I enjoy watching male dancers of any dance genre, but I am particularly enjoying the male belly dancers. Women's dance can get a bit 'same old same-old' after a while, but the men are often fighting the perception that this is women's dance only. They fight the idea that these movements are only for women, men aren't supposed to shake their booties or twist their spines. So they work out for themselves what it means for them to dance, and the result is a rich variety of dancing styles. Some men dance in a fluid, "feminine" way, while others dance in a 'stiffer' fashion. Yet others make a dance that is difficult to describe, its difference is difficult to pin down in words, but is nevertheless distinct. Each dancer owns his dance in a way that a lot of the women dancers I've seen don't seem to.
But when I watch a dance, any dance, its not the gender that I'm first drawn to, its the skill of the dancer. I like to watch good, skilled dance, I like to appreciate the mastery that the dancer has gained over his or her body. I don't care who you are, this 'layering' stuff isn't easy!
Such controversies over men dancing isn't unique to belly dance though. Male ballet dancers have faced prejudice for years, including the ubiquitous accusations of being gay - which is ironic, because ballet started out as men-only dance. Same with my native Highland dance - most ironic thing I ever saw was a few years ago, some ignoramus yob catcalling a boy doing the Sean Truibhas, calling him queer for wearing a 'skirt' and doing 'girlie dance'!! :eek:
(a small riot broke out and Mr. Ignorance was escorted off the premises...... *LOL*)