Sausan, I just read it. You make some interesting points in the article.

I smiled when I read your comment about second position (arms outstretched to the sides in what one of my friends used to call the "crucifix position"). I agree with you, many American belly dance teachers create choreography using this position and teach their students that extension in this position is desirable. And I agree with you that this is *not* a position typical of what Egyptian dancers did during the era that you use as the basis for your Egyptian dance code definition.

great article sausan....
amazingly i never cared to think of the names u mentioned as egyptians , they are middle eastern alright , but i always saw then as dancers even the lebanese ones like nadia gamal ...they were only dancers to me..