khanjar

Thankyou Eshta, I will hang in there, make no doubt about that, I got my teeth into this now, I will have to suffer rejection on all quarters for me to give up a class as a bad job, but even then, there are DVD's as a last resort.

You are quite correct in some points of your statement of irony, if I or any other wished to leer, there are so many other opportunities I would think for that, and opportunities where the oft single male presence would not have go through the embarrassment to get his thrills.

I believe I read on Afra Al Kahira's website about male dancers, that a teacher could deal with a suspect by positioning him front and centre, thus giving no opportunity to leer, if that is his game, I will go with that if it makes people happy.

Male Dancers

The plus side of that, is the majority being women can take amusement at my lack of fluidity, co-ordination and mess ups.

I had a pal here tonight who on learning of my interest, tried his best to disuade me, I showed him one of Tarik Sultan's videos on youtube and he eventually left clutching three of my belly dance music disks, for, he says, great for working to hahaha. The drum solos by Solace, he loves, mind, I do too, the one called Circle from Ahsas is excellent.

khanjar

Just an update, my emailing exercise quoting this forum have so far yielded an invite to attend a class next Tuesday.

Eshta

Yay Khanjar! May this be the first step towards a long-term love affair with oriental dance!!!

Try not to let the narrow-minded *$£@s get to you, not that it makes it ok, but what you have to endure in terms of sexism, at least those same narrow-minded *&%$£s won't be analysing you for your age, weight, looks, etc. Well, not quite so intently as if you had boobs (and yes, they would be scrutinised too)! And if you ever need motivation, just think: when you are a fully fledged male dancer, no matter what your sexual orientation, you will be able to induce shrieks & whoops of delight & fervour at your slightest shimmy while those of us with boobs will get a mediocre "huh, she's not all that" for the same endeavour ! See, not all bad, huh?!

Oh, and may I demand that you report back?!

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Saqarah - London's monthly Belly Dance Hafla!

Suheir

Good! I hope you enjoy it!

khanjar

Thankyou Eshta and Suheir for your wishes and of course I will report back.

The though has crossed my mind about those who care not to have a male presence, the critics perhaps, they I feel I have an answer. I would tell them that I am here for comical value, so they can concentrate on my lack of co-ordination, rhythm and general clumsiness rather than on how they feel they look themselves. Either that or they can be awed by a male physique wiggling it hahahaha.

Maybe my astrologer was right after all, maybe I am a triple threat to women hahaha. Ah well, my reasons for going to a dance class, is to learn the dance, and I will try not to be swayed by the critics. I am used to female dominated enviroments, my college course consists of twenty six women with ages from I would guess twenties through to fifties. There are males on the course, all two of us.

Eshta

That's the spirit Khanjar! And for those that refused you before, "They don't know what they're missing!"

__________________
Saqarah - London's monthly Belly Dance Hafla!

khanjar

Boo, the class I started, has quit for the summer, restarting in September I think, either way, I will be emailed when that is to happen. It has been suggested I get a video to practice by for when the class restarts.

There is another class I have found locally, an ATS class, but am wondering about it, maybe there, but am not that happy about learning something mixed with flamenco at the moment, and from what I have heard, they are a clenched fist, feminist group, so am not sure if I should rattle their cage with an email.

It is not as if they can refuse, because they practice within the art college and their policy is equal opportunities to all and this goes with whoever rents their space, one of the provisos, but I am sensitive and do not wish to feel ill thoughts.

But, I am finding I may well have to enquire, as I have got a friend interested now, a sort of person who will not take no for an answer, kind of militant in her late fifties age and will push me I know, as she did recently when I was going to quit my college course, she wouldn't let me and I just didn't need the earache, so I stayed.

I do like the ATS, particularly the solo drum stuff, but think I need to learn basics before delving into cross cultural stuff, what do others think ?


The class I was at, they are having a festival soon, all the BD in the southwest I believe, I may go and if prudent, in my capacity as a photographer, at least those whom I came to know in the class may see me as interested. Besides a mini festival is a good start for going to a major festival.

You may understand from how I write, I am still wary of this, not me and what I want to do, but wary at stepping on toes and creating ill feeling, I am not of the leering brigade but genuinely interested and I wish to project that.

jenc

That is a long break from now until Sept. I would not be happy myself.

Kharis

I always think that's a right royal pain in the arse. Why on earth do people use schools and colleges as dance venues?

Kharis

I'm prepared to teach males too. But I live in Manchester.