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Public Perceptions: A Double Standard

© Shira

Every belly dancer I know is tired of the question, "Belly dance -- isn't that something like stripping?" This dance form, more correctly known as Oriental dance, was introduced to the United States in the 1890's as part of the midway at the world's fair to titillate a society that was so sexually repressed they even put lace coverings over table legs for modesty. The promoter, Sol Bloom, encouraged controversy because he knew it would stimulate ticket sales. It was Bloom who first called this art form "belly dance". The public was fascinated, and soon nearly every vaudeville and burlesque stage featured a sleazy "hoochy koochy" act that bore little resemblance to the real thing.

Over a century later, Oriental dance artists are still battling the scandalous reputation that Bloom attached to the dance. No matter how hard we work to present the dance as a beautiful art form, members of The General Public still wrinkle their noses and ask, "Belly dancing -- isn't that something like stripping?" Even today, belly dancers are still blocked from some performance opportunities because narrow-minded bigots who know nothing about Oriental dance don't want "that kind of thing" in their events.

That Double Standard

Nearly every professional belly dancer I know in my community is careful to choose costumes that don't show too much leg or too much cleavage. Some require their troupe costumes to include pantaloons, especially for raised stages or outdoor performances where the wind might catch the skirts. Some teachers insist on inspecting student costumes before recitals to ensure that they cover everything the teachers feel they should cover.

So why is it that ice skaters, cheerleaders, ballet dancers, baton twirlers, and dancers in Broadway musicals are all viewed as presenting wholesome entertainment in their costumes that provide a full view of their panties and often their cleavage too, while belly dancers are viewed as sleazy? Why is it okay for us to see the panties when one of the dancers on old Lawrence Welk reruns does rapid twirls, but it's not okay when we glimpse the panties of a belly dancer doing rapid spins?

Within the course of a 2-week period, I went to see two musicals performed by professional traveling tours: Cabaret and Chicago. In both cases, the female dancers cavorted around stage in skimpy lingerie that showcased their jiggling cleavage and butt cheeks. In both shows, they frequently sat on chairs and spread their legs wide open, inviting the audience to be their gynecologist.

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