OK then Belly Dance Superstars Show - Page 4

Aisha Azar · 06-23-2008, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lizaj

I have to say that I think Bozenka is a really good (if not great) belly dancer . And she was a pleasure to watch and really stood out on that stage as a star and a bit of a super one at that!
But who does deserves the GREAT label ? The truly GREAT dancing I have seen has been mostly Egyptianson film and in the flesh or dancers very much immersed in the style . Others will have different opinions and love Turkish style and Tribal Fusion etc etc....
I am sure that some Americans exposed only to the likes of BDSS will think they are deservant of the title.

I would say that the problem is not distinctly American as many European dancers have lauded their performances as well......We happen to have many excellent dancers here.

lizaj · 06-23-2008, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A'isha Azar

I would say that the problem is not distinctly American as many European dancers have lauded their performances as well......We happen to have many excellent dancers here.

Sorry I am confused.

When my class first went to BDSS they had seen little else in the way of BIG shows, now they have seen some of the best in the world at Festivals and on tour so they can compare. But I was assuming that there are lots of dancers in America who have not been exposed to anything BIGGER than BDSS. That was my point.
I think yours was different. No body is saying you don't have good dancers but in many cases they don't have the same effect on European audiences as do dancers from "over there".

Aisha Azar · 06-23-2008, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lizaj

Sorry I am confused.

When my class first went to BDSS they had seen little else in the way of BIG shows, now they have seen some of the best in the world at Festivals and on tour so they can compare. But I was assuming that there are lots of dancers in America who have not been exposed to anything BIGGER than BDSS. That was my point.
I think yours was different. No body is saying you don't have good dancers but in many cases they don't have the same effect on European audiences as do dancers from "over there".

My point was many Americans know real dancing when they see it. Actually many, many Egyptian dancers come to the States and we have many followers of Egyptian and Turkish dance here. We have been having world class festivals here for at least 30 years that I know of with big names such as Nagwa Fouad, Nadia Hamdi, Nadia Gamal, Mouna Said, Randa, Fifi, etc.
I understood your point. We have an incredibly large population of dancers in the States and many of us do respect the authentic dances and the dancers from over there far more than we do the BDSS, as well as having many American dancers who perform authentic dance.

Unfortunately, we also have a LOT of people who are reticent to come out and say what is on their minds. Just one recent example among many is from when the BDSS last showed up in my city. I was later talking to a woman from out of State who went to the show and said something like, "Don't you just love them?". My response was ...."Well, no, I don't".
She hung on the phone for a few seconds saying nothing and then said, "You know, the crowd was just so enthusiastic and I just thought I was missing something, so I just went along. But now that you say it, I really didn't like them either." Just another example that many people feel they have to follow the crowd rather than say what they really think. It IS easy to be misled about about how Americans think and feel about them when this kind of thing goes on.

lizaj · 06-23-2008, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A'isha Azar

My point was many Americans know real dancing when they see it. Actually many, many Egyptian dancers come to the States and we have many followers of Egyptian and Turkish dance here. We have been having world class festivals here for at least 30 years that I know of with big names such as Nagwa Fouad, Nadia Hamdi, Nadia Gamal, Mouna Said, Randa, Fifi, etc.
I understood your point. We have an incredibly large population of dancers in the States and many of us do respect the authentic dances and the dancers from over there far more than we do the BDSS, as well as having many American dancers who perform authentic dance.

Unfortunately, we also have a LOT of people who are reticent to come out and say what is on their minds. Just one recent example among many is from when the BDSS last showed up in my city. I was later talking to a woman from out of State who went to the show and said something like, "Don't you just love them?". My response was ...."Well, no, I don't".
She hung on the phone for a few seconds saying nothing and then said, "You know, the crowd was just so enthusiastic and I just thought I was missing something, so I just went along. But now that you say it, I really didn't like them either." Just another example that many people feel they have to follow the crowd rather than say what they really think. It IS easy to be misled about about how Americans think and feel about them when this kind of thing goes on.

Oh you certainly hit the nail on the head there in those last sentences. The dancer sitting next to me at Raqa B BDSS show was watching me to see if I clapped and I they..which led to a bit of a hiatus as you might well imagine

Aisha Azar · 06-23-2008, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lizaj

Oh you certainly hit the nail on the head there in those last sentences. The dancer sitting next to me at Raqa B BDSS show was watching me to see if I clapped and I they..which led to a bit of a hiatus as you might well imagine

That's hilarious!!! I wonder what it would be like if everyone did that..... the sound of no hands clapping!!!