More talented????????

[Aniseteph]

Oh and I would love to go back on topic, but sarcasm doesn't work so well on text and there's not really much one can say on the subject. Except, no men aren't more talented (although maybe I should stop worrying my pretty little head about such important things and get on with the housework, oops back to point one about sarcasm...)

:lol:

Voice whispering into pretty little girly ears..."there have been women belly dancing for so long and where has it got you eh? Nobody takes you seriously, it's about time that some men got on the scene and showed you how to do it properly."

That's a sarcastic font, BTW. Or ironic or something. (actually it's Book Antiqua).

 

[Bellydance Oz]

To answer the question seriously, I think it depends entirely on your definition of "talented".

Male belly dancers are definitely not more talented than women. Talent is a gift and entirely independent of gender. Being a talented dancer is not just about technique, or just about charisma, or just about grace - it's a total package.

However, if you mean "are male dancers technically superior?", the answer is yes, they can be. For the same reason that male tennis players will generally defeat female players, or male sprinters will outrun female sprinters, male belly dancers can out-shimmy a woman any day.

Note I'm not saying all male dancers are technically superior to female dancers - any more than you would expect a male social tennis player to defeat Venus Williams. But the belly dance equivalent of Roger Federer will always be technically superior to the equivalent female tennis champion, because more muscle power means more control.

Shiva - male belly dancer extraordinaire Belly Dance Oz


Having said that, I have to confess I never feel comfortable watching male belly dancing.

 

[Mya]

****snip***
Male belly dancers are definitely not more talented than women. Talent is a gift and entirely independent of gender. Being a talented dancer is not just about technique, or just about charisma, or just about grace - it's a total package.

However, if you mean "are male dancers technically superior?", the answer is yes, they can be. For the same reason that male tennis players will generally defeat female players, or male sprinters will outrun female sprinters, male belly dancers can out-shimmy a woman any day.

Note I'm not saying all male dancers are technically superior to female dancers - any more than you would expect a male social tennis player to defeat Venus Williams. But the belly dance equivalent of Roger Federer will always be technically superior to the equivalent female tennis champion, because more muscle power means more control. **snip**

Now see i agree with you to a point on this one. Everything you said above is true however i don't think that superior muscular control will necessarily make a better dancer if the person is incapable of interpreting the music and capturing the essence of the dance. To me basing a better dancer on muscular control focuses on movement and ignores the other equally important characteristics of this artform and as such results in a superficial judgement on the dance. Oh, to be clear - i'm not accusing you of doing this , i'm just using you as a point of reference to move forward from.

 

[AngelaJP]

Having said that, I have to confess I never feel comfortable watching male belly dancing.

I am totally fascinated watching male belly dancing! Probably because it's something so new to me?

 

[karena]

Of course I forgot about how sheer strength was what technical ability in belly dancing was about. Silly me, I think I was daydreaming about Brad Pitt or something.

 

[AngelaJP]

Of course I forgot about how sheer strength was what technical ability in belly dancing was about. Silly me, I think I was daydreaming about Brad Pitt or something.

Makes me wonder how Brad Pitt, Colin Farrell or Russell Crowe will look like belly dancing? :yay:

 

[Aniseteph]

What Mya said about it's so not just technique - :clap:.

...But the belly dance equivalent of Roger Federer will always be technically superior to the equivalent female tennis champion, because more muscle power means more control.

I don't agree with this either. Technique isn't just a strength thing, it's about how you do something, and I don't believe that how is related to the brute force you can put into it.

Belly dance equivalent of Roger Federer may have the strength to shimmy for 3 years and do floorwork supported on his little finger, but I've just seen that clip of Taheya Carioca dancing to Tahtil Shibbak, and testosterone-boosted muscle power has nothing to do with that.

Russell Crowe belly dancing, oh dear oh dear oh dear... :naghty:

 

[Zorba]

I'm going to put an end to this debate. Males are superior? Why? 'Cause the very best Belly Dancer in the world is a male - so by definition males must be better! Who is this male? Why, you even have to ask? That'd be me, of course!

{Grinning, Ducking, and Running!}

:tongue::tongue:

 

[Aniseteph]

:lol: Of course, it's all so obvious now!

 

[Pirika Repun]

Zorba

:clap: :lol: :yay:

Don't make Tarik and Mark to jealous you! LOL. :dance:

 

[jenc]

Actually I think that women's tennis is in general better than men's BECAUSE they don't have the strength to just stand on the baseline and serve aces. same with women's soccer etc where more skill is neede because less brute strength is involved

 

[jenc]

AND I just can't thnik of any BED move that requires more strength. women generally have more endurance - longer shimmies etc, and BD also requiren more fine motor control - which again tends to be a female thing

 

[Bellydance Oz]

Everything you said above is true however i don't think that superior muscular control will necessarily make a better dancer ...To me basing a better dancer on muscular control focuses on movement and ignores the other equally important characteristics of this artform and as such results in a superficial judgement on the dance. Oh, to be clear - i'm not accusing you of doing this , i'm just using you as a point of reference to move forward from.

I agree, 100%, absolutely. I thought I had made the same point at the start of my post, so I'm very glad you have now made it clear!

 

[Bellydance Oz]

Technique isn't just a strength thing, it's about how you do something, and I don't believe that how is related to the brute force you can put into it.

Strength is not just brute force - strength improves control, and control improves all movements, even the delicate ones.

However as I said, and as Mya emphasised above, dancing is not just about technique - in fact, personally, I think it's the least important thing. It's an essential base, but it's all the other aspects of dance layered on top that determines whether a dancer is good or great.

A case in point - both Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev had major shortcomings in their technique. Did anyone notice? You betcha they didn't!

 

[Bellydance Oz]

Actually I think that women's tennis is in general better than men's BECAUSE they don't have the strength to just stand on the baseline and serve aces. same with women's soccer etc where more skill is neede because less brute strength is involved

Agree with that one too. I do hope that the involvement of men in belly dance doesn't lead to the competitiveness that has happened in ballet and especially in flamenco.

Once upon a time, female flamenco dancers used their whole body, and left the really tough footwork to the men. In recent years, the women seem to go out of their way to compete with the men and as a result, some flamenco performances have become quite boring as the men and women do the same thing - footwork, footwork, footwork.

To some extent, that's also happened in the ballet world, where the emphasis on technique has turned some performances into circus acts.

There. Three posts in a row is quite enough!

 

[Tarik Sultan]

Well if I have to judge by all the disasters I've seen on youtube, I'd have to say NO! I agree with the others who pointed out talent has nothing to do with gender. Most of the dancers I've seen male and female are just plain......
Its like anything else. most people are adequate, a few less are proficient and about 10% are exceptional. After I have Zorba assassinated he will no longer be the best, I WILL! But don't tell him I'm gonna have him rubbed out.... I want it to be a surprise... Anyone know when's his birthday?

 

[Zorba]

After I have Zorba assassinated he will no longer be the best, I WILL! But don't tell him I'm gonna have him rubbed out.... I want it to be a surprise... Anyone know when's his birthday?

Yea, I do. But Zorba told me not to tell you... :lol:

 

[lizaj]

Ah strength...I don't always find it admirable.
Sometimes delicacy and subtlety are more attractive.
Can this be so in our dance? I think so!

 

[Zorba]

Ah strength...I don't always find it admirable.
Sometimes delicacy and subtlety are more attractive.
Can this be so in our dance? I think so!

"Delicacy and subtlety" is part of what draws me to this dance - even though I'm generally about as subtle as a freight train! But strength *can* be delicate and subtle.

 

[Nur Al Leyali]

reply to all

wow! Mylittle curiousity thread really started a debate lol!WOw... This thread was a private lil test on dancers and some passed with flying colors ... And Zobra I just love you lol. You are so funny. Wow. You really are the best ! You cleared it up for every body . But you guys are just great lol. I laughed so much at zobra I felt my stomach hurt. Actually better is just a form of talent lol And talent is something given by god. And you know what guys armore entertaining to me as dancers but its because of the rarity factor. And zobra you are verrrry veryy entertaining as a person Id lo to see how you dance. I mean I have seen some really great male dancers ..ANd really great female ... so its an eve fight there guys. no winners....except Zobra. hehehe. Any ways thanks for the replys .. you guys rock! all great answers! And guys especiallllllyyyyy Zobra .... No Im the best . HEHEHEHEHEHE :lol: :dance::tongue::yay:
ok ok WE ARE EVEN LOL :redface: