Thoughts on this article?

heatherloveslifting

http://www.salon.com/2014/03/04/why_i_cant_stand_white_belly_dancers/#comments

I feel badly that the author feels this way. (Also she would be doubly appalled at me as I take African dance as well (my teachers are from Africa).

RaspberryKeytoneBoondoggle

I'm not sure what to say. It's unfortunate that the words "harm" and "rascism" are used in the article. I guess there will always be articles like this to keep us discussing and on our toes. If anything, perhaps the article will encourage people to hire from their community.

I'm afraid I'm quite ignorant about the culture... The closest I get is having a good friend who is Turkish and doesn't belly dance herself.

What I do know from living in a multictural community, however, is many Japanese people love that I make sushi. When I greet people in Cantonese or Punjabi it is appreciated. I am welcome at the Sik temple in our community. I have participated in "ballywood style" dance and even danced in a sari at Sik weddings and I have only been encouraged, welcomed and appreciated. Most people enjoy sharing their culture. Even if we don't do it "right" we are showing effort. My white belly dancing teacher is forever discussing the differences between cultures and styles. She obviously researches and gives the art a lot of thought.

missdaisy79

Ack, this article made me quite annoyed. If anyone is being racist, I feel it is the author of the article, even if that is not her intention. I also didn't feel it was a very well written article.

khoshgeleh16

Having seen some things at local haflas that are, quite frankly, embarrassing, and occasionally downright offensive, I think she has a point. I don't agree with a lot of her "evidence" - I doubt any of the dancers she names would self-identify as "brown", for one thing, and Fifi Abdo is literally the opposite of "modest", for another - but at the same time, a lot of things that Western dancers present as "bellydance" is... deeply frustrating to people concerned with authenticity and cultural appropriateness.

I found this response article to be one of the best http://gwillowwilson.com/post/78869250415/in-defense-sort-of-of-randa-jarrar

lentigogirl

raging discussions on these in most bellydance fora. She posted a followup affirming her original position and blasting her critics as racist. The best response, I think, is to demonstrate the degree to which many schools and dancers very much respect the tradition -- we love this dance and practice it out of appreciation, not appropriation -- and are seeking to advance and preserve it in a time when it is very much under siege in the Middle East.

Most dancers I know are in fact quite sensitive to these issues. On the other hand, having attended a restaurant show last night that involved sticking dollar bills in the dancer's belt, I'm a tad more sympathetic to the author's concerns. [full disclosure -- as the person at my table closest to the dance floor, I was designated bill-sticker for the dancer, our teacher... but it was seriously uncomfortable.]