Belly Dance from 1930s and European influences

In 20's and 30's there was plenty of Egyptian films that added belly dance in it's story making it more popular. Egypt was a huge film industry by that time till late 40's. From this period is dated the beginning of a revolution in it's way to dance.
To make belly dance more worldwide, the film producers added veils to make more mysterious, swords making more challenging, high heels shoes making more elegant and other props from Egyptian folklore and gypsy influences. These elements professionalized belly dance and attracted more audience.
If you really love belly dancing you must meet Ms. Badia Masbani! She is considered the godmother of Oriental Dance. She was Lebanese and moved to Egypt early 20's where she worked successfully as actress and dancer. In 1926 she opened the first music hall in Cairo named "Opera Casino" or "Madame Badia's Cabaret". She offered a variety of intertainment such as music, comic, dance and magic. The Opera Casino became a real success and really attracted the tourists from Middle East and Europe.
Badia really contributed with belly dancing introducing to the folk styles such as Shaabi, Gawazee, Baladi, Saidi and Melea more thecnique. These folk styles were danced mostly in one spot using limited arms positions. Badia then introduced snake arms, lift arm and use all stage space. She also was pioneer to choreograph belly dancing for stage shows.She also added classical musicians to the traditional line up of riqq, darboukka, ney and zurna. These musicians then would introduce rhythms from all Middle East, Turkey and Greece, at that time Ottoman Empire.
With all this changes, Badia professionalized belly dancing and it became Raqs el Sharki or Oriental Dance.
But also around1900 French trevelers got fascinated with the rhithms and the hip moves of the gawazees dancers. They described in their travel stories as "danse du ventre" or Dance of the belly. That is why we call Belly Dance.