I knew a women who was in a traditional belly dance troop in the 1980's (they wore what would now be called "tribal garb rather than the I dream of Jennie style of nightclubs). All the other women in the group (except the leaders 8 year old daughter) ranged from plump to extra-extra large and the thin women told me she had to work twice as hard as the others to get the right hip movement. That the dancing was designed to show off a fuller figure, you could do if you were a bean pole but it was a lot harder.
expatriate Californian living in rural Ireland with husband, dogs, horses. garden and many, many cats