gwinity

you know, until I read everyone's replies, I was thinking "Cool, that might be a fun class" !! (now I think I'll just slink my fusionist butt back into my hidey-hole )

It's just different use of props, isn't it?

Yasmine Bint Al Nubia

Hi Aisha, Provocative questions! I'm not bothered by the concept of Pirate Belly Dance, it's just interesting on what other people promote in terms of workshop curriculum. The ad itself plainly states Samantha's interests in other forms of dance and apparently fuses them in a variety of ways. Because she wants to call it Pirate Bellydance that's up to her but it's not anything I would spend my money on to learn.The concept of PBD is no worse or better than Bellynesian, American tribal etc because it reflects the American view of the world in which we fuse everything together and give it a label closest to the genre we want to represent. Although why it isn't called Pirate African Dance or Hip-Hop Pirate Dance is a question best left to Samantha herself.
Personally, IMO it culturally does not spring from the Family Tree of Middle Eastern Dance and so therefore can't lay claim as a legitimate branch of bellydance. It's not true innovation because it has very little to do with the cultural concepts of the dance.In other words the innovation is not within the dance but outside of it. I hve more to say but I have to get ready to teach class, check ya later.
Yasmine

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Aisha Azar

Dear Yamiharu,
It would seem that pirates have quite the provenance, also, and perhaps more claim to calling anything they do "belly dance' since at least there WERE some pirates to found off the Coast of North Africa....

Dear Suheir, I would DEFINATELY be intersted if Mr. Depp were involved. I would be interested in perhaps dpoing a number with him similar to Kaya And Sadie's offering at Rakassah!!
Regards,
A'isha

sedoniaraqs

Hi A'isha: I wouldn't say it bothers me more, but it did make me spray iced capuccino out my nose all over my laptop this morning. I guess it crosses the line more because its not just fusing two kinds of dance together, its like "fusion on crack" or something -- 50 kinds of dances, movie/literature fandom, goth subculture, vaudeville, stand up comedy, etc. etc.

It actually bothers me less in terms of the integrity of Middle Eastern dance, just because it is SO...out there. How can anyone take it seriously? I mean, there are people today who think that tribal belly dance is authentic Middle Eastern dance, and I can see how that happens, but can you even imagine someone thinking that pirate belly dance was real belly dance? Will there ever be an instance where someone says to me "You can't be a real belly dancer because you don't have a parrot on your shoulder?"

And it made me think of your "flaming batons on pointe belly dance" comment -- you are going to have to get another one-liner now because the real world just stepped a bit closer to your humorous sarcasm.

Sedonia

sedoniaraqs

[Sedonia sprays beverage on computer for second time today]

A'isha! You naughty girl!

iiveey

Yea, If he is included, count me in!
I really have mixed feelings about the labels we put on dance. I am learning Egyptian style from a Jordanian Instructor, but I came to "Belly Dance" late. I am 38 and have been taking classes for a year. I did dance alot before that in clubs, etc, and I know that infulences my style. I don't feel comfortable saying I am an Egyptian style dancer. I think all of our experiences influence the way we express ourselves. Does that mean it is all fusion? I know we need to name the different styles, 'cause otherwise nobody would know what we were talking about, but sometimes I think it is just marketing....

Aniseteph

Definitely a beverage-over-keyboard moment.

Aaarrgh Jim lad, where's me parrot, splice the mainbrace, and if you don't do those camels right its the plank for the lot of you scurvy swabs. Now where's those sequins I was a-sewin' on me eyepatch...

Sounds like someone's Pirates of the Carribean fantasy is getting out of hand.

Oh dear, can't get the idea of shimmying my pieces of eight for Captain Jack out of my head now. Heh heh heh...

Kiraze

Well, I did not read the comment on Tribe to this but the idea itself sounds like one more funny fusion... and if it something like this "Goth Pirates" clip of Spanish Morgana then I see nothing bad in it as this is quite well-done theatrical show

Aniseteph

It's been done - just found the parrots on the What Do You Dance With thread, post #66. OK make that where's my wooden leg then.

da Sage

Supposedly the local Ren Faire wants some unusual bellydance shows this year...maybe I should steal this gimmick and run with it!!