Bellydance {raqs sharqi (Arabic: رقص شرقي)} Discussions - Traveling within the World2024-03-29T08:11:17Zhttp://travelingwithintheworld.ning.com/group/bellydance/forum?feed=yes&xn_auth=no“Tribal Ecstatic Dance Experience Weekend” Sept 22-25th, 2011tag:travelingwithintheworld.ning.com,2011-08-29:2185477:Topic:1409312011-08-29T18:08:15.559ZDept of PMM Artists & thingshttp://travelingwithintheworld.ning.com/profile/Artistsandthings
<p>“Tribal Ecstatic Dance Experience Weekend” Sept 22-25th, 2011<br></br> “Join the spirit & power of 'the tribe' & the dance!”</p>
<p> </p>
<h3>General info</h3>
<table class="event_info">
<tbody><tr><td class="quiet small">start date:</td>
<td>Friday, September 23, 2011 06:00 PM</td>
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<tr><td class="quiet small">end date:</td>
<td>Sunday, September 25, 2011 10:00 AM</td>
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<tr><td class="quiet small">where:</td>
<td>Carroll County, Georgia…</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>“Tribal Ecstatic Dance Experience Weekend” Sept 22-25th, 2011<br/> “Join the spirit & power of 'the tribe' & the dance!”</p>
<p> </p>
<h3>General info</h3>
<table class="event_info">
<tbody><tr><td class="quiet small">start date:</td>
<td>Friday, September 23, 2011 06:00 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr><td class="quiet small">end date:</td>
<td>Sunday, September 25, 2011 10:00 AM</td>
</tr>
<tr><td class="quiet small">where:</td>
<td>Carroll County, Georgia</td>
</tr>
<tr><td class="quiet small">address:</td>
<td>Complete information sent with paid registration <span class="small quiet"><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=Complete+information+sent+with+paid+registration">map</a></span></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<table class="event_info">
<tbody><tr><td class="quiet small" width="85">cost:</td>
<td>$40 inclusive, pre-registration only! (no at the door registration)</td>
</tr>
<tr><td class="quiet small" width="85">dress code:</td>
<td>Nilla to the event please</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<br/>
<h4>Description</h4>
<div class="clearfix"><div class="span-15 append-1 last"><p><strong>Weekend gathering</strong><br/> Catch the spirit! Think camping with fire pit, drumming, dancing (male and female dancers welcome) & 'dance as service', power and spirit.</p>
<p>Come for the fun, food, frolic and vending and 'Blanket Sale' *</p>
<p>** <a href="http://www.elitecleaningservices.net/DANCE.html" target="_blank">Registration</a> includes photos of venue</p>
<p><strong>LIMITED to 40 attendees</strong> to retain an intimate tribal experience</p>
<p><strong>Friday night</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Check-in & set up</li>
<li>Ecstatic Dance Experience Prep:**</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Preparation and Basic Concepts of Ecstatic Belly Dance:</strong> <em>Will include stretches, warm-up, and discussion on what Ecstatic Belly Dance is and is not and how any one of any level can do this type of dance. Choosing music, costuming/clothing, and other things such as make up, hair and how to present a sensual image of a Gypsy Courtesan.</em></p>
<ul>
<li>Light snacks available</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Saturday</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Continental breakfast</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Dance Wear Dressing - prep and enhance your costume:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>raditional, tribal, cabaret, and Gypsy/Spiritual styles will be discussed. (Costuming)</li>
<li>"Blanket Sale"</li>
<li>Lunch - Middle eastern themed menu</li>
<li>Free time, body painting, possible other offerings at this time</li>
<li>Practice dance session - tba</li>
<li>Evening meal - Middle eastern themed menu</li>
<li>Blanket Sale* actual time TBA</li>
<li>Fire Pit Dance, drumming and entertainment starting at dark</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Sunday</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Light breakfast</li>
<li>Clean-up and breakdown</li>
<li>Clean up and departure <em>(each person is responsible for cleaning up their area)</em></li>
</ul>
<p>The Tribal Ecstatic Dance Experience Weekend supports <strong>"I Love it in the Can"</strong> - donation barrel will be available. Attendees are encouraged to bring 2 or more cans per person but feel free to bring more ie ask your neighbors to contribute before you come.</p>
<p><strong>What do you need to know?</strong><br/> **The intimate weekend limited to 40 attendees includes:<br/> Pre-registration only - no on-site registration**</p>
<ul>
<li>Food: Friday night snacks, Saturday & Sunday light breakfast, Saturday lunch and dinner*.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Lunch and dinner will be middle eastern themed food items.</li>
<li>Tenting space (BYO tent - if desired there are hotels in the area but not included in registration)</li>
<li>Classes/Presentations</li>
<li>Entertainment</li>
<li>Blanket sale available to attendees (without charge)</li>
<li>Vending of belly dance accessories</li>
</ul>
<p>##Only $40 per person for the weekend!!</p>
<p><strong>NOTE</strong> Registered attendees will receive email info in advance on: How to choose dance wear and how to make some of your own. Traditional, tribal, cabaret, and Gypsy/Spiritual styles will be discussed. How to use some of these items ideas to enhance your sensuality every day.*</p>
<ul>
<li>"Blanket Sale" ~ You are invited and encouraged to bring a blanket and bring things you may wish to sell, barter or trade <em>(Corset to small? Toys you are looking to repurpose? Candles, DVDs etc you get the idea ~ however items should exclude belly dancewear)</em></li>
</ul>
<p>Sound good? Check your calendar for September 23-25th - need more info? Contact me here on FL or email C_Chrysalis999@yahoo.com</p>
<p>Weekend is rain or shine and registration and a portion of the registration will be earmarked to purchase food to donate to the "I LOVE it in the can - Georgia"</p>
</div>
</div> The Veil and Oriental Dancetag:travelingwithintheworld.ning.com,2011-02-26:2185477:Topic:1056512011-02-26T16:08:31.743ZDept of PMM Artists & thingshttp://travelingwithintheworld.ning.com/profile/Artistsandthings
<p><em>This article is an excerpt from Artemis Mourat's manuscript, "The Illusive Veil". In the original manuscript, Artemis details the results of her extensive research into the history of the veil. She discusses its use in ancient times, talks about the practice of veiling by Islamic women, addresses the veiling of sacred objects, and talks about how the veil is used in dance today. This excerpt, which appears here on this web site with her permission, talks about the history of the veil's…</em></p>
<p><em>This article is an excerpt from Artemis Mourat's manuscript, "The Illusive Veil". In the original manuscript, Artemis details the results of her extensive research into the history of the veil. She discusses its use in ancient times, talks about the practice of veiling by Islamic women, addresses the veiling of sacred objects, and talks about how the veil is used in dance today. This excerpt, which appears here on this web site with her permission, talks about the history of the veil's use in Oriental dance in the Middle East and North Africa.</em></p>
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<p align="center"><img height="5" width="576" src="http://www.shira.net/settings/separator.jpg" alt="Explore belly dancing! Learn all about bellydance!"/></p>
<h2>Veil Dancing In North Africa<br/>And The Middle East</h2>
<p>It is essential to make a distinction between the ancient history of veil dancing and the contemporary history of veil dancing. By "contemporary", I refer to the history of approximately the last one hundred years. Both the ancient and the contemporary history of veil dancing are important, but they seem to be unrelated. There is no mention of veil dancing after the Greek and Roman periods in North Africa. But it seems to have come into existence again in the late 1800's.</p>
<p>It is difficult to properly research this topic because women moving with veils are popular subjects. This topic was enjoyed, explored, and exploited by artists and opportunists from ancient days into the present. Dancing with veils has alternately invoked images of genuine modesty as well as erotic images that accentuate the nudity. Ancient deities were said to ascend, descend, and sometimes fly. This motion is depicted in art with flowing veils but some of the deities also danced. It is difficult to discern if they are simply moving or dancing in these artistic images?</p>
<p>A major hindrance to our understanding of the history of veil dance comes from distorted versions of the dance, misrepresentations by dancers, and romanticized inaccuracies by historians. A prime example of this is Zourna, who was a dancer whose father was a Tunisian Arab and mother was French. She spent her childhood in Tunisia where she learned to dance. When her husband died and her family lost their money, she had to become a professional dancer in cafes. She studied ballet and choreographed "fusion" pieces mixing Tunisian dances with ballet. She added the overacting typical of the theater and early cinema of the day. Zourna was granted undeserved authenticity because what she performed was barely Oriental. Dance historians such as the Kinneys claimed that, "The mission of calling Western attention to that which lies below the surface of Arabic dancing, however, appears to have remained for Zourna." (Kinney, p. 199). She became quite famous. Her beautiful, pantomimic performances and their elaborate and made up "interpretations" created many myths about Oriental dance.</p>
<p>Zourna's "Dance Of Greeting" involved the dancer making an entrance carrying a veil made of assuit which half concealed her body. "Upon reaching her place she extends her arms forward, then slowly moves them, and with them the scarf, to one side until she is revealed. When a nod confirms the command to dance (from her master), she quickly drops the scarf to the floor..." (Kinney, p. 202-203).</p>
<p>Another of her dances was entitled "Handkerchief Dance." This was supposed to be an imitation of the handkerchief dances of North Africa, but similarity only went so far as the use of two scarves. "Of the two handkerchiefs used in this dance one represents the girl herself, the other her soon-to-be-selected lover. She first takes a corner of each handkerchief into her teeth, warming them into life. She lays them parallel on the floor and indifferently dances around them and between them, to state her power to cross the line and return free from entanglements of lover's claims. Into the waistband of her trousers she tucks opposite corners of both handkerchiefs so that they hang as paniers: the hands pushed through show the panniers empty; she would receive gifts. To show, too, that she can give, a flourishing gesture releases a corner of each, to spill the imagined contents. Interest progresses until as a climax she kisses one of the fluttering cloths, slowly passes it downward over heart and body, and throws it in a wad at the elected one. The token is his passport to her; and its return at any later time is announcement that she no longer interests him." (Kinney, p. 205). This dance was her own fabrication and bore no resemblance whatsoever to the dances that really took place in Tunisia. Her dancing and the folklore that surrounded it did nothing for our understanding of the true nature of ethnic Oriental dance. But historians cited her dancing as representative of that culture.</p>
<p>There are several potential sources for the introduction of veil dancing into contemporary Oriental dance. After the Greek and Roman period, there seems to be no documentation of veil dancing in the Middle East or North Africa in literature or in art. At the end of the 1800's and the beginning of the 1900's, there were numerous photographs taken of women dancing with what looked like shawls and kerchiefs. Many of these photographs were posed pictures which were more reflective of the photographers' prurient taste than the culture which they presumed to document. There was a salacious appetite to be quenched for the English and European buyers of these provocative and sometimes seminude photographs. There was money to be made. The photographs depicted the Orientalists' racist, sexist fantasy of how the forbidden women of the harems were supposed to appear (Morocco). These women were clearly exploited. It is most likely that they were very poor women, prostitutes, dancers, and/or slaves. The families of respectable women did not permit them to be photographed. Hence, the people represented in the photographs were not representative of the population at large.</p>
<p>It is difficult and sometimes impossible to discern whether the subjects were posed women, dancing women, or women who were posing in dance postures. Many women were told to take their head scarves or outer modesty coverings off and frame themselves with them. The photographers were exploiting the romanticized and eroticized images of veiled women who uncovered their charms for the onlooker. These coverings were heavy, opaque cloths, not sheer, fluid fabrics and these women were not dancing with them (Morocco *1).</p>
<p>After carefully screening the pictures to separate the posed from the unposed, there still are many pictures that clearly portray women in the act of dancing. There was a form of veil dancing during this time period in North Africa. It was, however, not the type of veil dancing that was seen later in the Oriental dance theaters. They did not use two or three yards of sheer diaphanous fabric, elegantly carving shapes in space and draping and undraping themselves.</p>
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<tbody><tr><td width="535"><p>These North African dances may fall into two general categories. One group is the "handkerchief dances" and the other group should more accurately be described as "shawl dances". The dances were similar in nature but some movements differed because of the prop. A handkerchief or a larger scarf allowed for different types of movements. The "handkerchief dance" usually employs two or occasionally one handkerchief. One handkerchief is held in each hand, or one handkerchief is held in both hands. The handkerchief or scarf was flipped around, twirled, rolled, bunched up, or twisted. these dances were quick, "footy", and alternated flipping and swirling of the cloth (Morocco). There are pictures of these dances being performed in Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia.</p>
<p>PHOTO CREDIT: The picture to the right is from an antique Algerian postcard in the collection of Elizabeth Artemis Mourat which has been colorized. Click on it to see the image in more detail.</p>
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<td align="right" width="230"><a href="http://www.shira.net/photos/algerian-detail.jpg"><img height="355" width="230" src="http://www.shira.net/photos/algerian.jpg" alt="Algerian Dancer"/></a></td>
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<p>There were dances performed that used sheer diaphanous veils or handkerchiefs in other parts of the Middle Eastern world. In Azerbaijan, the people are a Turkic-speaking group from the Caucasus area. In the women's dances they use handkerchiefs, scarves, and veils to accentuate their feminine beauty. During the dances, they delicately reveal the eyes, the nose, the face and the richly costumed breasts. This is different from the veil as it is manipulated in Oriental dance because in the Azeri women's dances, the veil is attached to a hat or a headdress. The freedom of movement is limited because of this, but the variety of gestures is still rich and varied, and there are some gestures that the Azeri women can do because of the attached veil that are different from the Oriental dancer's veil which is not anchored (Gray, p. 9). In this culture there was a bridal dance. A bride-to-be was expected to dance for her husband-to-be or the overlord. The veils were manipulated with "... great delicacy and discretion..." (Kilic & Broussard, p.11).</p>
<p>In some contemporary Uzbek dances, the veil or headscarf is employed and it is attached to a headdress or to the dancer's hair. She may pull the edge of it across her face for her entrance or during some part of the dance.</p>
<p>The Oriental dancers in Turkey were mostly Gypsies and they were known as "çengis." They sometimes danced with the edge of their headscarves in their mouths. They also employed one or two small scarves in some of their dances. Metin And described a wedding party where one of these dances was performed. "They held a handkerchief in one hand, and when a woman wanted to join the dance she took hold of the handkerchief of another, so in this way they did not actually touch each other." (And, p. 279-281). Another "çengi" dance employs the use of scarves in a pantomime of amorous relations. "Holding the two ends of the silken scarf in their fingers they would either play the shy maiden or the flirting courtesan; or they would twist a coloured scarf into a rope and wind it round the head or neck; or else they would hold the scarf in front of their face like a veil, hence the names of the dance which have survived are 'kaytan oyunu' or 'tura oyunu' ('kaytan' and 'tura' meaning silk cord, braid, knotted handkerchief)." (And, p. 143).</p>
<p>There were parts of Europe where women performed a type of shawl dance. Russian Gypsies perform a dance where they manipulate their shawls much the same way as Oriental dancers (Gray). Gypsy flamenco dancers in Spain sometimes dance with their very large shawls called "mantons."</p>
<p>Veil dancing similar to what we see today did not make its way into the formal Oriental dance theaters until the 1940's. The historian Morocco describes a conversation she had almost 30 years ago with the famous Egyptian Oriental dancers Samia Gamal and Tahiya Carioca. Morocco asked why she had not seen veil dancing in her extensive travels to North Africa and the Middle East. They said that until recently they had never seen it or heard of it.</p>
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<tbody><tr><td><p>However, they said there was a famous Russian ballerina and ballet teacher who King Farouk of Egypt hired to teach his daughters. Her name was Ivanova, and in the 1940's, she taught Samia Gamal how to carry a veil for her entrance and to improve her arm carriage. Ms. Ivanova adopted this practice from a Caucasian dance perhaps from Azerbaijan (Morocco). She taught other famous Oriental dancers such as the Jamal Twins (Gray, p.17).</p>
<p>This image represents a still of a scene of Samia Gamal dancing with a veil in a 1955 Egyptian motion picture titled <em>Sigarah wa Kass</em> (<em>A Glass and a Cigarette</em>).</p>
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<td align="right" width="230"><a href="http://www.shira.net/photos/articlephotos/samia-gamal-veil-detail.jpg"><img height="170" width="230" src="http://www.shira.net/photos/articlephotos/samia-gamal-veil.jpg" alt="Samia Gamal Dancing with a Veil"/></a></td>
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<tr><td><p>Samia Gamal made veil dancing popular in the Egyptian theaters and performed it in the United States and in a French movie entitled <em>Ali Baba And The Forty Thieves</em> which was then exported to other countries. This became popular and was incorporated by other Oriental dancers in their repertoires (Gray, p. 17).</p>
<p>This image represents a still of a scene from the 1954 French film <em>Ali Baba et les Quarante Voleurs</em> (<em>Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves</em>).</p>
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<td align="right" width="230"><a href="http://www.shira.net/photos/articlephotos/samia-gamal-alibaba-detail.jpg"><img height="170" width="230" src="http://www.shira.net/photos/articlephotos/samia-gamal-alibaba.jpg" alt="Samia Gamal Dancing in Ali Baba"/></a></td>
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<p>The Ballet Russe added the veil to some of their choreographies, perhaps borrowing the idea from the Caucasus and/or perhaps borrowing the idea from Oscar Wilde's Salome. Ballet dancers depicted Salome or Cleopatra, and the corps de ballet performed dances carrying veils (Gray, p. 9).</p>
<p>Veil dancing in the United States had several early roots in "The Dance Of The Seven Veils" of Oscar Wilde, the famous skirt dancers Kate Vaughan and Loïe Fuller, and in Hollywood visions of the ancient Orient (see the section on the Dance Of The Seven Veils [in the full manuscript]). It is quite possible that Hollywood was influenced by the posed women who were undraping themselves on the postcards from the turn of the century.</p>
<p>Kate Vaughan popularized a dance form in the 1870's. She swirled her full skirts in the music halls of England (Morris, p. 37). This was known as "skirt dancing." Loïe Fuller was inspired by this and created her own version of skirt dancing in the early twentieth century. Fuller was a pioneer in the use of color, stage lighting, mangificent costuming, and color photography. She did extensive experiments with the new invention of electrical lights. She soon expanded her costuming and dancing beyond simply manipulating her skirts. An innovator in special effects, Fuller created remarkable illusions with yards and yards of diaphanous fabric. She created images of imaginary wings which flowed into wind and fiery flames. Sometimes she attached the fabric to long poles which extended far beyond her body. Thus, she created illusions with sound, light, color, form, costume designs, and motion (Morris, p. 37-39).</p>
<p>Loïe Fuller (1863-1928) traveled extensively for her performances to such places as Europe, Egypt, Morocco, and Monte Carlo, but her home was in Paris. Her dancing was based on the broad and natural movements of running, turning, twisting the torso, and natural posing. She was noted for her genius and generosity. She guarded her veils very closely and each of her seamstresses knew only part of their construction (Kinney, p. 237). She only allowed herself and very few trusted people to fold, pack, and unfold them backstage. Fuller created dances that she called Fire, Orchid, Butterfly, the Lily, Serpentine Dance, Violet, and White Dance. She became each object through the illusions that she created.</p>
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<tbody><tr><td><p>One of Loïe Fuller's performances was described as "...undulating and luminous, full of weird grace and originality, a veritable revelation! By means of a novel contrivance, the gauzy iridescent draperies in which Loïe Fuller swathes herself are waved about her, now to form huge wings, now to surge in great clouds of gold, blue, or crimson, under the coloured rays of the electric light. And in the flood of this dazzling or pallid light the form of the dancer suddenly became incandescent, or moved slowly and spectrally in the diaphanous and ever-changing coloration cast upon it. The spectator never wearied of watching the transformations of these tissues of living light, which showed in successive visions the dreamy dancer, moving languidly in a chaos of figured draperies--in a rainbow of brilliant colours, or a sea of vivid flames. And after having roused us to a pitch of enthusiasm by this luminous choreography, she appeared triumphant in the pantomime-ballet 'Salome,' reproducing the gloomy episode of the death of John The Baptist. The stage of the Folies Bergères, where Loïe Fuller performed this weird and graceful Serpentine Dance, is famous..." (Vuillier, p. 378-379).</p>
<p>This picture comes from the private collection of Elizabeth Artemis Mourat. Click on it to see more detail.</p>
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<td align="right" width="230"><a href="http://www.shira.net/photos/articlephotos/loie-fuller-detail.jpg"><img height="331" width="230" src="http://www.shira.net/photos/articlephotos/loie-fuller.jpg" alt="Loie Fuller"/></a></td>
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<p>Ruth St. Denis between 1900 and 1902 saw Fuller and learned from her swirling skirts and veils. She created her own version of skirt dancing.</p>
<p>It is easy to see why veil dancing was very popular in the vaudevillian and pre-vaudevillian theaters. It was colorful, creative, and sensuous at its best, and dull but sensuous at its worst. The sensuous removal of clothing or any other drape is not a new phenomenon. That scene can easily be envisioned in the homes of courtesans for thousands of years. The burlesque theaters have always had their versions of veil dancing in a "now you see it, now you don't" style of exhibitionism. Little Egypt and the women who came with her introduced Oriental dance to this country [the United States] at the Chicago World's Fair. Hoochie-koochie dancers and strippers used those Oriental themes and added the seductive allure of covering and uncovering themselves with veils which they borrowed from the seedy American theaters. Oriental dance was degraded in that venue.</p>
<p>In the 1950's there were very few legitimate Oriental dancers in the United States. They were almost exclusively found in the ethnic night clubs. If they did veil dancing, it was most likely a result of the influences of Hollywood or the influence that Samia Gamal had on the Oriental dance, rather than a custom that they brought over from "the old country" (Morocco).</p>
<p>People from North Africa and the Middle East do not understand veil dancing today. They cannot transcend their first impression of it: that it is a strip-tease. That is why their Oriental dancers dance very briefly with their veils (if at all) and then abandon them. They do not spend time unveiling in their dance because they and their audiences find this distasteful (Morocco).</p>
<p>It seems as though veil dancing lost its significance as it lost its link with the ancient past. It was re-introduced into contemporary Oriental dance history by folk dancers, Oriental dancers, and prostitutes at the end of the nineteenth century. Later, it became a beautiful addition to the Oriental repertoire through Samia Gamal via the Caucasus. Then it became a playful and innovative addition to other dance forms. It has been utilized in modern dance and ballet. Its appeal caught on and it was adopted into the contemporary renditions of ancient and Oriental dance. Perhaps, at this point we can say that it has been reinstated rather than created anew. Does its lack of continuous roots not make it a legitimate art form? Hardly, because it is part of the evolution of this dance. If we see exquisite paintings of harem scenes and we learn that they were painted by men who never saw harems, does that make the paintings not artistic or beautiful? They are still artistic but not historically accurate. There is a lack of historic continuity to the history of veil dancing. It appeared, disappeared, only to reappear again. Veil dancing has fallen out of fashion in Egypt. It still is sometimes performed in Turkey.</p>
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<tbody><tr><td><p>But to see the most interesting and elaborate use of the veil in dance, one must observe Oriental dancers in the United States, England, or Europe. They seem to be "carrying the torch" and are adding innovations to the Oriental dance repertoire with multiple veils, using veils and swords, veils and fire, and dancing with capes (*2).</p>
<p>This photograph depicts the author, Elizabeth Artemis Mourat, dancing with a veil. Click on it to see more detail.</p>
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<td align="right" width="230"><a href="http://www.shira.net/photos/contributors/artemis-veil-detail.jpg"><img height="171" width="230" src="http://www.shira.net/photos/contributors/artemis-veil.jpg" alt="Artemis Mourat with a Veil"/></a></td>
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<p>The veil has enjoyed a secure place in the more recent evolution of Oriental dance, especially in the United States. But let us be very clear about what we are doing and what we are not doing. A definition is in order. It is fairly safe to define contemporary veil dancing as the deliberate removal and manipulation of a veil, using dance technique. That is what it is and now that the history is more clear, future historians have a springboard from which to start. It is beautiful to watch, evocative, and colorful.</p>
<p>FOOTNOTES</p>
<p>* 1 I owe special thanks to Morocco for her invaluable assistance with the North African part of this section.</p>
<p>* 2 An example of some of these beautiful and dramatic innovations can be seen in the dancing of Eva Cernik.</p>
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<p><a href="http://www.shira.net/about/veilhistory.htm">http://www.shira.net/about/veilhistory.htm</a></p> Oriental Dance: A Dance For The Whole Family by Shiratag:travelingwithintheworld.ning.com,2011-02-26:2185477:Topic:1055932011-02-26T16:07:05.181ZDept of PMM Artists & thingshttp://travelingwithintheworld.ning.com/profile/Artistsandthings
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<tbody><tr><td width="100%"><p>Contrary to what many Westerners believe, Oriental dance (the correct name for belly dancing) did not originate as a dance of seduction done by concubines to titillate the Sultan.</p>
<p>For centuries, the role of Oriental dance in Middle Eastern society has been that of a folk dance that people would do at joyous occasions such as weddings, the birth of a child, community festivals, and other events that…</p>
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<tbody><tr><td width="100%"><p>Contrary to what many Westerners believe, Oriental dance (the correct name for belly dancing) did not originate as a dance of seduction done by concubines to titillate the Sultan. </p>
<p>For centuries, the role of Oriental dance in Middle Eastern society has been that of a folk dance that people would do at joyous occasions such as weddings, the birth of a child, community festivals, and other events that bring people together to party. It was a dance that men, women, and children did for fun, not a "performance" done to entertain an audience. Just as Americans at a modern-day wedding reception might do waltzes, two-steps, or even the chicken dance, so people in the Middle East would get up with their friends to shimmy to their favorite music.</p>
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<center><h2>The Dance In Muslim Society</h2>
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<tbody><tr><td width="100%"><p>Following the rise of Islam, people lived in segregated households. The men lived on one side of the house, and the women lived with the children on the other side. The word "harem" does not refer to some exotic seduction chamber filled with naked women lolling on pillows awaiting their turn to seduce the Sultan. Instead, it simply refers to the section of the home where women carried about their everyday business of cooking, sewing, gossiping with friends, and minding the children. The word "harem" comes from the word "haram", which means "forbidden": men who were not part of the immediate family were forbidden to enter the women's quarters when they visited their friends. The intent was to protect the women of the household from strangers.</p>
<p>When festive occasions would arise, the women would celebrate with other women, and the men would have a separate party with other men. Historically, the two genders did not mix. In some Muslim countries, that is still true today.</p>
<p>In the afternoons, after feeding their men the big meal of the day at noon, women would sometimes gather at the homes of their sisters, aunts, cousins, friends, or grandmothers to enjoy some time together. In these informal get-togethers, they might take turns getting up and dancing for each other. This was one way that the mothers of marriageable young men could get to know the eligible young women of the community.</p>
<p>There was generally no special dance "costume" to wear--people simply danced in their party clothes, just as we might dress up a little for our own friends' weddings. Dance was not seen as something to be "performed" by a professional--it was just something people got up and spontaneously did.</p>
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<center><h2>The Twentieth Century</h2>
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<tbody><tr><td width="100%"><p>Times change, and people change with them. The twentieth century brought several changes that reshaped the role of the dance in Middle Eastern society:</p>
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<li>Colonialists from Europe brought their Westernizing influence to the Middle East, which in some countries broke down the traditional barriers to men and women socializing in mixed company.</li>
<li>Nightclubs arose as a place where people could go for entertainment.</li>
<li>Composers like Mohammed Abdel Wahab created a new style of music heavily influenced by the Western orchestral sound.</li>
<li>Cairo and Beirut emerged as important cultural centers in the Arabic world.</li>
<li>The early days of the Egyptian film industry turned Samia Gamal, Tahia Carioca, and other dancers into international stars, and the Hollywood-inspired sequinned bra/belt costume made its first appearance.</li>
<li>An entire "entertainment industry" swept the world to take advantage of rapidly-advancing recording, film, radio, and television technology.</li>
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<center><h2>Today</h2>
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<li>Today, although there are still some exceptions, in most Middle Eastern countries men and women are no longer segregated. They no longer hold separate parties for men and women at wedding receptions and other special occasions. It's still likely that women will dance with other women, and men will dance with other men, but this now generally occurs with everyone in the same large room.</li>
<li>More conservative Muslim women still hesitate to dance in settings where men other than their husbands can see them, even at these social occasions. Such women may go to the mixed-company events, but do not take a turn at dancing.</li>
<li>Professional dancers still perform at nightclubs, and are often hired to perform at weddings and other special occasions.</li>
<li>Undoubtedly, there have probably been many individuals over the years who have used the dance in private as a tool for seduction. But that is not how Middle Eastern people think of Oriental dance, and that is not the role they see it having in their society. For them, the dance remains firmly in the realm of something that people of all ages do for fun when they get together with friends and family.</li>
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<td width="58%"><p>In January 1999, I went to Cairo for 2 weeks with my friend Morocco and 3 other women. Following her advice, we dressed in long, flowing dresses and wore head scarves the whole time to show our respect for the local culture. Late one night, we heard very loud drumming in the alley behind our hotel and went to investigate. A wedding party was in progress. Seeing us peering around the corner, they hospitably invited us to join them.</p>
<p>The professional dancers were a troupe of young men, dressed in traditional garb and performing folkloric men's dances.</p>
<p>After their show, the dancers retired and the musicians continued to play. The mother of the bride didn't dance, but smiled brightly and treated us to zaghareet as we danced. Even though I spoke no Arabic and they spoke no English, we had great fun together. I have very fond memories of the Egyptian people.</p>
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<center><h2>In Conclusion...</h2>
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<tbody><tr><td width="100%">Dancers who writhe seductively on stage during their performances clearly either don't understand the cultural backdrop of the dance, or don't care. It's a social dance, created for families and friends to celebrate the joy of spending time together.</td>
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</center> What is Belly Dance?tag:travelingwithintheworld.ning.com,2011-02-25:2185477:Topic:1056042011-02-25T19:28:20.523ZDept of PMM Artists & thingshttp://travelingwithintheworld.ning.com/profile/Artistsandthings
<div align="left"><p>Many experts say belly dancing is the oldest form of dance, having roots in all ancient cultures from the orient to India to the mid-East. Probably the greatest misconception about belly dancing is that it is intended to entertain men.</p>
<p>Throughout history, this ritualized expression has usually been performed for other women, generally during fertility rites or parties preparing a young woman for marriage. In most cases, the presence of men is not…</p>
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<div align="left"><p>Many experts say belly dancing is the oldest form of dance, having roots in all ancient cultures from the orient to India to the mid-East. Probably the greatest misconception about belly dancing is that it is intended to entertain men.</p>
<p>Throughout history, this ritualized expression has usually been performed for other women, generally during fertility rites or parties preparing a young woman for marriage. In most cases, the presence of men is not permitted.</p>
<p>Belly dancing is natural to a woman's bone and muscle structure with movements emanating from the torso rather than in the legs and feet. The dance often focuses upon isolating different parts of the body, moving them independently in sensuous patterns, weaving together the entire feminine form. Belly dancing is generally performed barefoot, thought by many to emphasize the intimate physical connection between the dancer, her expression, and Mother Earth.</p>
<p>Belly dancing costumes are often colorful, flowing garments, accented with flowing scarves and veils. Finger cymbals (made of brass and known as zills) are common, dating back to 200 B. C. as well as exotic jewelry, including intricate belts made of coins that, in earlier days, comprised the family's wealth so that it might be portable in the event the woman needed to move quickly or flee. Other interesting accessories used during the dance are swords, snakes, large vessels, and even huge candelabras, complete with flaming candles.</p>
<p>In America, belly dancing enjoyed its first significant renown when the famous dancer Little Egypt performed at the Chicago World's Fair in 1893. Americans found themselves fascinated by the exotic body rhythms and music, eventually including them in many silent films made just a few years later. Costumes and dancing styles were given a distinctive Hollywood flare and, in turn influenced dancers in the Middle East, thus evolving the art form to a new level. For example, belly dancing with flowing veils hadn't been documented before the 1900s but is now quite popular throughout the world.</p>
<p>Since the turn of the century, belly dancing has grown enormously in popularity across the U. S. and worldwide. Belly dance festivals, workshops, and seminars take place constantly, attracting large audiences of interested, involved men and women. Many dancers now study the art form intensively, traveling to the mid-East and elsewhere to experience it where it originated.</p>
</div> Belly Dance History ~ An American Odessey - by Helen Waldietag:travelingwithintheworld.ning.com,2011-02-25:2185477:Topic:1055332011-02-25T19:27:33.464ZDept of PMM Artists & thingshttp://travelingwithintheworld.ning.com/profile/Artistsandthings
<div align="left"><p><strong>Early Days, Golden Years</strong></p>
<p>Belly dance has probably been enjoyed in the USA for as long as widespread immigration has existed, indeed we have documented evidence of public performances since at least the Philadelphia Centennial in 1876 as well as at the Columbian Exposition of 1893 (where, incidentally, no dancer called Little Egypt was recorded as having performed, 35). However, despite several flurries of interest brought about by the activities of…</p>
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<div align="left"><p><strong>Early Days, Golden Years</strong></p>
<p>Belly dance has probably been enjoyed in the USA for as long as widespread immigration has existed, indeed we have documented evidence of public performances since at least the Philadelphia Centennial in 1876 as well as at the Columbian Exposition of 1893 (where, incidentally, no dancer called Little Egypt was recorded as having performed, 35). However, despite several flurries of interest brought about by the activities of Orientalists such as Ruth St Dennis and La Meri (1), for most of the first half of the 20th century the dance has been largely confined to those ethnic groups to which it was indigenous.</p>
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<tbody><tr><td><img height="274" width="188" src="http://www.bellydance.org/articles/articles_images/history_LE.jpg" align="right" alt="LIttle Egypt picture" border="0"/><p align="center"><em>Little Egypt</em></p>
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<div align="left"><p>These mostly centered on the large Greek & Turkish groups in most major cities of the USA and naturally their cafes and clubs featured old-country singing and belly dancing amongst their preferred entertainments. Marliza Pons, the doyenne of Las Vegas dancers from the mid 60s through to the late 90s, wrote of learning her first moves as a young girl through the windows of such an establishment in Chicago in 1948 (2).</p>
<p>Whilst some of them would come from the local community, there was also a long tradition of hiring singers and dancers directly from Turkey. The singers would be the stars and would be the best-paid entertainers. Such was the pecking order that they would often try to deny being able to dance to avoid the "shame" of being just a dancer (26).</p>
<p>It is possible that belly dance could have remained confined to such clubs indefinitely, largely unknown outside of its originating culture. (3). However, fortune changed when the Broadway show "Fanny" opened on November 4th 1954 (4). It featured the Turkish dancer, Necla Atesh, (other spellings include Nejla Ates or Najila Attash) who had been hired for the clubs from Turkey sometime between 1948 and 1952, and Egyptian pop singer Mohammed El Bakkar. The show was an instant smash hit with its oriental music and dancing causing a sensation. Soon mainstream clubs catering to the smart and fashionable were beginning to feature this 'new' entertainment (California - 5) (New York - 6).</p>
<p>This fashion began to spread more widely, especially with WWII veterans from the N African campaigns happy to relive the entertainments of their youth (7). This trend was helped by the occasional appearances at this time of Samia Gamal in films and in Las Vegas (27) or at Ciro's club in Hollywood (4). Tahia Cariocca also appeared in a Hollywood film in the late 50's, although she didn't enjoy the experience and returned to Cairo.</p>
<p>Lys and Lyn Gamal, who were identical twins, had been stars in Egyptian film industry and also came over to the US in the late 50s and immediately began a successful career in the clubs. They are always fondly remembered, especially for the fact that their parents chaperoned them to every one of their gigs, even after they married. Dahlena particularly remembers them as having been an influence on her dancing in the early years.</p>
<p>By the end of the 50s Middle Eastern clubs were opening all over the US. However the demand for dancers soon exceeded the supply, with many of the new establishments unable to afford to import or hire foreign dancers. They needed to employ locals to bridge the gap and, although in the 50s there were a few such as Adrianna Miller & Dahlena working in Boston and Jamila Salimpour and Antoinette Awayshak in LA, even by the early 60s there weren't anything like enough dancers to meet the soaring demand.</p>
<p>Morocco joked that back then "if Godzilla had a bedlah, she could have gotten a job", willingness rather than talent being the criterion for acceptance. She herself was a professional flamenco dancer and had never seen Middle Eastern dancing before she took a job because the pay was better.</p>
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<tbody><tr><td><div align="center"><img height="201" width="198" src="http://www.bellydance.org/articles/articles_images/bert_balladine1.jpg" alt="Berts Baladi bellydance album" border="0"/><br/><em>Bert Baladine album cover</em></div>
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<div align="left"><p>In fact so desperate were the clubs for belly dancers in those days that Sabah Nissan had been immediately hired by the Port Said club in NYC the night she turned up to inquire whether they might have an opening. This was despite having no costume or training and ended up performing in the pink gingham dress she'd arrived in. She was told by the Turkish lead dancer to "do what I do"; although she conceded that it probably looked a bit different when she did it (6). Soon after that she moved to the West Coast where she subsequently studied the art with Bert Balladine (34).</p>
<p>Serena, another successful graduate of those early New York years, maintains that whilst willingness may have got you through the door, only talent took you to the top. That said, given the circumstances, some truly inept belly dancers managed regular employment in the more westernized clubs, being known in the trade as "Wonderful Walkers" (27).</p>
<p>On both the East and West coasts the main sources of dancers were still the Greek and Turkish clubs. These had become suddenly fashionable with the boho set following the release of the film "Never on a Sunday" in 1960. The film “Zorba the Greek” which followed in ‘64 maintained this popularity. Young students enjoyed them because they were lively and boisterous and there was a great thrill in spending hours on end belly dancing around the tables performing dabke and chiftitelli with anyone who happened to be around. From such unlikely beginnings many illustrious careers were forged.</p>
<p>On both coasts the belly dancers of this time were largely untutored, moves were taken, mixed and matched at random from the many traditions of the Middle East and further. So a dance style evolved that was a new form of "Middle Eastern" dance unknown in the Middle East, nowadays we call it "American Cabaret" belly dance, but at the time it was called Oriental or Nightclub (8). Of course the general public knew it then, as now, as belly dance.</p>
<p>Mostly Turkish and Lebanese, it could include just about any move that looked vaguely exotic or oriental. Nobody complained because nobody knew any better. Indeed many dancers of that era stress the level of ignorance that there was about the dance and its origins. Many that is, except those few who gradually developed their interest in the dance and who learnt "the real thing from the real people - the aunties, grannies, older musicians and other (Turkish) dancers" (29). Counted on the fingers of two hands, these dancers became the leaders of the profession who completely changed our view of the dance over the next 20 years.</p>
<p>Also they were belly dancing in response to performances by musicians from a mix of countries with varying traditions. The musicians in the ethnic areas would play together 6 - 7 nights a week and so came to knew each others' music well. Those who were there remain nostalgic for "that all night mix of real Turkish, Greek, Armenian & Arabic music and folk songs that one could hear in most of the clubs/restaurants on any given night, where entire families would come in and dance together (28)".</p>
<p>Away from these major areas belly dancers had to cope with largely western musicians whose knowledge of Middle Eastern music could be very limited indeed. This led to a sound that was a hybrid of Western and Middle Eastern and became known as "Amerabic". Most dancers now associate the term with Eddie Kochak who, by producing his own records, made the sounds of that era widely available.</p>
<p>This was truly a golden era of bellydance in the US. Jobs were plentiful, and very well paid with the belly dancers all in the first flush of excited youth. For example, Aisha Ali speaks of the headline belly dancer in one particularly prestigious club earning $50 a week for a twice-nightly 10 minute slot (5), although even at the top clubs in Las Vegas the average was $300 – $350, but if measured against the rental for an NYC apartment of $45 -80 a month it was still a staggering sum (29). Adam Lahm wrote that in 1960 in NYC the Turkish dancers could expect $200 a night although others consider this unlikely.</p>
<p>To balance that though the average wage was $30 - $35 a night was common (6), but it's worth remembering that this would be a steady 6 nights a week, 52 weeks a year income...in cash. And of course, belly dancers could do several gigs a night at weekends.</p>
<p>However it is worth noting that, according to Dahlena, most belly dancers were registered with the American Guild of Variety Artists (AGVA) (9) and that during the 60's there were just 300 throughout the whole of the United States; an exotic and rare breed. That said, the dancers in the ethnic clubs didn't have to register at all and there were probably over 50 employed in 8th Avenue, NYC alone (30). Serena has also indicated that there were at least 100 - 150 more in regular employment in New York State and its environs, few of which were AGVA registered. Morocco says that although she is an AGVA member she has never needed it for Oriental dance.</p>
<p>On the West coast Aziza writes (10) that the Baghdad club, the most prestigious club in San Francisco, preferred that their belly dancers weren't AGVA registered. Indeed Aisha Ali points out that due to the scarcity of dancers on the West Coast, AGVA membership wasn't often necessary in California, but adds that it was essential to gain access to the well-paid work available in Nevada (11). So there may be a certain under-reporting of the number of dancers working professionally during this decade, but this doesn't really conflict too strongly with Dahlena's estimate given that New York and San Francisco were exceptions rather than the rule. Most agree that the number of belly dancers at this time nearer to 500 than 1000.</p>
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<tbody><tr><td><div align="center"><img height="294" width="139" src="http://www.bellydance.org/articles/articles_images/bobby_farrah.jpg" alt="Ibrahim Bobby Farrah" border="0"/><br/><em>Ibrahim "Bobby" Farrah</em></div>
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<p>Reading their rose-tinted reminiscences of this time, particularly on Gilded Serpent "North Beach memoirs" (12) the attitude seems typified by one of the songs from that period "Those were the days my friend, we thought they'd never end, we'd sing and dance, forever and a day, we'd live the life we choose, we'd fight and never lose, those were the days, oh yes those were the days".</p>
<p>However, various strands began to come together that brought these halcyon days of well-paid performance work to a gradual end.</p>
<p>One was that by the mid 60s the better clubs expected their dancers to know what they were doing from day one, inexperienced dancers were no longer being employed straight off the "street" to sink or swim. So, various teaching establishments opened to meet the demand. It is probable that they gradually became so successful that they caused a situation of over-supply.</p>
<p>Bert Balladine and Jamila Salimpour had, like Morocco in NYC, been training dancers informally since the beginning of the decade. However, Jamila retired from performing in 1965 and began teaching on a full time basis. Initially her classes were small; Aziza talks of 5 or 6 at a time (10), although by 1968 her classes were very large indeed.</p>
<p>Meanwhile in New York Serena took over the Joe Williams "Stairway to Stardom" dance studio in 1966 and also began training dancers in ME styles. Bobby Farrah began teaching Oriental Dance at the International School of Dance, Carnegie Hall, before moving to other studios to found his own dance school (13). Although all of these schools were happy to accept students who were merely curious about this dance form, they were principally aimed at taking experienced professional or near professional quality dancers from other disciplines and turning them into club performers. Not all would actually make a career of it, but these additions would have had an accumulative effect given the small number of dancers at the time.</p>
<p>Also, the late 60s was a time of considerable social upheaval in the Western world, particularly in New York and San Francisco. Things like belly dancing that had seemed racy and exotic at the beginning of the 60s simply began to appear old-fashioned and tired. Serena talks of the dancing in the early 60s as having been a "hot fad", a boom that inevitably led to a bust.</p>
<p>This particular trend was exacerbated when the Crystal Palace, a New York "go-go" joint, won a Supreme Court ruling against the laws governing the showing of bare breasts etc. The subsequent establishment of topless bars drew a significant audience away from dance clubs towards those venues that more effectively catered for their needs. However, few dancers lamented the passing of this particular clientele.</p>
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<tbody><tr><td><div align="center"><img height="333" width="200" src="http://www.bellydance.org/articles/articles_images/shannelle.jpg" alt="Bellydancer Shannelle" border="0"/><br/><em>Shannelle in<br/><a href="http://bellydance.org/shop/product_info.php/cPath/23/products_id/175">"Rockin' the Casbah"</a></em></div>
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<p>Aisha Ali has also suggested the outbreak of the 6-day war in 1967 between Arabs and Israelis as yet another reason (14). Public sentiment swung to the Israelis, leaving interest in things Arabic to fade away. However Morocco has dismissed this as having been a factor in the East, where work remained plentiful until the oil embargo of 73.</p>
<p>So it could have been over-supply of belly dancers, a falling out of fashion amongst the public or various other reasons, but wages and opportunities gradually began to diminish: The Golden Years were ending.</p>
<p><strong>Developing in a New Era</strong></p>
<p>By the beginning of the 70's, the two influential scenes of New York and San Francisco were beginning to diverge. Why this happened is open to debate, but it is worth stating that this period coincided with the first stirrings of feminism and the development of the hippie 'do-your-own-thing' quest for personal growth on the West Coast. (Dancers from Los Angeles have told me they wish to be specifically exempted from this generalization).</p>
<p>In San Francisco, Jamila Salimpour had been requested by Carol Le Fleur, who co-coordinated a local "Renaissance Faire" in Berkeley in Sept '68 (15) to organize her advanced class as a theatrical production on a proper stage. This was primarily to prevent them making a daylong nuisance of themselves basking at the event. Nevertheless it enabled Jamila to bring to fruition a set of ideas that she'd previously considered for a (cancelled) lecture (16) about presenting the many facets of the dance, particularly its originating folkloric aspects. Thus "Bal Anat" (trans: Dances of the Mother Goddess) was born, billed as presenting "Dances of many Tribes": This was the very first incarnation of Tribal Dance.</p>
<p>This began a major trend in the Bay area for groups of dancers to work together to create their own new realizations of ME dance as "Tribal" dancers, with Salimpour remaining at the vanguard of this movement.</p>
<p>Meanwhile in NYC Bobby Farrah founded the "Near East Dance company" with his protégé Phaedra in 1969. This dance company was intended to present (13) realizations of Arabic, mainly Egyptian, folk and cabaret styles in a theatrical setting to raise the profile and standing of Middle Eastern dancing with the general public. He had been inspired to do this after visiting the Lebanon and meeting the Arabic dancer, Nadia Gamal (17). Given the prevalence of Turkish styles at the time and the corresponding lack of much in-depth experience of Arabic dances in the USA at this time this was a new and exciting idea.</p>
<p>Except among specialists in Turkish dance, there had been a general trend amongst the better professionals towards Arabic styles as the general knowledge of the dance had improved. Arabic audiences were more appreciative of the differentiated forms dancers could demonstrate, preferring them to the "anything goes" styles common in the 60s. Thus Arabic, being a more schooled discipline was considered to be sophisticated and dignified whilst the "Nightclub" styles were increasingly considered to be low-class and even brazen. Sadly this attitude also had a disastrous and undeserved effect on the reputation of the Turkish dance styles on which they had been based (32).</p>
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<tbody><tr><td><div align="center"><img height="353" width="196" src="http://www.bellydance.org/articles/articles_images/serena.jpg" alt="vintage bellydance photo of Serena" border="0"/><br/><em>Serena</em></div>
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<p>Indeed Salimpour had coined the name "American Cabaret" around this time as a term of abuse for the style that had been prevalent in the clubs and to distance her "tribal" styles from this other dance form. However the term also found ready acceptance amongst those others who were promoting the Arabic styles.</p>
<p>This more sophisticated style arrived just in time. Serena Wilson's dance studio was featured in a major feature article in Life Magazine in 1971, which is considered to have started the first dance exercise craze. This sparked the new phenomenon of people coming to learn bellydance for fun and fitness rather than with a view to performing in the clubs. The era of hobby dancers had begun.</p>
<p>Initially as the boom took off teachers all over the US were isolated from each other and began to disseminate wild and fanciful ideas about the origins and meanings of the dance, much to the despair of those few who'd had some understanding of it.</p>
<p>Fortunately since the late 60s Serena had known and worked with Paul Monty, the Vice President of the Manhattan (18) chapter of the National Association of Dance Affiliate Artists (NADAA). Despite early criticism from within the Arts Establishment, Monty had quickly been persuaded of the art of the dance and he realized the extent to which it had been widely undervalued.</p>
<p>To counteract this Monty organized a NADAA seminar on March 5 1972 that featured Serena at the Statler Hilton hotel in NYC. It was rewarded with over 100 delegates when the normal attendance would have been 30 - 40. This was a sign of considerable hidden interest amongst a previously disdainful Arts community.</p>
<p>This acceptance bestowed credibility upon his project and he founded the International Dance Seminars company (13) with the intention of organizing lectures and conventions around the country with the premier teacher/dancers. The first of these was in June 1974 and led to a knowledge revolution through the 70s as dancers and dance ethnologists were identified and encouraged to share their research with the wider body of dancers. These initially included the 60's stars such as Dahlena, Serena, Bert Balladine, Morocco & Farrah (19).</p>
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<p>The establishment of various magazines around the country that began to bring the communities together helped this process of increasing the general knowledge of belly dance. These worked in association with Paul Monty and others by publicizing and making possible national tours by prominent dancers and dance scholars.</p>
<p>Arabesque and Habibi were the first magazines to be national in scope. Farrah had used his own nationwide lecture tours of 1974/5 to solicit advanced subscriptions to fund his as his yet unpublished magazine. Habibi, originally the voice of the West Coast founded in Oct 74, had been quietly enlarging its reach so that it too was quickly established as a national magazine. What marked these magazines apart from the local magazines was their commissioning of learned articles that stressed not only the history and culture of the dance and the Middle East but whose principle objective was again to reach out to the wider arts community and encourage increasing respect for belly dancers and the dance.</p>
<p>By the end of the 70's there were so many students that it was economically feasible to sell out tours by such genuine Middle Eastern luminaries as Nadia Gamal and Mahmoud Reda. Also tour parties were visiting the Middle East to train with dancers over there. Morocco led the first, but many others have followed over the years.</p>
<p>Of course, as well as the true stars a few lesser Middle Eastern teachers came over as well, particularly from The Lebanon after the outbreak of civil war in 1975 had destroyed the lucrative Arabic tourist trade. They would promote themselves on the premise that because they were native to the region they had a deeper understanding of the music and culture. However the quality of these imports was variable, leading Arabesque to opine at this time that people should be aware that simply being from the Middle East did not a quality dancer/teacher make. (20)</p>
<p>However as the training of the hobby dancers continued, a number of them began to approach professional quality and began looking for jobs in the by now restricted number of venues. This was an era where fierce under-cutting and job poaching took place (33). Finally professional dancers began to join together into associations that served as both local information swap meets, but also as unions to codify local behaviors.</p>
<p>The first of these was probably WAMEDA who in 1977 were noted by Arabesque to have engaged a lawyer as part of their negotiations in their fight for fairer pay (21). However, the most influential was MECDA, which formed in Los Angeles in response to the low wages being offered by restaurants in Hollywood. Boycotts and strikes were organized; indeed so successful were they that Los Angeles even now supports many more top quality dancers than the locals deserve (not that I'm jealous or anything). It should be noted though that for various reasons, with the exceptions of the two afore-mentioned, these attempts at codifying etiquette and behavior within the communities failed.</p>
<p>Although this period started with the seeming collapse in the popularity of the dance, this setback had been turned around completely by the end of the decade. By encouraging a quest to understand more about belly dance in its myriad forms and to put it into the context of its originating cultures and music the place of dance in American culture had become stronger than ever. The hobby dancer boom had become the platform for the re-orientation of the profession from being performance-led to being instruction-led.</p>
<p>So successful indeed was this new generation of dancers that Readers Digest suggested in 1977 that there were 5,000 teachers, full and part time, working in the USA (22). By the early 80's Arabesque would quote the figure of 2,000 full time professional teacher/dancers (23). With the limited job market in the US, a few were keen to try their luck on the Middle Eastern and European circuits. A move which led to the cry by Egyptians that they were being displaced from their jobs by undercutting Americans (23), oh how times change!!</p>
<p><strong>Tribal and Beyond</strong></p>
<p>So while most of the country moved over to Arabic styles during the 70s and 80s, San Franciscan dancers continued to be inspired by the "tribal" ideas of Bal Anat, which had finally been wound up in 1976. Mixing authentic dance moves in entirely new contexts, many troupes began to create new and theatrically inspiring presentations.</p>
<table align="right" width="370" cellspacing="0" border="0">
<tbody><tr><td><div align="center"><a href="http://bellydance.org/shop/product_info.php/cPath/23/products_id/174"><img height="267" width="338" src="http://www.bellydance.org/articles/articles_images/fcbd_tibd04.jpg" alt="FatChanceBellyDance tribal troupe" border="0"/></a><br/><em>FatChanceBellyDance in <a href="http://bellydance.org/shop/product_info.php/cPath/23/products_id/174">"Belly Dance Spectacular"</a></em></div>
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<p>One such was Masha Archer, whose committed feminism meant that she was particularly hostile to cabaret and only considered presenting her work in theatrical arenas. She eventually abandoned dancing completely in the late 70's, but one of her students, Carolena Nericchio, developed and refined her ideas and wrote them into a detailed manifesto for a dance form she called American Tribal Style (ATS). She created her own troupe, Fat Chance Belly Dance, with which to promote her ideas.</p>
<p>This was a radical step. If American Oriental had been a mongrel of styles that came together to create something with recognizable influences, ATS, like jazz in the field of music, became a uniquely American 'voice' where the whole was so much more than the sum of its influences. The fact that a written statement drove it also meant that if you bought into ATS you had to do it that way. The concepts of ATS became a recognizable and self-perpetuating style irrespective of who performed it.</p>
<p>Another important aspect of ATS was its concentration on woman-power and sisterhood, staying true to its roots in deep feminist convictions. Prior to this, success in belly dance had meant success in the cabaret form, where conforming to the young and thin body type mattered as much as ability.</p>
<p>Now a dance developed where only competence mattered; nobody judged a belly dancer on her looks. It also removed the more glamorous aspects of cabaret dancing by choosing clothing and adornment styles that deliberately avoided enticing display. The clothing is often many layered and lacking glitter with jewelry being ethnic rather than sparkly. The dancers evoke a strong and powerful femininity that is far removed from the allures of cabaret. By concentrating on group work it also prevented a single woman becoming the focus of attention. Indeed, the dancer's body ceased to be the focus at all, the group dynamic was what captured the eye.</p>
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<div align="left"><p>These were truly revolutionary ideas for a society where women felt judged on their looks, and where the self-image of mature women was often damaged by a perceived failure to conform to a "norm" of female body shaping derived from a thinly disguised teenage perfection.</p>
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<tbody><tr><td><div align="center"><img height="354" width="249" src="http://www.bellydance.org/articles/articles_images/kajira_3.jpg" border="0"/><br/><em>Kajira Djoumahna in<br/><a href="http://bellydance.org/shop/product_info.php/cPath/24/products_id/33">"Tribal Style Belly Dance"</a></em></div>
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<p>It had the added advantage that, as a "folk-like" art form, it was acceptable at local fairs in a way that cabaret styles were not and so created performance opportunities where previously they hadn't existed. This appealed to the many women who wanted to express their art but were unwilling to perform solo cabaret in a club or who preferred the support available in a group context. Tribal style exploded over the North West, where it is still strong today, and began to slowly spread East over the next few years.</p>
<p>This was surely the first time a dance form had been created in the modern era for women by women alone. Indeed so strong were the underlying feminist principles that males were initially specifically excluded from ATS. Other tribal styles have been less exclusionist, Bal Anat had featured male dancers from 1974, but given the dominance of ATS in the dissemination of this style, even today the sisterhood emphasis remains a significant barrier to male involvement.</p>
<p>All styles evolve as other people add their own interpretations and male participation has gradually become more frequent. Nevertheless, the only women-only ME dance events one sees with any regularity in the USA are tribal. This is in comparison with the cabaret forms that have openly welcomed men since the 70s.</p>
<p>Otherwise the 1980s were a continuation of the 70s trends; the last of the old nightclubs shut their doors in 1985, bringing that entire era to an end. The most famous club, the Baghdad in San Francisco, which hosted every famous dancer in the US for over 20 years, is now a Chinese takeaway.</p>
<p>The adoption of the Arabic styles had been more or less completed in the East by the end of the 70's as the changeover there had been energetically driven by significant and influential teachers using the large number of dance seminars to propagate the new approach.</p>
<p>However, with the exception of Jamila Salimour, who had been forging her own distinctive path, no such influential figure existed in the west, nor had there been anything like the same number of teaching seminars with which to spread the word. Consequently, west of the Mississippi the widespread adoption of Arabic dance had taken much longer, most areas only beginning to adopt it during the late 80s. Even so, some areas knew nothing but American Cabaret belly dance until the early 90s.</p>
<p>Over the years ME dance has experienced several periods of where the popularity seems to advance and then retreat slightly. One such was the late 60s, another happened in the late 70s with the waning of the dancercise boom. The 80s were no different with Arabesque reporting falling class rolls across the majority of the country (24) by 1985. As most dancers earned their income from teaching this was problematic, but the time of the full time professional performer in the US was long gone. Despite the problems, the dance remained popular but seemed doomed to remain as a niche hobby.</p>
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<tbody><tr><td><div align="center"><a href="http://bellydance.org/shop/product_info.php/cPath/30/products_id/109"><img height="258" width="220" src="http://www.bellydance.org/articles/articles_images/hb_rtc.jpg" border="0"/></a><br/><em>IAMED Videos <a href="http://bellydance.org/shop/product_info.php/cPath/30/products_id/109">"Rockin' the Casbah" & "Hollywood Babylon"</a></em></div>
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<p><strong>Re-invention, the Second Golden Age</strong></p>
<p>Interest in the dance experienced a new boost with the advent of the video revolution. In the late 80s and particularly into the 90's more and more dancers were bringing out teaching and performance videos, increasing the levels of interest generally. Concentrating on teaching through the 80s now paid dividends with the release of some extremely well thought out educational packages. And it wasn't just that great teachers were releasing good instructional videos, it was the wide variety of styles that enabled dancers to become inspired to expand their range. Egyptian, Lebanese, Turkish, Armenian, Rom, Persian, Kurdish, Moroccan and Algerian dance styles are all pursued in the US and world-class teachers are available for workshops in all of those forms.</p>
<p>Even so, by the early 90s, the majority of classes across the USA offered a predominantly Egyptian style still infused with many hangovers from American Cabaret. There was, and still is, a strong emphasis on zills (36) whilst floor work is a desirable part of performance repertoire (knees permitting). Also the dancing will commonly display a more energetic air than the more laid back performances found in Egypt.</p>
<p>However although not strictly "Egyptian" as you would see in Cairo, it was nevertheless quite heavily defined to prevent the encroachment of "American Fantasy" moves. This left the field open for the re-invention of American Cabaret simply because it allows dancers to combine all of the various styles in their own personal dance expression. It emerged as a more flamboyant alternative where jazz stylizations and other moves could be brought in to develop a very high energy performance concept that now shows signs of being the dance form that will "crossover" into mainstream attention.</p>
<p>Another aspect of the video boom was the creation of IAMED, the International Academy of Middle Eastern Dance. Their idea was that they should get the very best dancers from the USA and beyond together in a show to be video-taped to the highest quality which would then be made available to provide a gold-standard of performance. You can buy their performance or instruction videos absolutely sure in the knowledge that the performances and the presentation will portray the dance in its best light.</p>
<p>But if video had increased the interest in dance styles, it has been the Internet that has bound the USA together as a united dance community. The ability to quickly inform other dancers of developments has meant that year on year those of us on the sidelines can feel their self-confidence building.</p>
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<p><strong>And Finally...</strong></p>
<p>Despite its size, the USA nowadays has the feel of a single confident community, united and excited by the sense of their own continuity and development. The days of being geographically divided into divergent factions of opposed interests are long gone.</p>
<p>Rather there is a strong sense that the US dance community now celebrates their diversity, rightly viewing it as strength. Each dancer has the opportunity to learn the key skills of a wide variety of styles if they choose and, via the Internet, seek out like-minded people from across the world. Their art is not replication it is re-invention.</p>
<p>When the dance was still thriving in its native lands, the fact that there are fabulous dancers in the US might have only been of academic interest. But all is not well anymore. We're all aware of the spread of fundamentalist Muslim repression of their own culture, the rejection of foreign dancers, that wealthy Islamic men are offering bribes to dancers to abandon their calling and take the veil. Add to that the fact that due to the political situation the tourist trade is dropping catastrophically, with knock-on effects on the opportunities for a career in dance and it all suggests that the dance is dying on its native soil. If this talibanisation continues soon all that might be left will be sanitized folk dances for tourists, a pale shadow of past glories.</p>
<p>If this trend continues, America may soon be passed the torch of ensuring that this dance form continues as a living, breathing art form. This narrative shows that the dance will be in safe hands; as in dervish symbolism, one palm raised to embrace the hopes and future of the art, one palm down rooted in respect for its roots and traditions.</p>
<p><strong>Postscript</strong></p>
<p>In an interview recently the historian Simon Scharma said that "history is not authoritative, it is argument". What has been so fascinating about the research for this article is that often there is no definitive version of events or trends. Indeed the USA is so vast that what is true in one place can be patently untrue in the next city, let alone between the coasts. The task of trying to weave these strands into a single narrative thread has been "interesting" at times.</p>
<p>Exaggerations, mythologies and fakelore abound and I am indebted to Morocco, Serena, Anaheed, Zahra Zuhair and Carolynn Ruth amongst others for their patience in trying to ensure that I did not perpetuate certain of these misdirections. Despite their help, this will remain just "A History.." rather than "The History.." This is my version and as far as I know it is true, but it will remain forever one new fact away from complete revision. The Truth remains elusive.</p>
<p><strong>Notes:</strong></p>
<p>1. Arabesque articles on the dancers Volume IV issues 1 & 4</p>
<p>2. Marliza Pons memory of learning in Chicago<br/><a href="http://www.gildedserpent.com/articles12/marlizapons.htm">http://www.gildedserpent.com/articles12/marlizapons.htm</a></p>
<p>3. Jamila Salimpour's memories of the late 40's early 50's<br/><a href="http://www.balanat.com/Articles/ArticleHistoryBellyDance.htm">http://www.balanat.com/Articles/ArticleHistoryBellyDance.htm</a></p>
<p>4. Leona Wood: "La Dance du ventre, A fresh appraisal" Arabesque Jan 80<br/>Paul Monty also references this in his unpublished History of Bellydance 1876-1976.</p>
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<tbody><tr><td><div align="center"><a href="http://bellydance.org/shop/product_info.php/cPath/23/products_id/45"><img height="356" width="273" src="http://www.bellydance.org/articles/articles_images/aziza_awards6.jpg" alt="bellydancer Aziza" border="0"/></a><br/><em>Aziza in <a href="http://bellydance.org/shop/product_info.php/cPath/23/products_id/45">"The 6th Awards of Belly Dance"</a></em></div>
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<p>5. Aisha Ali's history of 50's Californian dance Arabesque IX:2</p>
<p>6. Adam Lahm's history of 50's & 60's New York Arabesque IX:4</p>
<p>7. Michelle Forner "Transmission of Belly Dancing in US" MA thesis</p>
<p>8. Morocco : private correspondence with author</p>
<p>9. Aziza article about not being unionized<br/><a href="http://www.gildedserpent.com/articles7/aziza3.htm">http://www.gildedserpent.com/articles7/aziza3.htm</a></p>
<p>10. <a href="http://www.aisha-ali.com/resources/genreading.html#">http://www.aisha-ali.com/resources/genreading.html#</a> : Looking back</p>
<p>11. General address for north beach memoirs<br/><a href="http://www.gildedserpent.com/articles5/northbeach/newnbhallway.htm">http://www.gildedserpent.com/articles5/northbeach/newnbhallway.htm</a></p>
<p>12. Michelle Forner. Habibi article Vol 17 : 1</p>
<p>13. Aisha Ali : Arabesque Vol IX:3</p>
<p>14. Jamila Salimpour : Habibi Vol 17:3</p>
<p>15. The origins of Bal Anat<br/><a href="http://www.gildedserpent.com/articles14/aziza9BirthofBalAnat.htm">http://www.gildedserpent.com/articles14/aziza9BirthofBalAnat.htm</a></p>
<p>16. The origins of Bal Anat<br/><a href="http://www.gildedserpent.com/articles14/aziza9BirthofBalAnat.htm">http://www.gildedserpent.com/articles14/aziza9BirthofBalAnat.htm</a></p>
<p>17. Although of Lebanese descent, Farrah had been heavily influenced from the late 60s by the dancer, Nadia Gamal, whom he'd met and trained with during an extended visit to Lebanon.</p>
<p>She was of Sicilian/Grecian parentage, but had been born in Alexandria. Through her parents connections she had been encouraged from an early age by the legendary Badia Massabni (Arabesque Vol I) as well as by Samia Gamal and Tahia Cariocca.</p>
<p>Before the civil war, Beirut had been the playground of the Middle Eastern aristocracy and so this was where the most prestigious venues and lucrative contracts were available. Nadia began her career in the Lebanon at the age of 16, allegedly as a fill-in for a dancer who failed to turn up, and remained there despite not being a Lebanese national.</p>
<p>Therefore, Farrah's aspirations were towards promoting Arabic dance in honor of Gamal.</p>
<p>18. Paul Monty : Arabesque vol X!!:2</p>
<p>19. Morocco; Habibi Vol 14:2</p>
<p>20. Farrah : Arabesque vol 2:4</p>
<p>21. Editorial comment: Arabesque Vol III:1</p>
<p>22. Michelle Forner "Transmission of Belly Dancing in US" MA thesis P15</p>
<p>23. Editorial comment; Arabesque XII:</p>
<p>24. Editorial Comment; Arabesque Vol IX:2A</p>
<p>25. As most of us know, the term "belly dance" was coined by the huckster Sol Bloom to boost the attractions of the Middle Eastern dancers hired by him for the Chicago Columbian Exposition of 1893. Although obviously salacious, it is in fact a reasonable translation of the French Colonial term for one dance of the Ouled Nail of Algeria, wherein they rolled a silver belt (or gold) up & down their abdomens with their muscle control... (The French referred to other ME dances as Danse Orientale).</p>
<p>However the name has been seen as problematic due to its alleged associations with burlesque dancing and many dancers remain uncomfortable with the unwelcome baggage it carries. Many prefer to use other terms such as the original Arabic term Raqs Sharki; others include Raqs Orientale, Oriental Dance and Middle Eastern Dance.</p>
<p>It is worth reminding the reader that no term in any of the languages of the countries from which this dance comes calls it "belly-" anything.<br/>Raks Sharki = Oriental (or Eastern) dance (Arabic)<br/>Oryantal Tansi = Oriental dance (Turkish)<br/>Raks-i-Shahane = Oriental (Eastern) dance<br/>(Turkish) Raks-e-Arabi = Arabic dance (Farsi/Persian)<br/>Raks Turkos = Turkish dance (Egyptian Arabic)<br/>Raks Farrah = Happiness dance (Lebanese Arabic!)<br/>Or, simply Raks = Dance!!!</p>
<p>However, throughout this essay the name belly dance will be used, not just because it is the only one that most people actually recognize, but, appropriately for an essay on American History, it is a term genuinely "Made in the USA"</p>
<table align="right" width="370" cellspacing="0" border="0">
<tbody><tr><td><div align="center"><a href="http://bellydance.org/shop/product_info.php/cPath/23/products_id/174"><img height="322" width="334" src="http://www.bellydance.org/articles/articles_images/dalia_spectacular.jpg" alt="bellydancer Dalia Carella" border="0"/></a><br/><em>Dalia Carella in<br/><a href="http://bellydance.org/shop/product_info.php/cPath/23/products_id/174">"Belly Dance Spectacular"</a></em></div>
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<p>26. Habibi; Vol 19:4</p>
<p>27. Morocco : Private correspondence</p>
<p>28. Morocco : Direct quote with permission</p>
<p>29. Morocco Habibi vol 19:4</p>
<p>30. Morocco : private correspondence</p>
<p>31. Morocco : Private correspondence</p>
<p>32. This is explored at length in Habibi Vol 19:4</p>
<p>33. Morocco's essay "If jobs are up, why are dancers getting less?"<br/><a href="http://www.casbahdance.org/pricesup.html">http://www.casbahdance.org/pricesup.html</a></p>
<p>34. Habibi vol 16: 1</p>
<p>35. Donna Carlton: Looking for Little Egypt</p>
<p>36. Note that this is the Turkish word rather than the Egyptian "sagat"</p>
<p>Helen Waldie<br/>Support Specialist<br/>News Resources</p>
<p>* Work: Helpdesk 0208 - 57 64555<br/>* Work: Personal (internal only) 62405<br/>* Room 3211 Television Centre,<br/>Wood Lane, London, W12 7RJ<br/>* helen.waldie@bbc.co.uk<br/>* <a href="http://www.bbcresources.com">http://www.bbcresources.com</a></p>
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</div> Stretching, Warming Up, and Preventing Injuries - by Elayssatag:travelingwithintheworld.ning.com,2011-02-25:2185477:Topic:1053612011-02-25T19:24:29.345ZDept of PMM Artists & thingshttp://travelingwithintheworld.ning.com/profile/Artistsandthings
<p><img alt="Belly Dancer Zahra Zuhair" border="0" height="381" src="http://www.bellydance.org/articles/articles_images/header_stretching_a.jpg" width="235"></img></p>
<p>About a week ago I injured my back while dancing at a Belly Dancing gig. I lay immobile on my bed, a friend was kind enough to come over and massage and then lay a hot water bottle on my back. It was then that I had plenty of time to recall what I may have done to illicit this type of injury. Retracing the night's events, I knew that although I had managed to prepare and organize everything I would need (zills, directions, veil, make-up etc) I had failed to stretch before…</p>
<p><img height="381" width="235" src="http://www.bellydance.org/articles/articles_images/header_stretching_a.jpg" alt="Belly Dancer Zahra Zuhair" border="0"/></p>
<p>About a week ago I injured my back while dancing at a Belly Dancing gig. I lay immobile on my bed, a friend was kind enough to come over and massage and then lay a hot water bottle on my back. It was then that I had plenty of time to recall what I may have done to illicit this type of injury. Retracing the night's events, I knew that although I had managed to prepare and organize everything I would need (zills, directions, veil, make-up etc) I had failed to stretch before coming on stage. I couldn't believe that I did not think to include something that is so vital to dance in my usual preparations. I thought of every other show I had been in the past few years, feeling desperate to prove to myself that I had not in all this time been cruel to the body I depend on so dearly. Not only did I remember that most often there was no stretching on my part, but there was also very little done by my fellow performers before a show. Why aren't we warming up and stretching? Below are the main questions I needed to have answered to get my mind back into the habit of stretching.</p>
<p><strong>Is there a difference between warming up and stretching?</strong></p>
<p>YES! Cold muscles suddenly put to work are more likely to become damaged than ones that have been warmed up properly. Warming up gradually will increase your heart and breathing rates, increasing the flow of oxygen and nutrients to your muscles before you begin to work them hard. How do I know when I can safely begin some stretching? My breathing and heart rate feel like I may have just jogged up a long flight of stairs and my usually cold feet and hands are warm and pink.</p>
<p><strong>How do I warm up?</strong></p>
<p>There are many easy ways out there to warm up. I prefer to begin simply by breathing. Taking the time to inhale and exhale with intention and completion will do wonders to get your body rolling. Next, a simple jazz move of "step-touch-step-touch" using alternate feet along with some favorite music is a great way to prepare your body for some stretching.</p>
<p><strong>How long do I warm up?</strong></p>
<p>Most dance teachers and health care professionals recommend at least 5-10 minutes spent on warming up before actual stretching begins.</p>
<p>What kinds of stretches are good for dancers?</p>
<p>As long as you are gentle with your body, breathe properly and retain excellent posture the list of stretches available is enormous! As a Belly Dancer I prefer to use Pilates, Yoga or simple Ballet stretches. If you are unsure as to which you prefer, try some local classes or if you're brave enough to go at it on your own, buy or rent a quality instructional video or two. The key here though is to be gentle. In fact, I found a great list of tips for safe stretching on the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Website: "www.upmc.com"</p>
<p><strong>Tips for stretching:</strong></p>
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<tbody><tr><td><div align="center"><a href="http://bellydance.org/shop/product_info.php/cPath/23/products_id/175"><img height="339" width="248" src="http://www.bellydance.org/articles/articles_images/elayssa_rtc.jpg" alt="Belly Dancer Elayssa" border="0"/></a><br/><em><a href="http://bellydance.org/shop/product_info.php/cPath/23/products_id/175">Rockin' the Casbah</a></em></div>
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<li>Spend at least 5 to 10 minutes warming up your muscles before stretching. For example, walking gently while swinging your arms in wide circles.</li>
<li>Start each stretch slowly, exhaling as you gently stretch the muscle.</li>
<li>Hold each stretch for 10 to 30 seconds.</li>
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<p><strong>Common stretching mistakes to avoid:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Don't bounce during a stretch.</li>
<li>Don't stretch a muscle that is not warmed up.</li>
<li>If a stretch hurts, ease up. Don't strain or push a muscle too far.</li>
<li>Don't hold your breath while stretching.</li>
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<p><strong>What areas of the body are most susceptible for injury?</strong></p>
<p>The knees, lower back, neck, and ankles are the most susceptible. Always make sure you include stretches that work out those areas before you attempt to dance.</p>
<p><strong>What do I do if I don't have enough time to do more than 2 or 3 stretches?</strong></p>
<p>See question above. If only given a few moments before a show and you weren’t able to stretch and warm up before you arrive, hit the major vulnerable spots. Breathe with intention and completion, lightly jog in place to warm up, then one by one lightly stretch your neck, knees, lower back and ankles. A great way to stretch your ankles is to spell out the alphabet with each foot. You may save yourself from any number of injuries that can take months to heal. (I injured my ankle several months ago and can still feel it!)</p>
<p><strong>Should I be stretching every day? Or just before class or a performance?</strong></p>
<p>Stretching every day is great! I try and think to stretch a bit after I've taken a bath or shower (I know my body is warm and my circulation is moving) but always keep it light and simple. Stretching before a class or performance is essential. I would also urge people to make sure they stretch right after intense dancing to cool down, and then the following day. Not to compare dancers to horses: but as an example racehorses are walked out after a race and ridden lightly the next day to keep them in top form.</p>
<p>My recent injury proved to be a very real reminder of why it is so important to take extra care when it comes to our bodies. We as dancers use our bodies to express, to learn, and to experience life. Let's take better care of the instrument we use most in dance! I hope you find the information provided valuable, and good luck keeping warm and supple!</p>
<hr noshade="noshade" width="70%"/><p>* Please note that the preceding article was written by a dancer based on her experience and personal research and not a health care professional.</p> Naming the Dance By Amara / L. Osweilertag:travelingwithintheworld.ning.com,2011-02-25:2185477:Topic:1054322011-02-25T19:23:01.785ZDept of PMM Artists & thingshttp://travelingwithintheworld.ning.com/profile/Artistsandthings
<p>What to call this dance is perhaps the most contested issue in the American-Middle Eastern dance community.<sup>1</sup> The employment of different names sketches out the complex issues of how the dance has changed over time and what it means to its practitioners and society. When I write about the Middle East and the United States, I am, of course, referring to incredibly diverse cultural areas with fluid and malleable boundaries. Each region, country, city, and sometimes, even sections…</p>
<p>What to call this dance is perhaps the most contested issue in the American-Middle Eastern dance community.<sup>1</sup> The employment of different names sketches out the complex issues of how the dance has changed over time and what it means to its practitioners and society. When I write about the Middle East and the United States, I am, of course, referring to incredibly diverse cultural areas with fluid and malleable boundaries. Each region, country, city, and sometimes, even sections of a city has its own dance style. The debate in part lies in the capitalist, postcolonialist, and Orientalist power structure of arbitrarily marking geographical areas into the East and the West, in which the Occident (the West – Europe and the United States) traditionally tries to hold authority over the Orient (The Near and Far East). The conception of Middle Eastern dance resides in this differentiation and mixing of the East and West. </p>
<p>The name I am looking for needs to encompass a variety of dance forms found in a huge geographical area that have close ties and complex interrelationships of history and cultural traits. The Middle East includes countries include: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, United Arabs Emirates, and Yemen and may for some include Afghanistan and parts of Central Asia. Further problems arise when trying to incorporate into the name dances found in various other locals such as the United States, Germany, England, and Australia, which are derived from the Middle East. In these transposed homes, the dances have gone through translations and transformations such as blending of regional styles and the addition of forms such as Modern, Jazz, and Ballet. </p>
<p>In the Middle East, there are several genres and styles of dance. Today, the most known is the professional solo female dance, generally called in Arabic <i>Raks al-Sharki</i> (Dance of the East/Orient) and, or <i>Raks al-Arabi</i> (Arabic Dance). The dancer may wear costumes including the <i>bedlah</i> (two-piece outfit), gowns, and <i>beledi</i> (one-piece folkloric outfit) and may perform in many venues such as concerts, clubs, restaurants, parties, weddings, and <i>mawalid</i> (Saint's Day Festivals). <i>Raks al-Sharki</i>, often employed by Americans when using a native term, is controversial in itself. It’s usage by Arabs can be read as a trace of colonialization in which Middle Easterners are still using Western geographical markers to define themselves. Thus the question arises, East of where? East of Europe and the United States.</p>
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<tbody><tr><td><div align="center"><img height="341" width="250" src="http://www.bellydance.org/articles/articles_images/Amara40_cane.jpg" border="0"/><br/><em>Amara performs Raqs Al Assaya in<br/><a href="http://bellydance.org/shop/product_info.php/cPath/23/products_id/38">"Belly Dance!"</a></em></div>
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<p>Folk dances, like <i>Raks al-Sharki,</i> are performed by professionals and non-professionals. Though there are scores of folk dances, setting contexts, and costumes, they can generally be placed into two categories. Under the first, Folk dance, there are the multitude of styles found in various villages and tribes such as <i>Debke</i>, <i>Khaleegy</i>, <i>Raks Al Assaya</i>, and <i>Schikhatt</i>, only to name a few. The second, Staged-Folk (the word I generally use) or Folkloric dance, was developed in parts of the Middle East during the late 1950s, early 1960s. Some people, such as Egyptian choreographer, performer, and teacher, Viviane Hamamdjian (who now resides in Los Angeles), do not call this Staged-Folk dance, just Folk dance. There are many distinctions between the Folk dance and the Staged-Folk Dance such as: context, content, usage of space, number of participants, choreography where there may have been improvisation, lighting, changes in costuming, and addition of ballet moves and theatricality. </p>
<p> Mahmoud Reda was one of the first to present Middle Eastern folk and village dances on stage, in Egypt, 1959. According to Farida Fahmy, principle dancer: "Prior to the extensive field research undertaken by Mahmoud Reda in 1965, and before the introduction of these dances to the public through his work, the majority of Egyptians and Europeans were unaware of the various dance traditions that existed (and still exist) in which women do participate [and I would add men as well]."<sup>3 </sup> Reda did not try to recreate the dances, but "were his own vision of the movement qualities of the Egyptians;"<sup>4</sup> a representation and not necessarily the actual dance found in the village and tribe. Since then many National Folkloric troupes have formed. </p>
<p>Staged-Folk dance also developed at a time when many Arab nation-states were becoming independent and breaking away from European colonialization. These dances and dance companies were employed by many governments as a means to decolonize themselves by going back to “tradition.” Staged-Folk dance, often combining Folk dance, Ballet, and European theatricality, also helped present a unified national culture on an international stage by bridging a gap between the masses and the elite. According to Fahmy: "The elite and upper classes of Egypt typically expressed embarrassment toward their native dances in general and towards belly dancing in particular. One of the causes of embarrassment is the impact the West has had on Egyptian culture. Many of the educated Egyptians to this day aspire to, and imitate the Western way of life."<sup>5</sup> Today, both <i>Raks al-Sharki</i> and Staged-Folk dance blend elements from each other and in fact, performances often have a demonstration of the other. </p>
<p>In the Middle East, Ballet took over sixty years to stand on its own merits. Though, <i>Giselle</i>, the first ballet in Cairo, was staged at The Cairo Opera House in 1882,<sup>6</sup> there was not a state sponsored school until the mid-twentieth century.<sup>7</sup> Metin And writes: in Turkey, "In 1947 Dame Ninette de Valois of British Royal Ballet was invited by government to set up school in the State Conservatory of Music and Drama,"<sup>8</sup> now the Ankara State Ballet. "In the 1965/66 season, the first large-scale ballet (<i>At the Fountain</i>) was set to music by a Turkish composer, Ferit Tuzun... was choreographed for the company by de Valois using elements of Turkish folkdance.... In 1968, for the first time, the company performed a ballet (<i>The Wheel</i>) by a native choreographer, Sait Sokmen."<sup>9</sup> Today one can find numerous ballet companies. Modern dance is a very late comer but can also be found all over the Middle East including the RAMAD troup (founded by Lawand Hajo in 2001, Syria), Modern Dance Turkey (founded by Beyhan Murphy in1992), and Anat Daniel (founded in 1993, Israel).</p>
<p>Outside of dance for dance's sake or dance for entertainment, there are also a number of Middle Eastern movement events which center around trance and states of ecstasy, such as the Turkish Mevlevi/ Whirling Dervishes, the Egyptian Zar, and the Moroccan Guedra.<sup>10</sup> With regards to these events, many Westerners implement an etic viewpoint of: "[j]ust about anything that cannot be classified as 'ordinary' movement can be, and has been called 'dancing.'"<sup>11</sup> But from an emic angle, specifically for the Sufis, these rituals are not seen as dance: as explained by Katib Celebi (1609-57) (via Metin And): "The orthodox Ulema have classed those whirlings as 'dancing', and have pronounced it forbidden.... The Sufis begin by saying that the definition of dancing is not applicable.... The cyclic motion is a form of motion...."<sup>12</sup> By not naming it dance, the participants attain an amount of religious acceptance. The same idea can be seen in the recitation of the Koran and the call to prayer. Many musicians outside of the culture call it music, but for those of the religion it certainly is not music. In these circumstances, I replace the word dance with movement for these settings in question.<sup>13</sup></p>
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<tbody><tr><td><div align="center"><img height="368" width="366" src="http://www.bellydance.org/articles/articles_images/amara_cabaret.jpg" alt="bellydancer Amara" border="0"/><br/><em>American Cabaret style in <a href="http://bellydance.org/shop/product_info.php/cPath/23/products_id/201">"Belly Dance 007"</a></em></div>
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<p>Most Americans outside and inside of the American-Middle East dance community call it Belly dance. Currently, there are two versions of how the phrase Belly dance originated in the United States. The one, which holds most validity, is that Sol Bloom coined the term based on the translation of the French term <i>danse du ventre</i> - the dance of the stomach. Ibrahim Farrah deduced another theory. He believed Belly dance is "a corruption of the Arabic word, beledi,"<sup>14</sup> an Egyptian term for people living in the villages and, or lower class citizens of the cities. Shira writes that it is only a coincidence that <i>beledi</i> and belly sound alike and was in fact coined by Sol Bloom.<sup>15 </sup></p>
<p>A main contention with the name Belly dance is its history and growth out of Europe's romanticized, exoticized, and colonial rule of the Middle East. For example, although dancers were from a variety of countries, the dance was placed under one name: <i>danse du ventre</i>/belly dance. This term does not take into account the vast styles, genres, and names present throughout the Middle East. The term can also be read as depreciating and dissecting the performers by focusing on a scandalous body part, the stomach. Westerners discounted that Middle Eastern dance, like any dance, uses all parts of the body. And by emphasizing one body part, the performer’s body becomes dismantled, further objectifying the dancer by removing any sense of individuality and legitimacy. Through the power of renaming and homogenizing the different styles under one heading, Europeans took control of the dances. </p>
<p>At the turn of the century, <i>danse du ventre</i>/belly dance referred to what is today considered folkloric or ethnic dance. Today, it generally stands for the cabaret, solo female club, and restaurant dancer (<i>Raks al-Sharki</i>). From the images given to the public by the male gaze and mediated through mass media, the term Belly dance conjures up the image of a voluptuous woman (large breasts and hips with a small waist), wearing a glittery two-piece costume, moving her body in a sensual, if not a sexual manner, to exotic music. It also brings with it connotations of a woman dancing to entice men and has no other value. This power and control created such a strong stereotype that many people still consider Belly dance to be the only dance form in the Middle East. As contemporary dancers are left with this confusing legacy and legitimacy, some discard the term Belly dance because of its history while others embrace it because of its usage by the general public. </p>
<p>A more contemporary is Oriental dance or <i>Danse Orientale</i>. This term attempts to cover Cabaret (solo style)<sup>16</sup> and Folkloric styles. Its wide spread usage was due mainly to Farrah who in the dance magazine, <i>Arabesque</i>, repeatedly called others to abandon the term Belly dance. To show his impact, in a 1977 issue, Farrah writes that since the magazine began in 1975, the frequency of the use of the term Belly dance in advertisements had decreased from 70% to 30%.<sup>17</sup> The name Oriental dance has many problems due to its various meanings. One of them, brought up writer Morroe Berger, is that it is "a label apparently designed to lend modesty by shifting the point of reference from anatomy to geography."<sup>18</sup> Second, the Orient can include the geographical regions of the Middle East/Near East and the Far East. Third, it does not take in account the power of the West naming something in the East and continues to denote "the high-handed executive attitude of nineteenth-century and early-twentieth century European colonialism."<sup>19</sup> But what Oriental dance does represent is the beginning trend of American-Middle Eastern dancers debating terminology. By this point in time, American styles of Middle Eastern dance were well established and the debates marked the beginning of finding a source of power through self-definition. </p>
<p>I generally use Middle Eastern dance (the term Near East is also applicable here but is not as widely utilized) to connote the dances and movement events in and from the vast Middle Eastern region. Like the previous terms, this one also has its difficulties. First of all, once again Middle Easterners did not create the name. Secondly, geographically it may exclude the dances found in other countries while continuing the Western homogenizing of this area. Thirdly, when one says Middle, the question arises again, the Middle of what? The term continues to place the West at the center: the Middle East as a region between Europe (West) and the Far East. I will not deny that Americans are taking, appropriating, assimilating, usurping, consuming, and manipulating dances and ideas for their own needs and creativity. But at the same time, there is a sense of power for the American-Middle Eastern dance community to self-name and self-define. Here dancers are wishing to define their own way against the male colonialists' representation. Though Patricia Hill Collins writes that Black feminists can find strength and power by re-labeling themselves, this could be said of any group. She writes: "[b]ecuase, self-definition is key to individual and group empowerment, using an epistemology that cedes the power of self-definition to other groups, no matter how well-meaning, in essence perpetuates Black women's subordination."<sup>20 </sup></p>
<p>For the dance styles found in the United States, I use American-Middle Eastern dance. This term refers to styles, contexts, and expectations, which differ and overlap with the dances found in the Middle East. Because the dance has been taken out of context and influenced by individual needs and power relations between the East and West, it has formed its own identity. (This can be seen in not only comparing the dance styles but in also how the American styles impact the Middle East). In the past hundred and twenty years, American-Middle Eastern dancers have built their own culture with a foundation in Orientalism, Feminism, ethnic diversity, innovation, and preservation. The community has created its own rules of performance, unique styles, and authorities. Distinct, and yet related to the mainstream stereotyped image of the Belly dancer, the community has also designed its own stereotypes, which are commodified and sold to the general public and its participants. This representation of a dance for women, by women, concerning women's issues, is continued through teaching, writings, videos, and performances.</p>
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<tbody><tr><td><div align="center"><img height="414" width="231" src="http://www.bellydance.org/articles/articles_images/AmaraEcho8.jpg" border="0"/><br/><em>Amara in "An Evening of Experimental Middle Eastern Dance"</em></div>
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<p>In the United States there are many styles of Middle Eastern dance: Folk dance; Staged-Folk dance; solo female style (cabaret/Raks al-Sharki), and hybrids. Because this is a transplanted art form, the majority of the American Cabaret dancers blend regional styles together and create hybrids with Jazz, Ballet, and, Modern.</p>
<p>Though most professional dancers have their own distinctive individual styles, the American-Middle Eastern dance community has produced unique genres. Besides a solo, female cabaret style now known as American-Turkish, another, originally called California Tribal, American Tribal Style (ATS) maintains the American eclectic manner. Growing out of the influence of <i>Troupe Bal Anat</i>, directed by Jamila Salimpour in Californian Renaissance fairs during the 1960s and 1970s, this style in the past fifteen years has been re-popularized by the San Francisco group <i>Fat Chance Belly Dance</i> and has since blossomed into a national phenomenon. American Tribal is similar to American Cabaret in that both are a conglomeration of different styles and creative elements. The difference comes not only in music choice but also in basing the costume in historical wear or tribal outfits and the avoidance of glitzy cabaret material. <i>Fat Chance Belly Dance</i> has standardized the costume with their usage of coins and tassel belts, Indian <i>cholis</i>, vests, full skirts, large North African and Afghani jewelry, turbans, and North African facial tattoos. Part of this genre's appeal is that many women form groups, which are not necessarily about performing in public or making a living. Rather, they are often about building unity through shared experiences and movement. For some there is also a connection between Tribal style and the more spiritual side of dance. Once again, not necessarily a public performative style, it is about getting in touch with oneself, nature, and, or looking for a goddess/matriarchal past (in hopes of finding that there was and will be a non-patriarchal society). In the past few years, ATS has expanded its definition to include styles such as urban tribal, fusion tribal, and cab-tribal.</p>
<p>A new and emerging form of dance is experimental Middle Eastern dance with its many offshoots such as fusion and Gothic belly dance. Though it has roots in traditional forms and styles of Middle Eastern dance, it strives to explore new spaces. Unlike fusion that generally takes two styles of dance and seamlessly putting them together (like Flamenco and Arabic dance), experimental Middle Eastern dance explores and pushes what Middle Eastern dance is and can be. Dancers investigate the boundaries and barriers of the dance by playing with choreographic and improvisational structures, music, movement, and costuming. Experimental Middle Eastern dance takes the experimental processes found in all Middle Eastern dances and puts them out for all the see.</p>
<p>As I explore the various styles and names of Middle Eastern dance, I learn about the historical and social usage of the dance in a variety of cultures. By considering how people employ and define themselves and others, I see how the act of naming is a powerful tool. It is an act, a motion, a declaration that has various political and socio-economic implications. There is no correct word or name. And that is what I think is amazing about this dance. Its fluid and changing nature allows it to cross over temporal and geographical boarders. By tracing its name, each of us can discover where we dance in large historical, social, and political contexts.</p>
<p>1. See Farrah 1977b; Forner 1993; Stone 1991; Carlton 1994; Buck 1991.<br/>2. Nieuwkerk 1995, 47.<br/>3. Fahmy, 8.<br/>4. Fahmy, 24.<br/>5. Fahmy, 12.<br/>6. Saleh 1998, 496.<br/>7. See Saleh 1979b.<br/>8. And 1976, 115.<br/>9. And 1998, 212.<br/>10. The Zar was outlawed in Egypt in 1983, and 1992 in Sudan. The Mevlevi sect was banned September 2, 1925.<br/>11. Williams, 7.<br/>12. And 1976, 34.<br/>13. Kaeppler, 88-90.<br/>14. Farrah 1977b, 3.<br/>15. Shira, n.d.<br/>16. Many Middle Easterners consider cabaret to be a low class term.<br/>17. Farrah 1977b, 3.<br/>18. Berger 1966, 43.<br/>19. Said 1978, 2.<br/>20. Collins, 34.<br/>21. Forner 1993, 48. Citation from: Stebbins, Robert. (1979). Amateurs: On the margin between work and leisure. Beverly Hills: Sage Publications.</p>
<p><b>Sources</b></p>
<p>And, Metin. (1976). A pictorial history of Turkish dancing: From folk dancing to whirling dervishes, belly dancing to ballet. Ankara: Dost Yayinlari.</p>
<p>----------- (1998). Turkey. In Selma Jeanne Cohen (Ed) International encyclopedia of dance: A project of Dance Perspectives Foundation, Inc., vol. 6 (pp. 208-213). New York: Oxford University Press.</p>
<p>Berger, Morroe. (1966). The belly dance. Horizon, 8(2): 42-49.</p>
<p>Buck, Elizabeth Ann. (1991). Rakkasah: An American Middle Eastern dance festival. Recreating and re-creating self through the other. Master thesis, University of California, Los Angeles.</p>
<p>Carlton, Donna. (1994). Looking for Little Egypt. Bloomington: IDD Books.</p>
<p>Collins, Patricia Hill. (1991). Black feminist thought: Knowledge, consciousness, and the politics of empowerment. New York: Routledge.</p>
<p>Fahmy, Farida (Melda). (1987). The creative development of Mahmoud Reda. A contemporary Egyptian choreographer. Master thesis, University of California, Los Angeles.</p>
<p>Farrah, Ibrahim. (1977b). Editorial: Belly dance vs. Oriental dance. Arabesque, 2(5): 3, 6.</p>
<p>Forner, Michelle L. (1993). The transmission of oriental dance in the United States. From raqs sharki to "belly dance." Master thesis, University of California, Los Angeles.</p>
<p>Kaeppler, Adrienne. Structure movement systems in Tonga. In P. Spencer (Ed.), Society and the Dance (pp. 92-118). Cambridge University Press: U.K.</p>
<p>Nieuwkerk, Karin van. (1995). 'A trade like any other.' Female singers and dancers in Egypt. Austin: University of Texas.</p>
<p>Osweiler, L. (Amara). (2005). “A Theoretical Introduction to Dancing on the Fringe: Connections Forming <i>An Evening of Experimental Middle Eastern Dance</i>.” Paper presented at Dance Under Construction - University of California Graduate Cultural Dance Studies Conference, Los Angeles, CA</p>
<p>Said, Edward W. (1978). Orientalism. New York: Pantheon Books.</p>
<p>Saleh, Magda Ahmed Abdel Ghaffar. (1979b). Dance in Egypt - A quest for identity. In Patricia A. Rowe and Ernestine Stoldelle (Eds.) Dance Research Collage. A variety of subjects embracing the abstract and the practical (pp. 214-218). New York: CORD.</p>
<p>----------- (1998). Egypt. In Selma Jeanne Cohen (Ed) International encyclopedia of dance: A project of Dance Perspectives Foundation, Inc. vol. 2 (pp. 481-499). New York: Oxford University Press.</p>
<p>Shira. (n.d.). Fact or fantasy? Retrieved September 12, 1999 from the World Wide Web: <a href="http://www.shira.net/debunking.html">http://www.shira.net/debunking.html</a></p>
<p>Williams, Drid. (1991). Ten lectures on the theories of the dance. Metuchen, N.J.; London: The Scarecrow Press, Inc.</p> Egyptian Belly Dance by Anuradha Muralidharantag:travelingwithintheworld.ning.com,2011-02-24:2185477:Topic:1050432011-02-24T15:27:45.991ZDept of PMM Artists & thingshttp://travelingwithintheworld.ning.com/profile/Artistsandthings
<h2>A dance so ancient that it is depicted in Predynastic hieroglyphics</h2>
<p>Egyptian, Oriental, Arabic... the dance has many names, but the one which describes it best is the one by which it is popularly known: Belly Dance!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Belly Dance has a rich history veiled in many names. It has been known over the years in Arabic as Raqs al Sharqi; Raqs Sharqi; Raqs al Sharq; Raqs Arabi, and Raqs Beledi; in English as Arabic, Middle Eastern, Egyptian or Oriental dance; and in French as…</p>
<h2>A dance so ancient that it is depicted in Predynastic hieroglyphics</h2>
<p>Egyptian, Oriental, Arabic... the dance has many names, but the one which describes it best is the one by which it is popularly known: Belly Dance!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Belly Dance has a rich history veiled in many names. It has been known over the years in Arabic as Raqs al Sharqi; Raqs Sharqi; Raqs al Sharq; Raqs Arabi, and Raqs Beledi; in English as Arabic, Middle Eastern, Egyptian or Oriental dance; and in French as Danse orientale or danse du ventre.</p>
<p>By whatever name, imagine a clear, velvety sky with stars woven in it like a blazing carpet shines down on the river Nile flowing in all its majesty. Lights dot the river, and the sound of music sweeps across the waters. The cruise ships are busy entertaining their international customers, and in an art as ancient as it is beautiful, belly dancers dance rhythmically to the beat of drums.</p>
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<p>This dance has been part of local culture throughout North Africa, the Middle East, and as far east as Iran for centuries. There are hieroglyphics of Predynastic clay figures in dance postures. There are many depictions within tombs of dancing accompanied by celebrations, feasts, religious services and funeral rites. However, today the dance in its many variations and versions is performed in nightclubs across the world and is included in any event which needs a `middle-Eastern’ flavor to it. In Cairo, the first nightclubs to offer this type of entertainment in a public setting appeared in the 1920s. Similar nightclubs also arose in Beirut, Lebanon. Employment opportunities for musicians and dancers flourished, thanks to the demand from foreigners seeking a taste of the exotic local entertainment. (Few know that it was used in ancient times to support child birth!)</p>
<p>Watching a performance, one is amazed at the merging of the dancer with the music. The dancer, in fact, is perceived almost as another musician in the orchestra, adding her own expression to the musical outpourings. The dancer normally wears a Bedla, or bra and belt, generously adorned with jewels, beads, and paillettes. As she moves her hips and ribcage, the beads and paillettes move and accentuate the power of her movements. These are the costumes of the cabaret dancer. The folkloric dancer may wear a Baladi dress and perform with a cane or sword. Some dancers dance with snakes and other props.</p>
<p>The audience can watch, enraptured for hours, the movement of the belly in absolute rhythm to the music. It may be considered erotic or exotic but it is undoubtedly a dance form that requires infinite grace and natural flair.</p> Put Together a Belly Dance Performance Bag by Susan Caplantag:travelingwithintheworld.ning.com,2011-02-24:2185477:Topic:1048732011-02-24T15:23:59.333ZDept of PMM Artists & thingshttp://travelingwithintheworld.ning.com/profile/Artistsandthings
<p>When a belly dancer begins performing she'll find it useful to fill a bag with the items she might need in an emergency.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The new belly dance performer will be most concerned with bringing all the components of her costuming with her to a show. However, with each performance, she may find herself wishing that she had things like extra bobby pins or aspirin with her. Instead of imposing on others time and again, it is simple enough to pull together a bag of supplies that will…</p>
<p>When a belly dancer begins performing she'll find it useful to fill a bag with the items she might need in an emergency.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The new belly dance performer will be most concerned with bringing all the components of her costuming with her to a show. However, with each performance, she may find herself wishing that she had things like extra bobby pins or aspirin with her. Instead of imposing on others time and again, it is simple enough to pull together a bag of supplies that will come along with the dancer to each performance.</p>
<p>If an individual helps to coordinate a lot of dance shows, she may want to compile a basket of necessities to leave in the dancer’s dressing room.</p>
<h3 class="dynamic">Belly Dancing Necessities</h3>
<p>Unless a dancer is remaining hidden backstage, a cover up is a must. By covering belly dancing costumes, dancers prevent revealing their costume before they perform and they also avoid distracting audience members from the dancer on stage. It can divert the audience’s attention if a dancer is roaming through the audience in costume because people expect individuals in costume to do something. Cabaret, tribal, Goth, etc. – wear a cover-up.</p>
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<p>A dancer may also find it useful to keep a pair of <em>zills</em> (finger cymbals) in her bag along with a neutral color veil (useful as an emergency cover-up or to include in a performance.)</p>
<p>Another necessity is a water bottle. Have a drinking straw handy for a quick sip without messing up makeup. A belly dancer may also want to bring along a couple of snacks, both light and hearty, in case the show is delayed or any food provided to the audience gets gobbled up.</p>
<h3 class="dynamic">Belly Dancer Health and Beauty Aids</h3>
<p>Travel size health and beauty aids can allow a dancer to bring along a lot of items without taking up a lot of space. Some of these items have a shelf-life or expiration date that should get checked every so often. A dancer should plan on straightening through supplies a couple of times a year – to resupply, toss expired items, or inventory what she’s carrying around.</p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li>Antacids</li>
<li>Pain reliever of choice</li>
<li>Tissues</li>
<li>Tampons or sanitary napkins</li>
<li>Spare contact lenses and solution</li>
<li>Travel toothbrush and toothpaste or mouthwash or breath mints or gum</li>
<li>Eye drops and/or spare contact lenses and solution</li>
<li>Brush or comb and hair spray</li>
<li>Barrettes, bobby pins, ponytail holders</li>
<li>Body glitter</li>
<li>Baby wipes (good for wiping off sweat before getting dressed in street clothes and cleaning the soles of the feet, particularly for the dancer who doesn’t wear shoes)</li>
<li>Nail file, clear nail polish or nail glue (if the dancer has artificial nails)</li>
<li>Small mirror in case the dancer can’t get near the mirror the show coordinator provided</li>
<li>Makeup (although in most cases, it is best to put on stage makeup before going to a show – bring some things for touch ups</li>
<li>Clear bandages (you never know)</li>
<li>Disposable razor (in case the dancer realizes that she forgot to shave her underarms)</li>
</ul>
<h3 class="dynamic">Avoid Disasters with Belly Dancing Outfits</h3>
<p>Although a dancer should check the condition of her costuming before she leaves her house for a performance, mishaps can happen.</p>
<ul>
<li>Safety pins in a variety of sizes</li>
<li>Gold and/or silver tone earrings, bracelets, hair jewels, necklaces, etc. just in case the dancer forgot to pack her jewelry</li>
<li>Stain removing pen (handy for restaurant performances)</li>
<li>Double-sided tape for quick fixes</li>
<li>Static-cling spray (particularly with veils and dry air)</li>
<li>Travel sewing kit with assorted color threads and a mini scissors</li>
<li>Jewelry pliers (good for fixes on coin jewelry, bras, and belts)</li>
</ul>
<p>Although this list may seem long, these items can fit into a large purse, or small zippered tote. Get in the habit of taking this bag to each performance. It might not be called for each time, but when the need arises, a dancer will appreciate having this bag of necessities with her.</p> Body Acceptance in Belly Dance: Is a Bare Belly Mandatory? by Meredith Rankintag:travelingwithintheworld.ning.com,2011-02-24:2185477:Topic:1051182011-02-24T15:22:40.487ZDept of PMM Artists & thingshttp://travelingwithintheworld.ning.com/profile/Artistsandthings
<p>Some people are afraid to try Middle Eastern dance because they don't want to show their belly, but belly dance is a great way to find body acceptance.</p>
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<p>There are pros and cons to covering or revealing the midriff, but the key thing in class and during a performance, short of wearing a burlap sack, is to be comfortable. A dancer should not be forced into a revealing outfit, but there are advantages to seeing the stomach.</p>
<h3 class="dynamic">Seeing the Moves in Belly…</h3>
<p>Some people are afraid to try Middle Eastern dance because they don't want to show their belly, but belly dance is a great way to find body acceptance.</p>
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<p>There are pros and cons to covering or revealing the midriff, but the key thing in class and during a performance, short of wearing a burlap sack, is to be comfortable. A dancer should not be forced into a revealing outfit, but there are advantages to seeing the stomach.</p>
<h3 class="dynamic">Seeing the Moves in Belly Dance</h3>
<p>A dancer can wear a tank top and still see her hip work, but the moves are clearer when she wears something around her hips. The moves look even sharper when her midriff is exposed. The bare stomach helps her see what her hips and abs are doing, and helps her learn better. An exposed belly also helps direct people to what they should be looking at, which is helpful for an audience who can be unfamiliar with this dance style.</p>
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<h3 class="dynamic">Body Acceptance</h3>
<p>Body anxiety is common among both thin and curvy women, but Middle Eastern dance celebrates all body types. The idea is to show movement, which works best with some extra weight. Thinner dancers have to work harder and wear more layers around their hips in order to see what they're doing. How can a dancer appreciate her body if she doesn't see it?</p>
<p>Even if it's in the privacy of her bedroom, a dancer should practice with a bare midriff. That will help her see her ribs and stomach muscles, see how her body moves, and appreciate herself. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaSfZ1SPC1A">Confidence</a> is the key. If a dancer is confident with who she is and how she dances, even if she doesn't fit the stereotyped idea of a beautiful woman, she will captivate audiences and inspire people to accept their own bodies.</p>
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<h3 class="dynamic">Alternatives to a Bare Midriff</h3>
<p>There are so many positive benefits to Middle Eastern dance (the exercise, camaraderie, fun, and excuse to dress in bright, sparkly costumes), that a person shouldn't refuse to try this dance style under the assumption that a bare belly is necessary. While certain moves like belly rolls, flutters and tucks (which are common to cabaret style belly dance) can't be seen very well if the dancer is covered up, there are ways to have movements be seen and still dance under wraps:</p>
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<li>Khaleegy, beledi, and saidii dresses: These are more folkloric costumes that cover the whole body, but the attached fringe, beads and sequins still show movement. For a more cabaret look, there are dresses available with flesh tone cutouts.</li>
<li>Coin drapes or fabric: Hanging something from the bottom of a bra or other dance top will hide some of the stomach without obstructing a dancer's moves. Coin drapes and fabric also beautifully show off flutters and belly rolls, just as well or better than a completely exposed stomach.</li>
<li>Mesh body stockings: The body stocking can hold the stomach in, similar to control-top pantyhose. An added benefit is that the stocking can help bring the belly’s skin tone closer to than of a dancer's face and arms.</li>
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<p>Putting on a crop top and walking into a studio of strangers to learn belly dance sounds pretty intimidating. However, everyone has body issues, and this dance style helps women feel more comfortable with themselves. Even a dancer who decides she's not comfortable showing her stomach can enjoy learning Middle Eastern dance.</p>