Brilliant Artist Re-Imagines Disney Princesses As Nubian Belly Dancers

As part of Deviantart user Blatterbury's Disney Bellydancer: Nubian Dance

Ayoub

• Published in Disney
• July 26, 2022

The enchanting world of Belly Dancing has a long history with various styles and stars associated with the ancient art form. In addition to music, costumes, and even movements, belly dance encompasses a vast array of styles under the umbrella term "Belly Dance" or "Belly Dancing."

The Belly Dance attire is the same in most Belly Dance styles and primarily depends on personal preference, for instance, veils are used in virtually all styles of Belly Dance, but especially for the Cabaret style. Veils for belly dancing are usually made of silk or chiffon, and come in rectangles, semicircles, and half-circles.

Blatterbury is a brilliant artist from Italy who mainly creates fan art, comics, and illustrations. They consider Belly Dance one of their passions and have been studying the "wonderful and suggestive dance form" for more than 4 years.

Blatterbury decided to combine Belly Dance with the Disney world by introducing Belly Dance's instruments and apparel to Disney Princesses. Their artworks are filled with beautiful and meticulous details, and they even specify, each time, why they picked a particular form of belly dancing for each princess.

Scroll down and get ready to fall in love with these re-imagined versions of your favorite Disney characters.

1. “Maid Marian from Robin Hood and the Nubian Dance”

2. Princess 'Kida' Kidagakash from Atlantis: The Lost Empire

3. “Remember Gadget Hackwrench from Chip & Dale? This is her now. Feel old yet.”

4. Tiana carrying plates in Duke’s restaurant

”I had this image in my mind about Tiana carrying plates in Duke’s restaurant and I was all OMG this girl has such a good balancing point! Also, candle’s light reminds me of fireflies going down the bayou, but let’s see the Trya’s origins:

It is believed that Raqs as-Seneeya (رقص الصنية) developed out of the Moroccan Tea Ceremony. Tea is a very important staple of life. It is not just a drink but something you do. It means entertaining guests, talking with friends or family, and engaging in long standing tradition. "

Source: MiddleEasternDance

5. Snow White from Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs

”Once upon a time there was (me) a little girl who fell in love for bellydance. First exotic dancer she heard about was the beautiful and mysterious Mata Hari (Margaretha Geertruida Zelle), but when she started her studies she learned that Mata Hari wasn't exactly an arabian dancers as she has always thought. 

Mata Hari broght in Europe a kind of dance she learned on Sumatra Island (Indonesia) where she moved with her husband because of his military career. 

But Mata Hari is the first dancer who fascinated me, her vintage and retrò dresses were beautiful and evocative so I decide to associate Snow White to her. I just think it's a perfect match! Hope you like it as I do.”

6. Mulan As An Oriental Dancer

Finally finished Mulan as oriental dancer. I know you were waiting for her! Her style is the Saidi and if you wanna know more about this ancient dance, pls, follow my links, you'll see " a whole new world".

7. Disney's Cinderella as a Belly Dancer: Veil Poi

Veil poi is a tool introduced in oriental dance quite recently. Combines the classic veil or double veils with bolas commonly used in juggling shows.

It's one of my favorite gear but very difficult to use. You need perseverance and abnegation to succeed in using them perfectly and to create harmonious movements. Most of the time you trow them in your face........

8. Disney's Anna from Frozen as a Belly Dancer: Melaya Leff

It’s a folkoric dance that borned from Alexandria and take its name from the wrapped cloak used as a prop during dance. It’s a funny dance where the dancer plays the role of young woman who flirtatiously plays a "conceal and reveal" game with her wrap.

I just imagined Anna dancing whit her cloak/leff, flirting playfully and joyfully with Kristoff. It’s a pretty cute scene, isn’t it?

9. Disney Belly Dancers: Giselle from Enchanted

10. Disney Belly Dancers: My Sword, My Fate

In a belly dance performance, I'm pretty sure Merida would use the sword.

About this dance's origins, a common and interesting story tells about Ghawazee dancers of Egypt would entertain the invading Napoleonic troops dancing with their swords on their heads stealing them from soldiers.

11. Moana

12. "There's only ONE dance for Punzie: The Khaleegy."

"Khaliji or Khaleegy is a traditional folkloric dance from the Persian Gulf, Arabic peninsula and the countries of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. 

Why Khaleegy? Because hair is the main element used to dance. Women let their long hair “dance” moving it from side to side, back and forth, in circle and making other figures."

13. "Aurora. I think it's one of the most complicated designs. "

"Fan Veils are one of my favorite instrument, they express elegance but also pathos and the effect of the silk veils wrapping with grace Aurora's figure is a perfect image. "

14. "I choose the Baladi for Jasmine"

"Baladi is the folk style of Egyptian Belly Dance.  It is more stationary than Raqs Sharqui with little use of the arms, and the focus is on hip movements. Baladi dance has a 'heavy' feeling, with the dancer appearing relaxed and strongly connected to the ground.

So, that's the definition of Baladi but why do I choose this style for Jasmine? Baladi is a dance you do for your country, for your land. She's dancing for her land, for her beautiful and magical country so full of history, so full of beauty, so full of art.A Country that suffered, a Country that was hurt. She dances for her helwa ya baladi. for a country which many people have to leave to run away from war  but that they keep in their heart with the hope to return."

15. "For Belle I choose the Shamadan (The Candelabra)"

"It's a very special prop for advanced belly dancer not only because it's an exraordinarily heavy thing to belance on your head, but also because there's fire involved. )t's traditionally worn in the zeffah (Egyptian wedding procession)."

16. "For Megara I chose the Hagalla."

"What's the Hagalla? The ‘Hagalla’ is a woman’s folk dance step that originated in western Egypt/eastern Libya. Women (usually one girl, ‘el hagalla’) did this one step, resembling something like a three-quarter shimmy or a merengue step, while men clapped accompaniment, it's a dance which women traditionally perform at weddings.

The traditional costume for the dance would be a simple long dress with long sleeves, with a heavy unadorned scarf wrapped around the hips. For performances, the dress may be shorter (calf or knee length), the sleeves may be shorter, and the hip scarf looks like more of a ruffled apron and may be fringed."

17. "It's Esmeralda's turn! Her style is the Gyspy Belly Dance"

"The Gyspy Belly Dance that basically is a fusion of folk dances of the 'Gypsy' people, from Turkey, Spain, the Balkans, and Egypt with the "classic" belly dance we know. In the 1960s, American bellydancers started incorporating Gypsy costume elements, music, and folk steps into their own bellydancing. There is often the use of props such as tambourines and finger cymbals."

18. Elsa with Isis Wings

 "Isis Wings" are instruments used in belly dance that want symbolize the figure of Isis, the ancient Egyptian goddess, mother of Horus.

19. "For Pocahontas I choose a Tribal style"

20. "I give to Ariel the Raqs Sharqi style and the duble veils as instrument. "

"In the Middle East the veil is piece of the woman’s wardrobe. It is used to cover her hair and sometimes her face and to protect her modesty. In Oriental dance the veil is used to frame the dancer’s movement or it can be worn as a part of her costume. In a great veil performance, the veil becomes an extension of the dancer’s body. Brilliant, elegant movement fills the space around her in color and shape, as the fabric of the veil adds dimension to the performance."

21. Shaabi Judi: “Do it big, do it right and do it with Shaabi style!!!”

It was interesting to be introduced to all these beautiful belly dancing sorts through some of the most beloved Disney characters. It's definitely not something we are used to seeing and it's always intriguing to see re-imagined versions of Disney characters.

Ayoub