Banned Purchase of Swords in UK

Tezirah · 08-21-2008, 07:26 PM

For those of us in the UK, the government's response to a recent petition requesting that Belly and Tribal Dancers be permitted to retain access to swords for dancing is now available at Number10.gov.uk Bellydanceswords - epetition response

As far as I can see, the bottom line is 'tough'. Would be interested to hear others' thoughts on this.

Yasmine Bint Al Nubia · 08-21-2008, 07:50 PM

Wow! What's next..veils because they can trip or strangle people, zills because they can fly off and cause a concussion?

Bellydancing seems to be the subject of some archaic and strange laws. In Egypt, belly covers and no floor work, bans on foreigh dancers(has since been lifted but with restricition).
I agree certain elements the dance could be lost, if this law/ban nd others exist!
Yasmine

Zorba · 08-21-2008, 09:23 PM

It started in the U.S. - but is spreading like the plague it is. Safety-itis, nannyism, call it what you will; its from people who are afraid of life...

Mosaic · 08-21-2008, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zorba

It started in the U.S. - but is spreading like the plague it is. Safety-itis, nannyism, call it what you will; its from people who are afraid of life...

How I agree with you Zorba, The Western world is becoming way to scared of its own shadow, and it will strangle itself in restrictions and nanny-ism.

So far in Aussie there is no ban on swords for BD'ers, but it wouldn't surprise me if some wowser polly picks up on the UK restriction and begins to push forward some form of restriction (I hope that any such idea would be sensibly quashed!).

You can't carry them around in the street of course, but wrapped up or carried in a case to the performance venue is OK.
~Mosaic

Shanazel · 08-22-2008, 03:08 AM

So far the nannies have been shouted down in Wyoming. We can still ride motorcycles without wearing helmets (though I don't personally), carry hunting rifles in headache racks, and dance with swords, fire, and candles on our heads. My brother sent my son three (count 'em- three) swords as a graduation present, but not one of them is useful for dance.

lizaj · 08-22-2008, 08:21 AM

Legally bought swords in the UK - Bellydance UK - tribe.net

there is another post on Bellydanceuk about Downing St response also but Denise's post makes interesting reading.
One of our troupe membes...we do have swords..asked her policeman son about our position and his reply.."the law is not aimed at you, it's aimed at villains who come after us and the public..so there will be ways around the act for you".
I would imagine we will come under the same heading as
"re-enactors" and actors. Another troupe member has a husband who is a English Sword dancer and they are still dancing away and not being arrested on the spot.
Make sure your sword is covered when it's travelling, use the usual care and discretion and we can use an ambivalence in the law to carry on balancing seems to be safe advice.

Aniseteph · 08-22-2008, 03:57 PM

So as long as you promise to just dance with your sword and not run amok in Tesco's you should be OK...?

Tezirah · 08-24-2008, 04:47 PM

My understanding is that it is okay to carry on dancing with a sword if you already have one (and have necessary insurance) but it won't be possible to buy a new one if it breaks or if you don't have one already. This is something I would have liked to do eventually, but now it seems I won't have the opportunity.

Not sure I would like to attempt smuggling one in through Heathrow (especially via Terminal 5)!

Aniseteph · 08-24-2008, 06:02 PM

I'm not a lawyer, but there's a sensible article here. LBD Article, Legality of Belly Dance Swords
Sounds like it boils down to vendors being scared off - this might be put right by market forces in the long run.

Amira_116 · 08-24-2008, 06:02 PM

Hmmmm... no wonder most of my sword orders come from the UK! I wasn't aware of the policy, but so far, I've been allowed to ship swords there. And I do detail exactly what they are on the customs slip.

I agree about the too-careful thing that's starting to strangle the world. Here in the US: 30 years ago I used to do about 5 - 6 bellygrams a week at offices celebrating birthdays, retirements and such. I haven't had ONE of those in over 6 YEARS now!!! It used to be pretty easy to make a living as a dancer, but more and more people are getting scared that someone will be offended, so dance jobs are more scarce than they used to be.

I personally would like to find a pill to dissolve "POLITICAL CORRECTNESS" so we can all relax and go back to having a life.

Amira

08-21-2008, 07:26 PM	#1 (permalink)
Tezirah Junior Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 6	Banned Purchase of Swords in UK For those of us in the UK, the government's response to a recent petition requesting that Belly and Tribal Dancers be permitted to retain access to swords for dancing is now available at Number10.gov.uk Bellydanceswords - epetition response As far as I can see, the bottom line is 'tough'. Would be interested to hear others' thoughts on this.

08-21-2008, 07:50 PM	#2 (permalink)
Yasmine Bint Al Nubia V.I.P. Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Akron, Ohio Posts: 1,132	Wow! What's next..veils because they can trip or strangle people, zills because they can fly off and cause a concussion? Bellydancing seems to be the subject of some archaic and strange laws. In Egypt, belly covers and no floor work, bans on foreigh dancers(has since been lifted but with restricition). I agree certain elements the dance could be lost, if this law/ban nd others exist! Yasmine __________________ www.visionsofthenile.com

08-21-2008, 09:23 PM	#3 (permalink)
Zorba Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 857	It started in the U.S. - but is spreading like the plague it is. Safety-itis, nannyism, call it what you will; its from people who are afraid of life... __________________ -Zorba "The Veiled Male" http://www.doubleveil.net "There is nothing sadder than a veil, that is for sale."

08-22-2008, 08:21 AM	#6 (permalink)
lizaj Moderator Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: UK Posts: 1,242	Legally bought swords in the UK - Bellydance UK - tribe.net there is another post on Bellydanceuk about Downing St response also but Denise's post makes interesting reading. One of our troupe membes...we do have swords..asked her policeman son about our position and his reply.."the law is not aimed at you, it's aimed at villains who come after us and the public..so there will be ways around the act for you". I would imagine we will come under the same heading as "re-enactors" and actors. Another troupe member has a husband who is a English Sword dancer and they are still dancing away and not being arrested on the spot. Make sure your sword is covered when it's travelling, use the usual care and discretion and we can use an ambivalence in the law to carry on balancing seems to be safe advice. Last edited by lizaj; 08-22-2008 at 08:24 AM.

08-24-2008, 06:02 PM	#10 (permalink)
Amira_116 Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: La Center, WA Posts: 26	Hmmmm... no wonder most of my sword orders come from the UK! I wasn't aware of the policy, but so far, I've been allowed to ship swords there. And I do detail exactly what they are on the customs slip. I agree about the too-careful thing that's starting to strangle the world. Here in the US: 30 years ago I used to do about 5 - 6 bellygrams a week at offices celebrating birthdays, retirements and such. I haven't had ONE of those in over 6 YEARS now!!! It used to be pretty easy to make a living as a dancer, but more and more people are getting scared that someone will be offended, so dance jobs are more scarce than they used to be. I personally would like to find a pill to dissolve "POLITICAL CORRECTNESS" so we can all relax and go back to having a life. Amira __________________ Jana Beeman "Amira" http://www.howtobellydance.com

08-22-2008, 03:08 AM	#5 (permalink)
Shanazel Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Rocky Mountains USA Posts: 4,578	So far the nannies have been shouted down in Wyoming. We can still ride motorcycles without wearing helmets (though I don't personally), carry hunting rifles in headache racks, and dance with swords, fire, and candles on our heads. My brother sent my son three (count 'em- three) swords as a graduation present, but not one of them is useful for dance.

08-22-2008, 03:57 PM	#7 (permalink)
Aniseteph V.I.P. Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Sussex, England Posts: 1,689	So as long as you promise to just dance with your sword and not run amok in Tesco's you should be OK...?

08-24-2008, 04:47 PM	#8 (permalink)
Tezirah Junior Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 6	My understanding is that it is okay to carry on dancing with a sword if you already have one (and have necessary insurance) but it won't be possible to buy a new one if it breaks or if you don't have one already. This is something I would have liked to do eventually, but now it seems I won't have the opportunity. Not sure I would like to attempt smuggling one in through Heathrow (especially via Terminal 5)!

08-24-2008, 06:02 PM	#9 (permalink)
Aniseteph V.I.P. Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Sussex, England Posts: 1,689	I'm not a lawyer, but there's a sensible article here. LBD Article, Legality of Belly Dance Swords Sounds like it boils down to vendors being scared off - this might be put right by market forces in the long run.