Editorial Policy

Belly dance history frequently contains conflicting accounts, oral tradition and misinformation that has been repeated so often it reads as fact. Our policy is to make sourcing and uncertainty visible rather than presenting every claim as equally verified.

Every entry carries its record

• A named author, and an editor who checked it
• Publication date and last updated date
• Sources and, where relevant, a bibliography
• A content status label
• A revision history
• A way for readers to request a correction

Content status labels

• Editorially Reviewed — checked by our editorial team against available sources.
• Expert Reviewed — additionally reviewed by a recognised specialist.
• Community Submitted — contributed by a member and not yet fully verified.
• Needs Sources — published because it is useful, but documentation is thin.
• Disputed or Multiple Accounts — credible sources disagree, and we say so.
• Archived — kept for reference but no longer maintained.

Separating fact from interpretation

We distinguish between what is documented, what is transmitted orally, what is one writer's interpretation, and what is opinion. Opinion pieces are signed and clearly labelled as such.

Corrections

Anyone can request a correction. An editor checks the request and its documentation; specialist material may also go to an expert reviewer. Approved changes are published with attribution and recorded in the revision history. We do not quietly rewrite history.

Independence and disclosure

• Editorial content cannot be bought. Memberships and advertising do not influence encyclopedia entries or reviews.
• Sponsored articles and promoted placements are always clearly labelled as sponsored.
• Paid or incentivised reviews must be disclosed and may be removed.
• Where a writer has a personal or commercial interest in a subject, we disclose it.

Profiles and the historical record

Claiming a professional profile does not give anyone the right to erase independently sourced information about their career. Inaccurate or unlawful material will always be reviewed and corrected, but a documented history is not deleted on request alone.