Aniseteph

I got the impression that Gwinity was just looking at it from a different angle and asking an innocent question - if Shakira is not to be regarded as a belly dancer then what does makes someone a belly dancer?

Am I being staggeringly naive here...?

gwinity

Aniseteph, that's exactly what I was asking, and in this thread it is absolutely related to the topic at hand.

Babylonia

I never considered Shakira a bellydancer and I don't think she's ever declared herself to be. What she is is a musical artist of Lebanese and Columbian heritage. I can only imagine that she grew up with some middle Eastern musical/dance influences and it has shaped her performances. Since we're all here we know how wonderful and magical bellydance moves are, once you start dancing that way you use those moves no matter what style/genre the music is as long as you can dance to it. You want to spread your love of bellydance everywhere you go.

I'm not that much into her music but I do think she's very talented. Besides singing and dancing I've seen her play guitar and I believe she writes at least some of her own music.

Aisha Azar

Dear Aniseteph,
I think several posters including me, have attempted to answer the question for Gwinity, referring to the cultural element that makes the dance what it is, and as one of the big reasons why Shakira is not belly dancing in the videos. It IS an innocent and intelligent question and I don't see anyone coming down on her for it here.
Regards,A'isha

Ariella

One of the many reasons why I have so much respect for Shakira is that she doesn't call herself a bellydancer. There are perforers much farther from bellydance that call themselves bellydancers nonetheless.
The other thing to consider - yes, shakira is an excellent dancer, but she's not the one organizing the dance moves we see her executing in these youtube videos. Her coreographer is the one adding the bellydance esque moves we see.

Suheir

I remember reading somewhere that Bozenka of the BDSS was Shakira's choreographer - whether she choreographed one routine for her or more than that, I have no idea. It may not even be true!

gisela

sorry if this is off track. just a quick note that the dancing between 2.47 and 3.17 s the part which I like the best since it's actually dancing and with ( i would think) some references to the west african dances Yasmine mentioned. The rest of the vid is just backbends, walking around sexy and pressing her body against Jay-Z. (However i like beyoncé)
(Sorry sorry again, i think it's off topic)

Moon

Well yes I never said I like the rest of the clip
I think Beyoncé has a good voice, but I don't like her music style. Also not the way she walks and dances in the clips. I've seen an interview with her once on tv and she seemed a very nice person to me. I just don't like the "sexy" behaviour, I think Shakira is a better example for young girls (though maybe not in the whenever wherever clip)

Yasmine Bint Al Nubia

Hi Gisela and Moon, You're not off track and I'm not offended by an honest opinion. One doesn't have to like every orm of entertainment. But Gisela you did answer for me however, so thanks. Tying this back to the thread,I think it's important to ask questions so we can determine what is being seen. As Sedonia points out, being aware of other dance genres helps us identify what we are seeing. The key is the MUSIC. Shakira and Beyonce both dance to theatricalizd versions of common dance moves. Salsa, Rhumba, Hip-Hop,Funk are the musical foundation for the steps not the other way around.
Yasmine

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sstacy123

In my first 5 week session of bd my instructor told us that we were bellydancers...well I really don't go around calling myself a bellydancer (people might think I'm good) but that really stuck with me and I believed her! It's funny I just got through reading an interview with Shakira which she had said the Latin people understood her and that she was surprised when she was compared to Britney in America and Britain. And I'll admit when I first saw the video Whenever, Whereever (Suerte) that was my first impression, that she was trying to be like Britney and Christina...now I have changed my mind and I don't believe that at all. To me she is truly an artist (and I believe she has wrote many songs) and very intelligent. She does do sexy things but that's not what it is all about and if people can't see that it is because they haven't take the time to look beyond that(IMHO). But as for bellydancing I think she IS a bellydancer, though she is not bellydancing on stage, she uses bd movements. Bellydancing isn't her occupation. I read she started classes as a child to get in touch with her Lebanese heritage and was actually quite obsessed with it and that at less than five years of age she had to get up and dance when she heard the doumbek playing.