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Belly dancing is very popular in Turkey. Night clubs are the most common venues, but belly dancers are also hired göbek atmak (“to toss the belly-button”) at weddings, circumcisions, and even…trade shows!
Far from being a resuscitated tourism show, this is a very old art form still enjoyed by Turks of all classes and ages. It may be the descendant of ancient Anatolian fertility dances.
The dancer is usually a woman with exceedingly well-trained abdominal muscles, and it doesn’t hurt to be shapely. She accompanies her moves with clangs on small finger cymbals called zil (Turkish for “cymbal” or “bell”).
During the dance, appreciative observers stuff paper money into the few, scant recesses of her costume. She dances close enough that they can do that; and when she dances close enough lots of men want to do that.
So far as I know, belly dancers do not yet accept credit cards in this fashion.
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