Belly dancing can be a good workout but there are a lot of misconceptions about what it can and can't do for you. It also depends a lot on the style your instructor teaches. There are bellydance DVD's which target specific fitness goals, so if you want to achieve flat abs or tight buns, you need to choose the right bellydance workout.

The shimmy is probably the best known move in belly dancing - it's where the bellydancer stands still and vibrates her hips. Actually, in most cases she's not vibrating her hips at all - the movement comes from elsewhere in her body, and the hips vibrate in sympathy. That's why many dancers have trouble getting the knack, but it's not as hard as it looks.

There is an awful lot of misinformation out there on the origins of belly dance, partly because the Wikipedia entry on the subject was complete rubbish for a long, long time - and that version got copied on to countless blogs and websites all over the net. This article tries to re-establish some common sense!