gypsy8522

...... To continue what I was saying, I really do think that the declining interest in raqs sharqi amongst young people is the reason why we're having less and less top celebrity dancers (I think that's what Dina means when she refers to herself as the only dancer left). Since nearly two thirds of the population in the Arab world is under the age of 25, we should actually have a bigger market for dancers more than we did in the past. Honestly, I don't see that happening anytime soon, especially with all the dancers we keep seeing in music videos!! The raqs sharqi industry in Egypt is also so different than the rest of the world.... Besides the Arab restaurants, it seems that the vast majority of audiences in the West is made up of other dancers..... for the teachers, especially those from Egypt it is more like a business for them, while to many of the non-Arab students it's a recreational thing that they don't get to do frequently outside the classroom, since it is not part of their culture.
Just like younger people all around the world, young Arabs are affected by the trends set by the entertainment industry... although we still appreciate the old dancers and our history etc..
Seriously though, with the direction music is going these dancers do not represent our generation anymore. The MUSIC is the key here.


There's also the wedding parties etc... If I was to throw a party, it would not be the same traditional party where I must hire a dancer... everyone sitting in a circle watching her dance... I wasn't alive during those times but our TV archives and films give us a clear picture of how people used to dress and act in the past century, and if you look at the footage of wedding celebrations say in the 50's-until the past 2 decades, and compare it to a lot of today's weddings, there's a HUGE difference. All the weddings that I've been to recently I see many guests that can't wait for the dancer to get off the stage so they can let go and get CRAZY. That is why the DJ is so popular because unlike the band that needs to rehearse etc... the DJ can play any song, for any artist, music genre...so who needs a band/orchestra anymore? In the past it was NOT okay for everyone to get up and dance like that, but for newer generations EVERYONE wants to get in the center of the dance floor and show off their moves. I've even seen brides wrap hipscarfs around their waists getting up on a chair or table and dancing Can you imagine this happening 20 years ago??

Aisha Azar

Dear Gypsy,
Thanks for your take on this subject. It is sensible and intelligent, as usual. I performed at Arab weddings 20 years ago where indeed the guests got up and danced and the bride did too, but then I also danced at two Arab weddings recently where this did not happen. I think, however, for the main part that you are correct. Younger people are now being their own entertainment. But, as a long term dancer, this is what I have noticed. Also, dancers cost money and people having weddings in parking lots and such do not have that much of it. Then again, there may be more dancers hired for private events than we think, just not the famous ones. Just like clothing fashions change and go through phases , so has the dance and it may see a big comeback in the future. While I am not holding my breath, I can certainly see it happening, just like 60s/70s clothing is back.
Regards,
A'isha

Andrea Deagon

Gypsy says: The days of famous belly dancers like Tahia Carioca, Suheir Zaki, or even Dina are over. In my opinion no dancer is ever going to reach that kind of fame again.

Andrea says: I agree with you on this. This makes me think of a similar moment in Western dance history -- from the 1890's to the 1910's there were a number of female dancers who took the world by storm, commanded high prices, were the toast of the town, were known to everyone: Isadora Duncan, Ruth St. Denis, Loie Fuller, to a lesser extent Maud Allan and Mata Hari and others, and from the period just before there were all the can-can dancers from the Moulin Rouge in France (though they weren't known in the USA), and there were even (in France at least) some ethnically Arab dancers whose names became known (though not as famously and not to us today). People were really interested in women's dance; it inspired controversy, editorials, reviews in the major newspapers, big lines at the theater -- and a breakthrough dancer could become a big star.

Obviously, this situation is now in the past. The idea that a female soloist could carry a show on her own, or become a big celebrity, seems far distant.

I wonder what happened in the Western world to cause this phenomenon to disappear? Cinema, maybe? And there were a lot of social changes following WWI. So the world changes, and you can't expect the heyday of an art to last forever.

It's interesting to me that the art of belly dance in the US has become so much its own thing, but I feel a lot more concern about the cookie-cutter, passionless, but technically skilled dancers that proliferate now, than I did about the individual, passionate if less technically proficient and authentic dancers of the 1970's-90's. Odd that just as we have the capacity to learn the dance and its meanings from actual Arabs, we seem to be losing our own sense of what makes the dance true in spirit. Or maybe there are just as many magical dancers as there ever were, just a lot more clones as well?

Do I sound like a grumpy geezer? I keep trying ...

__________________
"I am not contradictory, I am dispersed." (Roland Barthes)

Caroline_afifi

This is an interesting thread.
I just got back from Ahlan Wa Sahlan and on the whole had a nice time and met and talked to many people I would never have had the chance to meet etc.
From a dance perspective it was gross. I like festivals but I did not like this. I can appreciate festivals in their own countries as it is a great way to get together and access many things in the form of a short holiday etc. and all under one roof.

To have Egyptian culture sanitised in a hotel in this way is really weird.
Commercialism is helping kill this dance and so is greed.

I wont go into detail at this moment but I came to the conclusion that most people care more about what goes into their wallets rather than the quality, art or the integrity of this dance.

I can see why people are attracted to such festivals, but believe me I was disturbed.
I spend alot of my time commuting between the UK and Egypt and have never been to this particular festival before... I am so glad I was working and not paying. I heard many many people echoing the same thing and most were Egyptians.

The bazaar was huge and 90% sold total crap. People were buying disgusting looking costumes all around me. It was all very disturbing and my thoughts on the matter are too complex right now to go into.

I dont think I will bother to be paid to go back again next year.
Sorry if this offends anyone who was there and had a great time, it is not about you but about the whole set up.

Suheir

It's very interesting to hear your views, Caroline. From what I can see happening in this country, belly dance is becoming a franchise like Starbucks where you get a qualification certificate to stick on the wall and a licence to spread mediocrity and blandness under a brand with all the associated merchandising. Buy the tee-shirt! Worship the founder! Fill the coffers! Oh.

Aisha Azar

Have to put this here for the computer to register my post.

Caroline_afifi

I have just managed to open the article and read it. There is nothing new in there really.
Who had the profile of Dina 10 years ago even? there has only ever been a splattering of top name dancers at this level at any one time.

Belly dancers as a 'house hold' name in Egypt is another issue and I think it will be very difficult for any dancer to achieve this in the near future.
Poepel are suffering in Egypt so who gives a toss about belly dancers? as one women said in the interview... better to feed the poor than splash out 10,000le on a belly dancer and I actually agree.

I dont think it is so much about fundamentalism but the rationale of spending this much money on a belly dancer when people are genuinely suffering.

As the situation increases were people cannot sustain themselves with the basics (based on Maslow's theory) belly dancing will take a back seat.
This situation will only be in Egypt and will not be permanent as the popularity and revelance of the dance moves in cycles.

Fifi Abdou always seemed to know exactly how to keep the balance. She has a Ramadan tent which appears every year outside my old apartment in Mohandiseen. She has had her fair share of scandals but usually managed to gauge public sensitivities and engages in high profile charities.
A little less whingeing and a little more charity may keep some of the other well known belly dancers from fading all together.

Aisha Azar

Dear Caroline,


I agree that belly dance goes through phases and cycles and it seems to be in a really down cycle in Egypt right now as far as Egyptians taking up the dance. Nearly as I can tell, many people are still hiring dancers for weddings and other occasions, just not the famous ones who cost bundles.
All of the Egyptians that I know not only talk about Fifi for her generosity, but also because she did not take on any airs, such as voice lessons to get that cute little feminine high voice that is so admired by the high class. Her savvy and understanding of the common people has stayed with her. She has not forgotten her beginnings as so many people who become rich and famous tend to do and I think that goes a long way toward her popularity with the people.
Regards,
A'isha

taheya

Your post about Ahlan wa sahlan festival was very enlightening Caroline and I hope that Nile Group is not going the same way I have heard other people comment about Ahlan beforesaying that they felt it was a big money making scam these days in comparison to a few years ago when it di not seem to be all about that. Makes me sad!!