Quote:
Originally Posted by Aisha Azar
Dear Khanjar,
I am not trying to be insulting here, though it may sound that way. I find the attitude of "The dance is what I choose to say it is" to be just a bit on the ethnocentiric, condescending side. It is as if the people do not know the meaning of their own dance. Dancers from places of origin, themselves may see it differently than the average citizen, but the fact is that in the long run,
it should be those dancers and the people native to the countries from which the dance comes and not us from the west who determine the dance's meaning and purpose. They do so within a cultural understanding that the rest of us have to spend the rest of our lives learning, so who are we to make any such decisions? It is our job to learn what the dance is from their point of view and to pass that information on to our students. If we decide to use a few Middle Eastern elements and make up our own dances, we need to take the responsiblity to say so very, very clearly.
As far as when dancers from the Middle East come to the West and tell us what their dance is about, they have EVERY right to foist their opinions off on us.
Regards,
A'isha
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I think we are both coming from different angles here, I am thinking about those who deem to criticise those who wish to dance, that is refer to dancers as whores etc,they are welcome to their criticism in their own countries, their way of life, their country. It is not for me to interfere with their country and it's ideas. If I go there, which is likely, I will mind my own business, if I disagree with something, then I will keep that to myself, simply because I am a guest in another's country.
Similarly, if a national of another country comes to the west and levies criticism based upon their own ideas, they are wrong, for it is not their country, they do not know it or it's people.
Now if a dancer comes from another country, perhaps the middle east, they may offer criticism of the dance they themselves know as a performer towards those who dance similarly in the west. They if they have an opinion, may relay that opinion, as I am sure western dancers would like to know as a means to improve their understanding.
Foisting opinions is fine for those involved, but not for those not involved.
I knew some Arabs once, they were guests in my country for educational purposes, I knew how they felt about western women and the way they dressed, that I understood, as it was alien to their own country aside from whores. I have seen non nationals in one of the middle eastern countries who were touting for business, so can understand where that premise came from.
The Western women these Arabian nationals came into contact with were not the whores the way they dressed, but upstanding people, which at first confused these guests, although at all times they maintained perfect honour, politeness and respect, they may have disagreed, but they kept it to themselves, as they understood their position as a guest in another's country, it was not for them to insult based upon ideas of their own culture.
Now you may say they were wealthy people, which they were, but I have also met the lowliest, a guard on an Omani museum, complete with bandoliers of bullets and an ancient rifle, he too was the same as the wealthy I knew, perfect politeness and respect. I did the best of my arabic, he did the best of his English, but we got on. I have a lot of respect for the people of the middle east, based upon those whom I have met.
In fact the only disrespect I ever had in the middle east was from an immigrant that chose to take exception to the fact that I wear long hair.Apparently, he took long haired men to be an indication of a drug user.