Dear Reen,
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Originally Posted by Reen.Blom
But dont you think the 'mainstreaming' can be used to its advantage? However changed, ballroom does not seem to be dying out...LOL ( As for being a sport, in Estern Europe it has been considered sport for decades, and dancers' ballet basics is a must, yet it is not THAT commercialized, and to learn decent trainers look up to the sourse. Another concern here, that SURELY a chinese or Eastern European will interpret the dance through THEIR understanding of the culture, much different than say latin American, and that's inevitable)
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I would have to say that belly dance is its own unique case in that we have been led to believe that "anyone can do it; its just shaking your body". that is not the same sort of stigma that any other dance form has had to face. In the process of "mainstreaming" this particular dance, the complexity and integrity of the dance has been sacrificed. By the way, I have heard hula and ballroom dancers say the same thing about some of their dances. Not to the extent that it has happened in Middle Eastern dance, however. At least, to my understanding, Haouli sort of implies bastardization!
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Anyhow, I find it a very good point that Tarik made about the costumes (makes me smile to see Dina complain about costumes)...
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Is there a way for the dance to be lifted to a concert hall stage (im not just talking about BDSS) and the costuming more appropriate for stage than a night club. I really cant judge about Egyptian scene, but talking in general, can we find a role model who would promote dance as an ART, not just entertainment for the rich(come one you dont go to listen to Mozart while eating at a restaurant...lol) And still keeping the decent level of research and training, cleaned up from all that goddess-pagan-fertility stuff which must have sprung as a reaction to "harem" fantasy....
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This dance is about an intimacy between the audience and the dancer that does not translate very well from the concert stage, and it gives the dance a formalization that was never intended. The costuming is only part of the story in countries of origin, not the whole story. Dancers have been looked down on in countries of origin long before the development of belly dance, and for many of the same reasons.
Serious dancers are already promoting the dance as an art, but that does not mean we have to leave behind its sexual attributes, either. Art can be very sexy and still have class. Oh, and we have a group of dancers who are already dancing very covered up. They practice the Hilal Method. Go and watch a video or two. I would be interested to see what everyone thinks of them.?
Regards,
A'isha