National attitudes to bellydance and bellydancers - Page 5

Sara · 12-15-2006, 07:45 PM

Yea! I go Pole dancing and it's brill! No one cares, and lots of people even want to join.

They're even giving classes in children, but watered down.

I do think in England we are too busy thinking about other stuff. If I tell people the only stereotype I get is that I'm too slim to dance. THey don't equate it with stripping or anything. My family sometimes do but I think that's more concern.

Yasmine Bint Al Nubia · 12-15-2006, 07:57 PM

Hi Everyone, As a matter of fact we do have members on the forum who are part of the countries of origin. What are their perceptions of how dance is perceived especially now. I can guess that modern day performers in Egypt, Lebanon and Turkey are probably sitting on the biggest part of the elephant. Yasmine

Aw Aisha you can give in to your temptations ever once in a while.

Aniseteph · 12-15-2006, 11:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sara

...If I tell people the only stereotype I get is that I'm too slim to dance...

Now that's one attitude that makes me go

, that you have to have a great big belly to wobble. Belly dance, belly, dance. Geddit? (no, me neither)

belly_dancer · 12-16-2006, 12:23 AM

will try my very 1st post (anywhere) so please forgive if I do something wrong.....
wow... this is an intense discussion.....
to go back to the ORIGINAL ?/post... I THINK this is about HOW belly dance is perceived in our area..... here= central coast, CA, US of A,
I have never (very rarely) had problems from people who have SEEN me dance... however I still am reluctant to introduce myself as a "belly dancer" (unless in "sympathetic" company) to those who have not seen me dance.... it has then been my experience that the GP is usually under the influence of A) the "bad" belly dance experience, or B) the "media" belly dance experience, both of which colors their opinion.... however after they see me... (hopefully, I carry myself with dignity,.... or maybe I am just "scary" as I think the very originator of this thread said;-)..... ask Zorba..... he will have a better idea as to how I am perceived by the GP than I!!!) people are usually understanding that this is an art form, a skill, a DANCE & not just a sexy "display".
so hopefully I have done this correctly..... thank you for your patience!
J

bin_rodi · 12-16-2006, 02:50 AM

people here in egypt think always the dancers as hookers not as an artist

for an example if a girl told her father she likes to be a belly dancer he will beat her up

and if a father found his daughter work as a belly dancer honstly he may slay her

Gabi · 12-16-2006, 03:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moon

Fortunately, "beautiful" is a matter of taste. There's hope for all of us. "Healthy" or not!

Now I hope this thread will go back to its original topic.

Yesss! Exactly - and I do think BD is one place where there truly is room for all of us, it's one of the things I love about it.

And this ties back to topic .... one thing I noticed is that a lot of people here have the impression that when learning BD when *cough cough* OLDE is kind of a lark, whereas I actually am taking it totally seriously, not for exercise and not for company. The other misconception is that you "take a class" and then you know how or are done. I quickly give them a few choice moves to practice and then come talk to me again

Yasmine Bint Al Nubia · 12-16-2006, 04:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bin_rodi

people here in egypt think always the dancers as hookers not as an artist

for an example if a girl told her father she likes to be a belly dancer he will beat her up

and if a father found his daughter work as a belly dancer honstly he may slay her

Thank you bin_rodi for your response. What are your personal experience or responses when you see a belly dancer?
Yasmine

Zurah · 12-16-2006, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by belly_dancer

however I still am reluctant to introduce myself as a "belly dancer" (unless in "sympathetic" company) to those who have not seen me dance....

Same here... I prefer not to mention I take bellydance lessons. Even though it's become fashionable and acceptable over here (meaning, people usually think of it as fun and trendy, as opposed to risque), I'd rather just talk about it with friends... although they almost always tell it to whoever cares to hear later. I'm utterly humorless about seven-veil striptease 'jokes' and the like, which I do get occasionally.

chryssanthi sahar · 12-17-2006, 06:48 AM

Dear Group.

As moderator of this forum I kindly want to ask you to stop the discussions about the ideal belly dance figure and go back to the actual topic. If somebody feels like discussing the topic "figure" further she/he is welcome to start another thread, it doesn't matter if the topic has been discussed several times. There will always be new people in the forum and therefore there will always be repetition of the essential questions.

As about the opinion of people who come from countries with belly dance traditions: somehow I feel ignored here, because nobody seemed to be interested in how belly dance and belly dancers are seen in Greece. I described it quite detailed and Maria added some more information, but either most of you are not aware of the fact , that GREECE HAS BELLYDANCE TRADITION (even if our Greek Tsifteteli is a social dance and not art), or most of you were so fascinated by the figure discussion, that you just ignored the postings that dealt with the actual topic. I suspect that rather the last was the case, since nobody except Yasmine answered to the very important things our new forum member from Egypt- Al Rodi- was telling to the subject.

My question to Al Rodi: why do you think belly dancers are seen the way you describe in Egypt? Is it because they are truly "bad girls", or is it because of the position of women in Egyptian society?
To the others: don't scold me for not being "politically correct". I find it important to discuss this subject with somebody who comes from a country where belly dancers are considered to be hookers on one hand, but are adored on the other hand.
By the way, this could be a new topic for the "off topic" forum: national attitudes to political correctness

bin_rodi · 12-17-2006, 11:36 AM

you know guys you asking me quiestions needs decades of explaination
situation here in egypt is very complex in everything not just toward belly dancers

i think yasmin talked in a previous post about persecution of her people "Nubians"

yasmin: when i see a bellydancer i like what she do and respect her
i consider her an artist not a hooker as the most of the community here does
egypt before 70's in modern age was little bit liberate so bellydancer was little bit respected, but after the 70's the community day by day become more "Islamized" which mean a lot of hushing to belly dancers and women in general

on the other hand there is a bunch of what we can call "third class belly dancers" who behave in really undecent manners and support already corrupted image in egyptian and muslim communities mind

the community according to it's beleifs consider the woman should be wearing hijab or niqab and cover her body and face, and they just attack thw woman who don't wear hijab, so imagine what they will do to the woman who shake her butt wearing almost nothing

the people in our community use double standards in everything
they may spit on a belly dancer in he press or TV or the national culture in general same time away of the others sight want them on bed

we are a community ruled by males muslim males in fact and women is just a "hareem" in it

12-15-2006, 07:45 PM	#41 (permalink)
Sara V.I.P. Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Wales/Yorkshire Posts: 1,160	Yea! I go Pole dancing and it's brill! No one cares, and lots of people even want to join. They're even giving classes in children, but watered down. I do think in England we are too busy thinking about other stuff. If I tell people the only stereotype I get is that I'm too slim to dance. THey don't equate it with stripping or anything. My family sometimes do but I think that's more concern. __________________ With a little bit of this and a little bit of that, now shake your bum.... :P

12-15-2006, 07:57 PM	#42 (permalink)
Yasmine Bint Al Nubia V.I.P. Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Akron, Ohio Posts: 1,139	Hi Everyone, As a matter of fact we do have members on the forum who are part of the countries of origin. What are their perceptions of how dance is perceived especially now. I can guess that modern day performers in Egypt, Lebanon and Turkey are probably sitting on the biggest part of the elephant. Yasmine Aw Aisha you can give in to your temptations ever once in a while. Last edited by Yasmine Bint Al Nubia; 12-15-2006 at 07:59 PM. Reason: addition

12-17-2006, 06:48 AM	#49 (permalink)
chryssanthi sahar Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Heidelberg, Germany Posts: 1,485	Dear Group. As moderator of this forum I kindly want to ask you to stop the discussions about the ideal belly dance figure and go back to the actual topic. If somebody feels like discussing the topic "figure" further she/he is welcome to start another thread, it doesn't matter if the topic has been discussed several times. There will always be new people in the forum and therefore there will always be repetition of the essential questions. As about the opinion of people who come from countries with belly dance traditions: somehow I feel ignored here, because nobody seemed to be interested in how belly dance and belly dancers are seen in Greece. I described it quite detailed and Maria added some more information, but either most of you are not aware of the fact , that GREECE HAS BELLYDANCE TRADITION (even if our Greek Tsifteteli is a social dance and not art), or most of you were so fascinated by the figure discussion, that you just ignored the postings that dealt with the actual topic. I suspect that rather the last was the case, since nobody except Yasmine answered to the very important things our new forum member from Egypt- Al Rodi- was telling to the subject. My question to Al Rodi: why do you think belly dancers are seen the way you describe in Egypt? Is it because they are truly "bad girls", or is it because of the position of women in Egyptian society? To the others: don't scold me for not being "politically correct". I find it important to discuss this subject with somebody who comes from a country where belly dancers are considered to be hookers on one hand, but are adored on the other hand. By the way, this could be a new topic for the "off topic" forum: national attitudes to political correctness __________________ Oriental dancer and instructor of Greek origin, living in Germany www.chryssanthi.com

12-16-2006, 12:23 AM	#44 (permalink)
belly_dancer Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: central coast, California Posts: 569	will try my very 1st post (anywhere) so please forgive if I do something wrong..... wow... this is an intense discussion..... to go back to the ORIGINAL ?/post... I THINK this is about HOW belly dance is perceived in our area..... here= central coast, CA, US of A, I have never (very rarely) had problems from people who have SEEN me dance... however I still am reluctant to introduce myself as a "belly dancer" (unless in "sympathetic" company) to those who have not seen me dance.... it has then been my experience that the GP is usually under the influence of A) the "bad" belly dance experience, or B) the "media" belly dance experience, both of which colors their opinion.... however after they see me... (hopefully, I carry myself with dignity,.... or maybe I am just "scary" as I think the very originator of this thread said;-)..... ask Zorba..... he will have a better idea as to how I am perceived by the GP than I!!!) people are usually understanding that this is an art form, a skill, a DANCE & not just a sexy "display". so hopefully I have done this correctly..... thank you for your patience! J

12-16-2006, 02:50 AM	#45 (permalink)
bin_rodi Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Cairo, Egypt Posts: 79	people here in egypt think always the dancers as hookers not as an artist for an example if a girl told her father she likes to be a belly dancer he will beat her up and if a father found his daughter work as a belly dancer honstly he may slay her

12-17-2006, 11:36 AM	#50 (permalink)
bin_rodi Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Cairo, Egypt Posts: 79	you know guys you asking me quiestions needs decades of explaination situation here in egypt is very complex in everything not just toward belly dancers i think yasmin talked in a previous post about persecution of her people "Nubians" yasmin: when i see a bellydancer i like what she do and respect her i consider her an artist not a hooker as the most of the community here does egypt before 70's in modern age was little bit liberate so bellydancer was little bit respected, but after the 70's the community day by day become more "Islamized" which mean a lot of hushing to belly dancers and women in general on the other hand there is a bunch of what we can call "third class belly dancers" who behave in really undecent manners and support already corrupted image in egyptian and muslim communities mind the community according to it's beleifs consider the woman should be wearing hijab or niqab and cover her body and face, and they just attack thw woman who don't wear hijab, so imagine what they will do to the woman who shake her butt wearing almost nothing the people in our community use double standards in everything they may spit on a belly dancer in he press or TV or the national culture in general same time away of the others sight want them on bed we are a community ruled by males muslim males in fact and women is just a "hareem" in it