Hi everyone, I posted this just now, and I'm curious to hear your feedback. I'm searching for guidance, clarification, good conversation, etc. This is a hot topic in a few of the tribes, especially the ones dealing with origins of "Bellydance"


Re: The Ethics of FusionToday, 9:18 PM
I am a newbie to bellydance (2 years) and I am just starting my research, but here's what I've picked up so far. Please clarify things for me if they are incorrect, b/c this is all about learning for me:)
Here's the thing:

<"But we're talking about the exchange of dance culture and not the expansion of one racial dominance over another. Unless there was a hostile belly dancer coup that I was not made aware of...">

whomever tells the story-that's the story that's told...

1.Where did our costume come from? Europeans who had been to India wanted to see Middle Eastern female dancers look like the Indian women with their midriff exposed.
2.Didn't more men "bellydance" as well?- a social culture; a social dance. Not after Europeans came. they wanted to see the women ---Objectified---it became money talks-
3. Isn't Egypt part of North East Africa? Isn't "Bellydance" a North African tradition as well as a Middle Eastern tradition since at one point in time Egypt extended into what we now call the Middle East? Why is it that it's only "Africa" if it's sub-Saharan?

<"But here's an interesting question... if race were the issue then who would be at fault for the spread of belly dance into other cultural dance forms? "...>

These movements are as old as time...in every culture; in every race. To take that statement one step further, and I don't even know if I should put this out there but here goes...LIFE originated in Africa/Egypt, so in terms of the dance and culture, maybe some have just not got in touch with it yet. Maybe some dancers are re-connecting with it in a way that compliments the culture (their culture) that developed later?

As a dancer coming up in this time, I understand and agree with teachers/dancers saying
learn the dance as it was and in the purest form that there is for your respective style. My teacher has been dancing for 30 years and newer dancers can't touch the amount of knowledge and expertise most of our experienced dancers/teachers have. I believe we should really develop those skills and keep that at the forefront of our training/teaching/performing.

Having said that...

But also, as a young dancer who has studied another dance style and come from a backround of Caribbean and American culture, I see the opportunity to share myself as That woman(Caribbean-American Bellydancer), sharing my comfort and freedom in being proud/comfortable with myself and my femininity. Is this not what the dance was meant to portray from the beginning? And that makes the dance come full circle for me. The next question would then be: what about establishing proper venues for each? Like spring caravan does? Or in NYC one teacher I know of puts on themed show (i.e. Rock and Roll show, Middle Eastern Jazz) once a month.

There is always going to be culture exchange, especially in this time when we have access to everything on demand. Look at food- top chefs constantly push the envelope for taking tradition and making it new and different. One thing that I think we dancers forget is that they learn the correct and proper way to execute the traditional first, before being able to take elements from each and create something new. ThenI guess the next dilemma is what to call it. Does the word Fusion suffice as a catch-all?

My $.02