Eshta

Can't believe I've been lured into this hot debate, I normally sit at the sidelines and watch it all kick off but hey, now I'm rolling up my sleeves

To say that Shakira is a belly dancer because she uses belly dance moves and has middle eastern heritage is to say that I am a masterchef because I own pots and pans and cook myself dinner. Yes, Shakira uses moves that, although present in many different dance forms, it's a fair assumption she's developed the moves from a belly dance inspiration. But to boil a dance down to a series of moves misses the point.

"Moves" are a simply a tool the dancer uses. It takes a long journey from executing moves to dancing. That said, the execution of moves is still important: If I gave a scalpel to a passerby on the street, you wouldn't let him cut you open, but equally you wouldn't let the world's best surgeon go near you with a rusty scalpel either!

It seems we're fairly universal that putting a girl in a costume doesn't make her a belly dancer, but we get confused when it comes to teaching a girl a few moves and calling her a belly dancer.

A few weeks ago I covered a class for a friend. There was this beautiful young girl of maybe about 18. I started the class with basic fig 8 technique but had to stop her almost instantly, because the ferocity she was doing mayas with such a heavy pelvic tilt backwards, well I could almost hear her lower verterbrae grinding against each other and it set my teeth on edge! Ladies and gents, I present to you another victim of the Shakira Syndrome!

Loads more to say on this subject, but gotta drop it as it's past my bedtime. For the record, I like Shakira's music, I also like her dance style, I think she's very pretty and very talented. But I am certain she is not a belly dancer.

Goodnight!

__________________
Saqarah - London's monthly Belly Dance Hafla!

nicknack

Oi this again! Oiyoiyoi. Shakira is not a professional dancer, she is a professional musician, a very talented musician who plays several instruments. writes and sings in three languages, and uses her earning power to improve her country (kind of like a less preachy bono). The dancing is just an extra, it's fun and it sells. An extremely small percentage of her song and dance numbers are middle eastern inspired (the last one would have to be the sahara remix of Suerte), the rest of her dance numbers are are a fusion of many different influences using many hip centric moves that can be found in both latin american and the middle eastern dance. I know that she's had bellydance classes and that she was taught by her grandmother, probably posture was never discussed in great detail, and I just wonder if any of the choreographers who've worked with her haven't had the nerve to correct it (I wish they would, I don't want my favourite singer crippled). She's a well known perfectionist and if there was someting that she knew was wrong she would work night and day to fix it.

She is not a bellydancer per se, she probably bellydances at home, but on stage she is a musician who never lets a visual statement get in the way of the music, her concerts never have back up dancers or a set on stage, her concerts have her about nine band members front and centre, and maybe a nice light show here and there. As you all know dance is fun, this is just a person who managed to take dance to work (wish I could take dance to work, a quick swing dance would be a good way to pass the time while I'm waiting at the photocopier (although that would probably violate health and safety laws lol)).

__________________
Cause I'm not here to let you down. But the costume makes the clown.

ll_21

have you ever heard of the term 'hater'! some of the coments left there... about the shakira selling sex.. if im correct bellydancing was used to get men ready for action at there weddings. So shakiras form might not be completly 100% bellydancing but it certainly incorporates many bellydancing moves, so therefore it can be seen as another MODERN variation, which 1-Seems to be VERY popular, is attracting a YOUNGER crowd to learn more about bellydance. What is the problem with that, i would of thought you would be happy about that.. it sounds like a bunch of old women stuck in there ways who don't want to exept change.. things do change... things do modernize and branch out... she may not be what your used to, but shes certainly not negative.

gisela

hmmmm what's going on here? Of course you are welcome to share your opinion and join the debate but please do so in a friendly way and not in the rather "YouTube-esque" way. And I'm sorry, I don't think you are correct about the origin of bellydance.

Actually, I think a lot of people in this thread has said that they admire Shakira as a performer and creator of great shows and entertainment- that she's a talented singer and dancer- a showdancer that incorporates some bellydance moves as well as latin moves in her choreographies. Did you read the whole thing?

btw welcome to the forum.

__________________
You need chaos in your soul to create a dancing star-nietzsche

Moon

Yes, it's a tern often quite randomly used by people who can't stand other people don't always agree with them. I prefer to call the people using the term "people who are stuck up in their own opinion, are offended way too fast and can't handle some criticism"

You are not correct.

She also certainly incorporates many moves from Latin dances, so why can't you see that as another MODERN variation of Latin dances? And what makes you think Shakira can't create her own, unique dance style?

What does being popular have to do with it? Why is it so important for bellydance to attract a YOUNGER crowd? In the countries of origin, most people learn to dance already at a young age. I suggest you check the profiles of all members here first to see for yourself that 1) we are not all "old" and 2) we are not all women...
Ofcourse Shakira isn't negative... she's a great singer and she has her own unique dance style. Why do you so desperately want her to be a bellydancer? Everyone knowing something about bellydance can see she isn't. Incorporating some movements from some dance style does not make someone a dancer of that style. I sometimes use an English word when I'm speaking Dutch. Does that make me a native English speaker? No.
Shakira doesn't even claim to be a bellydancer! Why don't you believe her? She uses some movements derived from bellydance in her own dance style, yes, as well as she uses movements from other dance styles.
IMO, you seem to be very stuck up in your opinion about her being a bellydancer.

Aisha Azar

Dear ll-21,
First, maybe you had better study the dance a little more before you are even anywhere near ready to give an opinion on whether or not Shakira is a belly dancer. Second, there is no such thing as a "belly dancing move". Those same moves are used in many forms of dance. Third, before you criticize us "old women stuck in our ways" you might consider learning the difference between "exept" (spelled incorrectly) and "accept", so that we might think you have two brain cells to knock together to form a thought, and therefore have some respect for your opinion.
That being said, the movements used in belly dance are only one part of what the dance is about. If what Shakira does was belly dance, which it definitely is not if one understands the dance at all, it would be a very poor representation of what is actually a very complex dance.
A'isha Azar,
Old, and educated enough about her subject to have a valid opinion

sedoniaraqs

Gisela, Moon, and A'isha: I think you're feeding a troll.

Sedonia

KuteNurse

All I can say is: Whenever I see his thead I am traumatized by thinking about the "Boy Shakira" who was a candidate on America' Got Talent. lol

Shanazel

And a very hungry troll at that: what vehemence. Tsk. It would be better to put that energy into practice and study.

Shanazel

Reen.Blom

Let us all agree that SHAKIRA uses "BELLY DANCE ELEMENTS"????

I really love and respect Shakira, her profound poetry (in Spanish, not her 'Holiwoodized' English image).

And after all:

THANK YOU SHAKIRA FOR PROMOTING BELLYDANCE!!!!

There are ppl who will be fighting and arguing what she does and what she does not but one way or the other she does promote bellydance! The fact that people get confused is another story, but if you serious you will research and will find out WHAT bellydance really is!

This is exactly my story, because I saw Shakira's MTV unplugged "Ojos Asi" and was mezmerrized with the hip moves and I told myself" I HAVE TO learn THAT! And I went and joined a Bellydance school! It is not that I am trying to copy Shakira or learn to dance from her, but she certainly showed me that bellydance is cool!

__________________
Join WORLD BELLY DANCE DAY! www.worldbellydanceday.com