Grrr, yes, both of those things are very annoying!! People often say to me, "Oh, if I got this belly started, it'd never stop!!" Yeah, yeah, it was cute the first hundred times I heard it.

I was at a thrift store buying random bits for costuming. I got to the counter, and the clerk asked me what I was going to do with this stuff. I told her that some of it was just for fun, but some of it was for belly dance costuming. She said, "Belly dance... Is that like, striiii...." I cut her off with a "NO!" before she could finish the word. I was kind of pissed, but she apologized, and I decided it was sort of a good thing. i explained to her how different the dance forms are. I was happy to be able to clear up the misconception for at least one person... She was very apologetic after that. Still pissed me off, though.

Another, very different, thing that annoys me is when certain troupe-mates somehow feel that they don't have to show up to rehearsals... I understand that life happens, but come on guys!! It's not fair to those of us who actually show up and put the effort in. :explode: I guess I can't expect everyone to have the same level of committment that I do, but if you want to perform, show up to the damn practices!!!

Anyways... other than that, belly dance is my passion, and I wouldn't give it up for the world!! :flowerforyou:

~Iza

It really bothers me that size and age are such issues for people. I was once asked by a co-worker what I did on the weekend. When I said I did a belly dance event, they thought I was being a joker. The response was..."hahaha...you're funny...belly dance...hahaha"

I have had people also make stripper remarks when the topic of belly dance comes up...how ignorant!

the assumptions about size is one that bothers me. I've heard comments about other heavier dancers (never about myself, because I'm probably dancing when they are made), including the "ugh, I do't want to see a fat girl dance, let's go" comment. At the time she was one of our best dancers. When I've told some people I belly dance, I get the once-over look followed by the raised eyebrow and a look of disbelief.

Vendors at workshopsand events who only carry tiny sizes in cute costumes. Really how are supposed to be encouraged at all sizes to dance when the costume makers have bought into the Western perception that we should be model thin. (of course this is part of the reason that I'm on MFP, to buy cute costumes).

the stripper association annoys me as, but I have not been directly impacted by that. I also completely agree with the earlier post of troupe members not taking it seriously and not showing up for practice for group routines.

The thing about "oh, I could do that, I've got a belly!" really gets on my nerves - I must have heard it about 500 times when I was running the local Middle Eastern dance society's booth at my university's freshers' fair. Usually from boys, and almost always accompanied by a horrible laddish attitude.

Also the inability to find ready-made costumes that fit my boobs, except for galebeyas and the like. (I realize it's because I have an abnormally large chest - I wear an H-cup - but I still hate it when I see the PERFECT COSTUME except whoops, it's got a C-cup bra.)

The new skirts came in today and now I'm much happier. Even with the larger size she's adding a wedge in the hip for almost all of us to stop it riding up...

And I feel compelled to gripe on behalf of the women in my troupe who griped at me about my griping about needing to lose weight. Don't you hate it when women who are thinner than you complain about their bellies? I'm going to have to work on shutting the &*&^ up.

Izanami, I took a workshop with Ariellah in July. I think perhaps I was over-tired after a weekend of intensive belly dance workshops, but it was the hardest, most unenjoyable experience I've had in belly dance, and I was seriously thinking about sneaking out all the way through it. :sad: However, loads of other people really loved learning with her, so maybe my experience is just an anomaly.

Was it a choreography or combos workshop? I've taken one of those with her, and she does move really fast. I'm sure with a tired/full brain it would be a bit much!! The ones I took with her last weekend were about stage presence and fluidity of movement. Those were both great! There was a bit of lecture at the beginning, and she made several great points that have stuck with me. If you get the oppotunity again, her more theory/lecture, less combos/choreography classes are wonderful. She's incredibly knowledgeable and, in my experience, skilled at expressing it to the participants.

Excitingly, one of our local teachers is getting Rachel Brice to come over next year to our local area.

Oho, I think I know your local teacher - took a workshop with her in Reading over the summer and loved it! :-D I don't think I've got enough TF experience to attend next year's event, but the mere fact that Rachel Brice is coming did make me stop and go "WANT!!!" for like ten minutes.

Thanks for asking -- The show was great! (see my profile pic -- which for some reason MFP has posted sideways, making me look way more acrobatic...) I was able to get a larger skirt -- and to add darts to expand it even more!