13 May: Belly dancing

The second Saturday in May is World Belly Dance Day. 10 things you might not know about belly dance:

1. The origins of this type of dance are in an indigenous dance of Egypt known as Raqs Baladi which translates as 'Dance of the Country' or 'Folk Dance'.

2. The idea that women in a harem used to perform belly dances to entertain the men is actually a myth. Women used to belly dance at women only get togethers. As well as something to do while gossiping or putting the world to rights, it might have been a way to develop the muscles important in childbirth. The perception of belly dancing as sexualised entertainment is largely thanks to the Hollywood film industry.

3. Belly dancing first came to the notice of western Europe in the 18^th century when French explorers went to Egypt and saw women in local costume doing it. The explorers called it 'dance du ventre,' meaning 'dance of the stomach.'

4. The first known use of the term "belly dance" in English is in reference to the Middle Eastern dancers who performed at the Exposition Universelle in Paris in 1893.

5. It’s also a myth that this type of dance was only ever done by women. There were, and still are, male belly dancers today. Originally, they would have been the only people who could dance for a male audience.

6. At the turn of the 21st century, foreign-born dancers weren’t allowed to perform belly dancing in Cairo, because it would smear the heritage and culture related to the art form. The ban was lifted in 2004.

7. The costume most commonly associated with belly dance is the 'bedlah', which is an Arabic word which literally translates to “suit”. It typically includes a fitted top or bra, a fitted hip belt, and a full-length skirt or harem pants, often richly decorated with beads and sequins.

8. Rihanna, Beyoncé and Fergie are among the modern day artists who use belly dance moves in their routines. Shakira, in particular, has made it her trademark and gave it a wider audience with her song Hips Don't Lie.

9. Belly dancing is good for you. It’s a low-impact, weight-bearing exercise suitable for all ages, body sizes and levels of fitness. Belly dance moves are beneficial to the spine, legs and abdominal muscles. Using a veil can help tone the upper body and playing the finger cymbals trains fingers to work independently and builds strength in the hands.

10. At time of writing the longest belly dance shimmy is 3 hours 0 minutes 7 seconds, achieved by Melanie White of Australia on 25 February 2012. The record for the largest number of people belly dancing simultaneously is 842, at an event in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Spain on 29 May 2011.

Character birthday

Shock Field, a member of the Earth Guard, a group of people who were pulled through a wormhole from the Infinitus dimension to Earth. Wormhole travel gifted him with the power to create an electrical shock field which can stun people and disrupt electrical systems.