. "It is like they are for the moment free from any social restrictions."

It is believed that belly dance started as a ritual that celebrated the fertility of women. Dancing with the hips does help women to have smooth birth, says Guo Wei, a belly dance coach for more than 10 years.

Belly dance doesn’t help one to lose weight, say many dancers. However, it brings you confidence. "You feel yourself beautiful, sexy and strong from the inside," Aoyouna says.