hi Genisis, it's for me to hard to say since most of the 'headliners' I'm aware of don't share much of their outlook on spirituality; but I personally respect Janeeda of Va Beach, her articles in Zaghareet come from a really experienced perspective (since she's in her 60's and has been involved in the crossover of bellydance & spirituality for a long time).

Trying to think of others....

Well...she's also not a "headliner," but Dolphina really references the health effects and the spirituality of Belly Dancing. She uses Sufi music in some of her performances. Her experiences with dolphins are also something she speaks about.

www.goddessworkout.com/encounter.html

Also, here's part of an article at: www.shira.net/spiritual.htm
The article is by Shira and is called "Middle Eastern Dance:The Spiritual Connection"---

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Modern day leaders in bringing together spirituality and dance include Delilah, Z-Helene, and Goddess Dancing.

According to Delilah, the spiritual side of dance has always been there for her. There was no "first" experience with it. She sees creativity itself as being deeply spiritual. "The need for a spiritual connection with in belly dance is brought about by the individual's search and desire for deeper meanings. It directly contrasts the superficial notions that the dance is only physical culture or that it is something women do to placate men. This dance nourishes the body and the soul."

Delilah sees the traditional Middle Eastern forms of guedra, zar, and the others as applications of movement to spiritual practice. It's not necessary to conform to one of these traditions in order to realize dance as a spiritual practice. Connection with spirituality is not something you have to seek out and put on. It's an everyday thing. Delilah's advice to those who want to explore a spiritual dimension to their dance: "Open your heart."

However, the dance can also play a role within the context of mainstream Western religion, and many dancers who practice these religions look for ways to bring together these two things that are very important to them. The Lutheran and Episcopalian denominations of Christianity have both been progressive in introducing liturgical dance to the altar at their church services. Although their liturgical dance workshops focus on ballet and modern dance movement vocabularies, some Middle Eastern dance artists have successfully introduced this art form to their congregations as liturgical dance. These artists usually choose not to wear the midriff-baring nightclub costume, and the mood they portray is usually one of worship.

The Unitarian church has long supported the use of the performing arts at the altar. I've seen folk dances from Eastern Europe performed as part of a church service, and many Unitarian congregations have welcomed performances by Middle Eastern dance artists.

Even more conservative Christian denominations have accepted Middle Eastern dance as part of special events: parish talent shows, shepherdess portrayals in Christmas pageants, and celebratory dances in Palm Sunday services, to name a few. Biblical costumes and moods appropriate to the role being portrayed (such as joy for Palm Sunday) are often the key to earning the trust and respect of the congregation.

Many modern-day Pagans, who also happen to be part of the Middle Eastern dance community, have brought their dance talents into their spiritual practices. Some have studied the Middle Eastern rituals and brought modified versions of them into their own lives.

Delilah has developed a number of spiritual exercises that she uses in her workshops and retreats, including veil therapy, veil origami, and circle baladi, among others. She has sponsored retreats focused on the myth of Inanna's descent to the underworld, with a ritual applied to Inanna's passage through each of the seven gates.

In one very moving California show that I saw, Bonney Grey performed a dance she called "Blessings of the Moon Goddess" at a benefit for a woman who had recently fallen on very difficult times. The sense of warmth and blessing for everyone in the room was palpable. She has presented this dance, always wearing a mask and a flowing costume, in many places in the greater San Francisco area, including a concert at Fort Mason and many rituals. The dance was inspired when Bonney made a trip to Bali. There, the locals believe that a spirit inhabits a mask--when you wear the mask, you invoke the spirit.

The group Goddess Dancing in the Boston area advertises that it delivers "belly blessings". Dhyanis, based in the San Francisco area, sponsors an annual production at the time of the Summer Solstice called The Living Goddess, which features dance portrayals by a wide variety of artists, many of whom come from the local belly dancing community.

Many dancers feel a deep sense of spirituality simply from the act of dancing, even when they are not consciously seeking it. A dancer named An. said, "I feel that the dance attracts more that just physical spectators. I call them Witnesses. I can almost feel these silent watchful archetypal beings gathering about the circle, called by the drums and the power of the moment. The people in the audience are archetypal as well. Here the Adolescent Man, there the Women Lovers, there the Tribal Elder, and here the Child. Even the Trickster shows as the crying baby or the heckling frat boy or even the toddler who decides a duet is really warranted. Maiden, Mother, and Crone always attend."

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Delilah's site: www.visionarydance.com/

Here's a page where Lorraine Lafata invites you to tell us your stories of healing and bellydance:
www.visionarydance.com/HealingDance.html

Z Helene's site: www.zhelene.com/

Goddess Dancing's site: www.thegoddessdancing.com/

Lily Moonstorm's site: www.lilymoonstorm.com/
Dance is more than an artform to me...it is a spiritual experience; it is a sacred ritual."
Lily is co-founder of the Goddess dance troupe, "Blessing Way." The troupe combines ritual and bellydance to form choreographies to honor the female essence who is the Goddess. These Goddess dances are performed as a sacred prayer for events and ceremonies such as Handfastings, Blessing Way ceremonies (honoring a mother-to-be,) and other sacred passages of life.

Woghart's "School of Natural Magic" includes "Goddess Dance" wogharts.org/