Kashmir, I have an earlier snake dance reference -- so much earlier that it may not even be part of an unbroken tradition! Princess Rajah (one of the few dancers filmed by Thomas Edison, the video is available online) made her break onto the big-time vaudeville stage in 1908 doing a "Cleopatra dance" in which she performed with a live snake. She wore a bra-and-belt costume very similar to the ones being worn by most Salome dancers at the time. Too bad Edison didn't film that! Anyhow, I would bet that between 1910 and 1970 there were a lot of carnival/circus/fairgrounds acts that combined snake charming and pseudo-oriental costumes and moves, and given Jamila's circus background, those acts could be the real impetus for the snake dance's resurfacing in belly dance in the 70's.
Joy in dance,
Andrea
__________________
"I am not contradictory, I am dispersed." (Roland Barthes)
|