Behind Closed Doors: Saudi Women Turn to Belly Dance for Fitness and Empowerment

Behind Closed Doors: Saudi Women Turn to Belly Dance for Fitness and Empowerment

In a women-only fitness studio in Riyadh, dozens of women move to Arabic music as they practise belly dance — an activity many feel they must hide. Despite their enthusiasm, participants refused to give their real names or show their faces on camera, underscoring the social stigma that still surrounds the ancient art.

Private classes, careful precautions

AFP spent months gaining access to the tightly guarded Riyadh class, where identities were protected and phone use was monitored by staff to reduce the risk of images being recorded and circulated. Many women said they feared how family members or friends would react, with one participant saying she would not tell her elderly relatives "out of respect for their dignity." Another said she could never tell her father because she knew he would not accept it.

"We're a conservative society," a participant said. "Belly dancing is seen as something sexy, and no family or husband would accept that men see you like that."

Culture, religion and perceptions

Saudi Arabia is strongly influenced by conservative interpretations of Sunni Islam, and cultural norms remain powerful even as some restrictions have eased under the country's leadership. Though women can now drive and many have chosen not to wear the veil, certain forms of public expression — including belly dancing with its revealing costumes and suggestive movements — are still viewed by many as inappropriate or linked to immoral behaviour.

At the Riyadh studio, however, participants and instructors insist the practice is about fitness, stress relief and self-care. The two instructors prefer to be called coaches and use aliases — such as Oni and Roro — online, where they also conceal their faces in videos.

Dance as exercise and empowerment

Coaches emphasize the health benefits and community aspects of the classes. "We've transformed dancing into a sport," said one coach. The room pulses with Arabic rhythms as women of different ages shake their hips and move barefoot while a traditional derbake drum provides accompaniment. The atmosphere was described by participants as celebratory — a women-only space for fun and stress relief.

Yoga studios, women-only boxing gyms and belly-dance classes have become more common across Riyadh, reflecting a gradual expansion of social spaces for women while still observing gender segregation: men and women do not exercise together in these venues.

Perspectives and limits

Scholars note that belly dancing originated outside the Arabian Peninsula and can be perceived as more provocative than regional dances, so families may be reluctant to have daughters perform it publicly. But attitudes vary across the kingdom, and many participants say the practice builds confidence, community and a sense of strength.

"Dance fosters those feelings — it brings a sense of community and strength," one coach said. For these women, the classes are a private outlet that pushes at social taboos while remaining carefully protected from public exposure.

rs-sar/aya/th/dc — Reporting by AFP.