ÿþ<HTML> <HEAD> <TITLE>Levantia - A &#147;middle Byzantine&#148; Dancing Girl</TITLE> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"> <LINK REL=STYLESHEET TYPE="text/css" HREF="http://www.levantia.com.au/ustyle.css"> </HEAD> <BODY> <A NAME="dancer.html"></A> <CENTER> <TABLE BORDER=1><TD><IMG SRC="http://www.levantia.com.au/buttons/midLevheader.gif" ALT="Levantia banner"></A></TD></TABLE> </CENTER> <H1>§¿ÁµÍÄ·Â / <I>Choreut&ecirc;s</I></H1> <TABLE ALIGN=LEFT BORDER=0 CELLPADDING=4 WIDTH=100><TD> <IMG ALIGN=left SRC="pictures/badgirl.jpg" ALT="A dancer. 39Kb"></TD></TABLE> <P>One group of women is shown sufficiently often in &#147;middle Byzantine&#148; art to indicate a definite pattern of occupational costume. It is the class of Dancing Girls. This example is copied from an eleventh century manuscript.<A HREF=#NOTES><SUP>1</SUP></A> The flounce pleated onto the hem of her dress is an unusual feature, but the sleeveless dress or over-dress is a ubiquituous characteristic of the stage costume of the class of professional &#147;belly dancer&#148; in Romania.</P> <P CLASS=PLAIN>Outfit by <A HREF="mailto:ecastro@pobox.une.edu.au">Edith Castro</A> to a pattern and design by Timothy Dawson</P> <A NAME="NOTES"></A> <HR CLASS=N> <H4>Notes</H4> 1) Biblioteca Marciana Z 479, f. 12v.</P> <BR CLEAR=ALL> <HR CLASS=PART> </BODY> </HTML>