Aisha Azar

Dear Caroline,
Well..... it seems there are just as many maladjusted people in belly dance as there are in anything else, so I am not sure that the dance itself has healing properties. However, I think that for some people, if they happen to be looking to be healed on some level, that it might be a catalyst for them to feel better. I am not sure that I have ever met anyone who studied Med Dance specifically and consciously for the purpose of healing. Except this. I did once work in tandem with a Reichian therapist who had three of his clients take belly dance to get more in touch with their female selves, so obviously he thought there was some healing element to the dance.
It is also pretty well documented that any good form of exercise will give a person a stronger immune system and release feel good chemicals into the body. Dance is not alone in this, but it could be considered "healing".
Regards,
A'isha

Kharis

As a teacher of some years, I have. I've lost count of the number of women who have come along to class specifically to heal their depression....and it works. Of course, any exercise will do this, but MED seems to be peculiarly magnetic to women.

Aisha Azar

Dear Kharis,
I am not surprised that the dance would help to cure depression. I think that when women do things just for themselves, then it is an elixir of sorts, and an exercise form that takes the emotional life into account would seem perfect! I know I have felt more than once that the dance has enriched my life immensely.
Regards,
A'isha

Reen.Blom

just a silly remark- how about belly-tai chi fusion? LMAO (where is our funny fusion thread)?

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Aisha Azar

Dear Reen,
I know this is a serious answer to a "Silly Fusion Proposal", but I studied Tai Chi Chuan for about a year when I was in my late 20s and I think it made me a much physically stronger belly dancer than I had been before!!
There seems to be a real difference in energy flow, though Tai Chi has this lighter than air quality about it for me, while belly dance is more earth centered, if that makes sense. It would make a truly bi-polar fusion style!! H


Regards,
A'isha

janaki

So very well said Aisha. Bi-polar fusion style belly dance!!!! LOL.

I wanna write something. Too tipsy after a b'day party. Wine and champagne are not geting along very well!!!!

Aisha Azar

Dear Janaki,
You had champagne???? Without me???? Ah well....
Regards,
A'isha

Caroline_afifi

what can I say? this brightend my day!

pass me a glass... chin chin

cathy

Just a side comment here. I know NOTHING about either burlesque or pole dancing--have never seen or tried either. But I found the website of one Bombshell Betty who teaches Burlesque and pinup workshops (not sure what those are). She has a blog and in one of the entries related to the Belly dance/burlesque issue. She says that burlesque dancers have the same issues about people confusing burlesque for pole dancing, that belly dancers have with being confused with burlesque!

Here' the link to the blog page: Bellydance/Burlesque fusion? It’s a Bombshell’s World

Cathy

Caroline_afifi

Belly dance, burlesque, pole dancing, lap dancing, stripping and prostitution, are all see seen by people in general as coming under the banner of sexual entertainment for men.
Each group attempts to disassociate itself from the other i.e belly dance is not burlesque, burlesque is not stripping, strippers are not prostitutes etc.

The reality is, many women whom participate in the above also participate in prostitution and always have.
We debate endlessly on these matters. There is a feminist perspective on just about everything. The problem is when others do not conform.
I worked as a manager of a health project for prostitutes for several years. The issues and debates were exactely the same, each group wanting to seperate themselves from the other in order to feel better about what they do. We tried to look at moderating behaviour, codes of practice, repect and tolerance etc. but it never worked.
High class versus low class (and ALL the others in between).
It was a case of never the twain shall meet.

The issues usually came down to who was 'in control' and who wasnt.
Who did it because they 'wanted to and why shouldnt they?' and those who had no other options. The low class gave the others a 'bad name'. It was vicious.

The whole discussion on 'cleaning up the act' and disassociation in MED reminds me of it alot.
We talk about art, sensuality versus vulgarity, we get poetical about it but we have difficulty getting the message across alot of the time.
For me, (as I lower my head onto the block) I feel it is because women cannot accept the relationship between this dance and perhaps it ancient connections to sexual pleasure.
I also feel that we are great on giving reams of academic theories on the subject but we (meaning many in the belly dance world) still go out there half dressed and in some cases undressed, and dance like we are the most gorgous sexy creatures on the planet, and then complain that men see us as this... and all belly dancers are sexy and hot... and men are just pervs.
The mixed messages are truly mind blowing.
To some degree we have to accept this dance for what it is, what is was and what it has become.
I believe their is much more to the attraction of this dance for women than a good workout, I just dont think we have been able to really work out what it is.