Wow. WTF indeed.

This offends on so many levels where to begin?

This was my reply to the photo that I saw.
I emailed my statement to be quoted. This is my feelings to that performance.


Ravenmoon

Thank you Beatrice for keeping me updated on this performance. I wasn't
there, but I got a chance to see the photos. I am also disappointed that two
beautiful fantastic dancers chose a theme such as this at a family oriented
festival, and to choose two Black Body builders as sex slaves, when we as
Black people try so hard to shed that stereotypical attitudes of "Black Men
White Women". Speaking for The Nubian Divas: Our mission is to educate our
black women, and reacquaint them of their ancestral heritage, that this
dance is a beautiful art form for women of all cultures to learn and enjoy.
Black people, Black women( a majority of them) , see this dance as a sleazy
dance that "White women do" We are already having a difficult time in some
aspects, convincing our Black Sisters that sex, and black sex slaves, are
not what this beautiful art form is about. To see a performance like that
only sets us back. Like I said Sadie and Kala are fantastic dancers in their
own right, and I love watching them dance, and neither of them needed that
kind of sensationalism. I personally don't like to be censored, but when
performances such as that, that would heighten a negative racial conflict of
opinions, should not be entered into ANY festival. I'm sure the fallout will
make them famous in some places, infamous in other, but overall, it was very
poor taste. Then, maybe that was their motive in the first place. The Nubian
Divas will continue lead by example, and to instill a higher standard of
what we are putting out their for our Black people, and also our many non
Black Sisters to
draw upon.

Regards Anniitra Ravenmoon

I wasn't able to connect for some reason. What exactly was it?

Okay so I saw the pictures late. These women make me think "belly dancers or strippers?" I'm brand new to the world of bellydancing but I know that this goes against what bellydancing is all about. From what I've read these women are supposed to be recognized and accomplished dancers so what is the purpose of all of that. As far as having the "slaves" let us not forget that that great Mandingo warrior is still a fantasy for a lot of women of European decent. There is nothing new under the sun and obviously the world hasn't changed much.

Why is that people do such stupid stuff then turn around and say i didnt mean to offend anyone? What in the hell did they think that it was going to do? Now we are talking about the two ladies what's up with the two brothas who are on stage?

What in the hell were they thinking? Well i just have one phrase "Cocaine is a helluva drug"!

I put a post on bhuz page 26.


I am sure that some of our other dance sistahs will have to rethink their stands on issues like this that may come up in the future. We all must work together to elevate our dance respect. We Black women have to work harder, for our folks take longer to convimnce.

Hello ladies ~

I am posting because one of the dancers here on your tribe, Beatrice, sent me a message and asked me to repost something I wrote in the Rakkasah tribe regarding this particular subject. The thread got a little heated, but I think many attempted to remain civil. Below is the link and my repost

Sincerely ~ Noel, your sister in dance
a.k.a. ~ Lotus of Euphoria

tribes.tribe.net/6dc8f33e-...056cc5fd9f

Re: Bad perfomance from Kaya and SadieFri, March 31, 2006 - 9:47 AM

<<<Quote – Lara said:
It was actually the best performance ever. You know how everyone just does Egyptian belly dance or regular belly dance over and over again? That gets VERY boring. I have been waiting for their dance since November. I am their biggest fan, closest friend, and I’m not saying all of this because I am just there friend. Rakkasah isn’t named belly dance festival, it’s Middle Eastern. They can do anything they want and its still dance. I’m actually very happy they did it because it changed the audience from boredom to "oooooo, ahhhh." After the performance I went to dinner with them. You don’t know how happy they were to finish it and all the hard work they did to complete it. I think it was the best, and I love them with all my heart.

Lara - endQuote>>>

(I took the liberty of fixing your grammatical and spelling errors. You’re welcome. People will take you more seriously if you don’t write like a 5 year old.)

First, if you think it was the best performance ever, then you are massively short-sighted and obviously didn’t watch more of the performances where professionals that have been dancing for decades (some since birth) put on spectacular shows. I understand as a personal friend that you are proud of them. That’s natural. But in this situation you have to look at the larger scope of things.

Second, and tying into the first, you state that it is a Middle Eastern dance festival, but then you state that they can do anything they want and it’s still dance … this doesn’t make sense and is a complete contradiction in terms. If it’s M.E. dance, then the scope should stay within that genre to some degree. And by the way, belly dance is a “nick name” for M.E. dance so saying that it’s not belly dance, it’s M.E. dance, is the pot calling the kettle black.

Point blank, this wasn’t the right venue for the spectacle they put on. I wasn’t disgusted. I was a bit shocked, though. First by the demeaning of the “slaves” and then by the blatant sexual overages. Whoever said they took care not to get too close was absolutely blind. No offense, but I was right up front in the audience and there was complete contact everywhere. It was like a train wreck. I couldn’t peel my eyes from it. Only once did I cover my eyes and that’s when the girls where upside down and their breasts were falling out of their tops. I was embarrassed for them. Otherwise I watched the whole thing up close and personal.

What I think may be the most poignant aspect of this debacle (and what is upsetting most people) is the history of our dance as an art form and how so many of us strive to rise above the myth that oriental dancers are strippers and what we do is purely sexual in nature. Tell that to those of us who have studied ballet, jazz, tap, along with the various forms of M.E. dance to perfect our technique for years on end! Then something like this comes along and presents itself in a venue that is not only for the dancers of our community but also has a massive influx from the general public. They see this and think, “Ah, so THIS is belly dance! Riiiight…” This sets us back one spectator at a time in what the women of this dance have been working toward for years. It’s about respect for those that have come before us and our sisters in the Middle East who are still ridiculed for it. It was so inappropriate for the venue. Agree or disagree, it’s a fact. Kaya and Sadie could be feeling repercussions of this for years to come.

Thanks to Rakkasah I have had the opportunity to train with some of the best dancers in the world: Jamila, Suhaila, Leila, Fahtiem, Shoshanna, Margo, Dalia, Fatima, Suzanna, Elena… It is one of my goals to experience and learn from as many sources as possible. I want to strive for my personal best. But after this, I will never look to train with these girls. It’s not what my dance is about. I have a feeling I am not alone. Respect is important.

Sincerely, Noel

Just based on the images that appear on the link provided above by Nandi, I’m a bit confused. I don’t know any Black men who have a problem with burying their face in any White woman’s crotch. My own Father, for example, would have volunteered to be a part of that "dance" performance simply for the CHANCE at touching a White woman. Speaking from personal experience, this IS the typical behavior of Black men and I am personally sick and tired of it. Seriously, would there be so much fuss if everyone on that stage had been white? And if everyone involved had been Black the audience may have thought they were watching any random video on BET.

Black men are the first to disaaprove of and dirty look a Black woman with a White man, and when done scowling at them, return his full attention to the White woman that HE is on a date with.

The last good Black man that walked the Earth was nailed to a cross an extremely long time ago. I’m not bitter. I just tell the truth.

This is crazy! This is not bellydance! This is why so many people are confused as to what bellydancing is! These "girls" need to do their role-playing in a more appropriate venue and stop calling this bellydance. This is confusing and makes it hard for real artists to be seen in appropriate environments, because these chicks are going around parading this scum as bellydance. What "real" bellydancers do and this are two very different things!

And who the heck are these guys! Do they not see a problem with their performance! It is totally inappropriate! If they don't the problem is bigger than I thought! Some real bellydance and appropriateness education needs to happen!

Obviously slavery is alive and well and so is the original master, the all mighty dollar.

This is sick! Somebody PLEASE pass me the barf bag!

Peace Yall,

Keva
www.kevalarthridgemack.com

Absolutely awful!! I've been seeing American women degrade bellydance in so many ways it is unbelievable. People who really care to keep this dance ancient and traditional must speak up against travesties like this and at the same time set a much better example.

Those brothas do look like slaves in those photos. Seem like they would not want to be presently associated as a slave in this day and time. I guess not. You could not have paid me enough money to do some crap like that. Every man should have principles then again, I guess not.

Crap! I'm 3 years to late...

Oki, I get the jist of what happened from all the replies but I need to see this one...

Somebody please tell me there's a working link to the video or pics somewhere.

And for the record, never take anything shown on BET seriously. Everyone knows they're out to destroy Black people ;-)

I am surprised and shocked at Sadie and Kaya. I would think they would have known better. Why market yourself that way? On the flip they have been pushing that envelope from being sensual to being overly sexual for a while. They won't get any money from me.
-I said good day-