Public Perceptions: A Double Standard
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- Hurley
- ssied
- pippin
- ghaziya
- LadyB
- lsmith6
- anoushz
This archived discussion is "read only".
» Hurley - Re: perceptions article
Hear, hear, Shira!!I have to admit that for about the last year and a half it's really bugged me the way that male ballet dancers and figure skaters hold up the females. I mean, first he has his hand on her crotch area, then he whirls her around so everyone can see her crotch! That seems so vulgar, yet nobody notices that!
-- posted by Hurley
» ssied - Re: perceptions article
Last weekend I attended a festival where Mid Eastern Style Dancers, African Dancers and Flamenco Dancers shared a stage.The audience was great and so were the dancers (from all venues). I admit I missed out on all but one ME dancer, but I saw the African and Flamenco shows.
During the African Dance show, three young ladies from the troupe exited the stage and reappeared topless for a dance and drumming number. There was nothing sleezy about their act--but I cannot imagine a ME dance troupe doing that!
This really struck a chord with me as I just read your article earlier that same week.
-- posted by ssied
» pippin - public perceptions
An excellant article. I feel that the news media also contributes to the public's misperception of Middle Eastern Dance. Whenever there is a news clip of a belly dancer, the camera is usually focused on the dancer's butt.I would also like to recommend the book Sacred Woman, Sacred Dance, by Iris Stewart. This book examines the role of dance as an expression of spirituality. It focuses on Middle Eastern Dance, which the author calls "Woman Dance," as the oldest dance form. She also does not like the "nightclub attitude toward the (belly) dancer."
-- posted by pippin
» ghaziya - Great discussion!
Thanks all for your comments! Glad to hear this article is striking a chord with some people. I really appreciate your striking up a discussion on this, because it's a topic that very much deserves 2-way discussion in our dance community.Thanks, Pippin, for pointing out the media's role in perpetuating the old attitudes. It's an excellent point, and we should all be thinking about what we can do to change that.
I've decided that the next time I host a recital for my students, I will place a notecard on each table of the restaurant ahead of time that offers a few well-chosen words about the origin of the dance in preparation for labor (see the article "Roots" on Morocco's web site for detail) and its evolution into a social dance that women in their homes do for other women in the Middle East today. This will reach the friends and families of my students, as well as any members of The General Public who happen to wander in.
-- posted by ghaziya
» LadyB - it IS about education....
I've only just started performing and will be teaching a Belly CENTERED Dancing course this fall. That's how I present it when teaching to help get the women into that strong, centered, magnificent space and get them OFF the chicky-chicky-chicky nonsense.And there's so much you can do with a performance to 'steer' the audience. The choice of music (see where Loreena McKennitt takes you) and just an attitude of either sacred grace, or incredible good-natured fun can make QUITE the difference. Both my first performances involved GOOD folks on live drums so we were having SUCH a wonderful time 'dancing' off each other that the audience just ate it up. And I watch the audience response carefully. The guys may be grinning, but it's the women who are clapping and hollering and yes, came up and danced with me. Wonderful good stuff.....It REALLY helps when they find out I'm 50 years old.
I also find that more attention to REALLY graceful arm movements takes some of the focus OFF one's hips and belly, which, as the article points out, helps to make it a more complete DANCE FORM.
Great article, I'm going to see that my whole class gets a copy! Thanks!
-- posted by LadyB
» lsmith6 - Public education on bellydancing
I agree wholeheartedly with all the responses to this article. After dancing for ten years, I took an 8 year sabbatical and now I am back!! (and SO HAPPY!!) i was saddened to see not a lot has changed in the public perceptions of this dance form. So many think it has something to do with sex, it amazes me!! I have talked in beginner classes I used to teach that in reality, the harems of old were filled with incredibly lonely, bored women who danced for each other out of the joy of it.......that no sultan or rich husband with 40 or 400 wives saw more than a few select ones repeatedly and the majority of these women were relegated to a virtual prison, not allowed to go out, to have a life. They danced for each other for fun, for the pleasure of doing it. I agree that education is the key to the public changing its view. Discreet costuming, a few words if possible about the origins before a performance, a brief paragraph on flyers.....and most of all conducting yourself in a professional manner. Thanks for the opportunity to "listen" to other dancers and ideas......here in the boonies of Oregon I feel less alone!! Sahara-- posted by lsmith6
» anoushz - Double Standard
I was thrilled to see someone taking the art of belly dance seriously. I agree with the thoughts expressed, but sometimes I think we as dancers are our own worst enemies. Take a look at how some of us present ourselves, I have seen women showing more skin than they do at the beach. I have seen women do supposedly erotic moves that are totally inappropriate, regardless of the venue. You cannot dress and behave lasciviously and expect to be respected.-- posted by anoushz
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