Belly
dance was not created (as Western myth tells it) in harems by
concubines, but in the communities and homes of the people of
the Middle East, parts of the Mediterranean and North Africa.
So why do people insist on believing ignorant lies?
Some maintain that belly dance is sexual and performed to
arouse men. How many times have you heard it being called a "dance
of seduction"?
Some insist it's erotica, and are disgusted by it. How many
times have you been asked: "So how does it feel performing
for sleazy, drooling middle aged men?"
Others insist it's the Middle Eastern equivalent of a striptease.
How many times have I had a woman say to me: "don't dance
for me, the boys are over there!"?
And, yes, there are some sleazy performers who call themselves
belly dancers. Yes, they're sleazy, yes they're performers, but
they're often not belly dancers!
So what can we do, as professional belly dancers, to educate
people? Simple: speak. Correct people when they make erroneous
statements about Oriental Dance, inform them of the truth. An
easy task? I'm afraid not! Most people hate being corrected,
even by someone more knowledgable than they. In such cases, when
they insist on wallowing in their own stupidity, just tell them
so: "Look, I'm sorry you see it that way. I'm trying to
tell you how it really is, but if you choose to remain ignorant,
so be it!" And walk away with your head held high.
My suggested reply for you to use with a stubborn listener may sound
a little insulting, but in certain cases it's called for. Think
about what they're saying to you, between the lines: If they're
making references to erotica, aren't they in reality insinuating
you're a type of stripper? And are you? Hell no!! If they start
talking about harems, aren't they insinuating belly dance is
a type of prostitution? Are you a prostitute? I think not! So
why should you shoulder these labels?
Fight back (with words mostly)! Educate yourself well about
the origins of Oriental Dance and then educate your audiences.
I'm not suggesting you should stand on a little podium at Town
Hall steps with a megaphone yelling and screaming like a Belly-Evangelist,
but when people say things you know to be wrong, don't be shy
- tell it like it is. Some people actually want to know the truth.
Now, besides educating people verbally, there's one more thing
we can do to teach people what belly dance is really about: that
it's the art of isolation, a dance that takes a lot of skill,
often considered to be one of the most difficult dances in the
world to truly master. What could this one thing be? Dance well:
Study under good teachers and dance well. Enjoy your performances
- don't let it be an ego trip - you're an entertainer. Put soul
in your dance and people will see and appreciate your show so
much more. Pay a lot of attention to the women - it's not a show
for the men, so don't exclude the women.
Fortunately there are many performers who respect themselves.
They have a reputation for quality. But keep practicing and improve
the quality of your performance - there is still much to be done
to combat the ignorance that still exists. |
