Belly dance is a dance form that originated in the Middle East. Egypt, Lebanon, Turkey, and Algeria are among the list of countries that still perform this beautiful dance form. Belly dance began as a social dance performed by men, women and children to celebrate happy occasions. This folk dance has changed throughout the years since it has spread into Europe and the United States. Belly dancers are an interesting group of people who are disciplined dancers struggling to move the dance to the level of acceptance accorded to ballet, jazz and modern dance forms. The media keeps blurring the lines between belly dancers and other forms of not so satisfactory dance so people sexualize belly dancers when it is not intended to be a sexual dance. Understanding the origins of belly dance (or Raqs Sharqi, Danse Orientale) is culturally important, especially considering our conflicted relationship with Middle Eastern countries.My interest in belly dancing began after seeing a friend dance. She looked so poised and confident that I had to learn more. Seeing women of all shapes and sizes dancing around a bonfire at a festival my husband and I go to once a year had me wanting to learn more and left me with a new feeling of confidence about my body. For once, I felt like I did not hate it.
I took my first class summer of 2008. I explained to my friends something I realize now is incorrect, that belly dance is a fertility dance inspired by ancient childbirth rituals and developed from old childbirth exercises, then set to music (I saw this stated online and believed it because I didn't know any better). I dragged my friends to a belly dance class last summer and became very upset as they began talking about how they couldn't stand their bodies when I just wanted to focus on the dance. I was rude to my friends because I felt we should be proud of showing our bellies and that belly dance was called belly dance for a reason. I was not being what you would call kind. I think back to it and feel silly, because I have since been reading up on the history of belly dance in a belly dance forum I joined.
The sheer joy of learning the dance is what continues to motivate me. The cultural aspect (the fact that it is a Middle Eastern form of dance that used to be done in social circles) and chatting with experienced dancers about the political ramifications of learning the dance of another culture has me worn out. I now become depressed when I read the forum because I think about how dull this all sounds, sitting around talking about it, feeling like I should be feeling guilty about not constantly doing research on the origin of the dance. I don't feel the least bit guilty about learning this dance form as an American. The beauty of the dance, learning the dance is so important to me and I found that going to the forum was sucking the joy out of it for me. Then when I expressed this frustration I would be accused by some forum members of "holding on to orientalist fantasies." I eventually just threw up my arms and decided I would learn the dance on my own terms. I do not spread misinformation about the dance and every dance I learn I want to learn the origin of...but right now I'm working on the basics, so focusing on learning the cultural aspects so often might spell my downfall. I want to continue dancing so I choose to focus on what I need to focus on at this moment.
Dealing with all the western guilt going around about learning this dance has been painful and dull. As long as we do not remain ignorant about the origin of the dance we are learning, I think we belly dancers should all just relax. I also come from a social culture which borrows from other cultures all the time. We play West African djembes in drum circles and spin polynesian poi. We occasionally talk about the origin of the instruments we use, but what's more important is community and our own spirituality. I took a work shop on West African drumming and want to continue learning that style. But I would be wasting my breath and ruining a perfectly good moment if at every drum circle I explained the origin of each rhythm instrument. So when someone jumps down my throat about not knowing something rather than politely correcting me, it just leaves me feeling bewildered, like I don't belong.
I'm a very casual person who is usually taken aback by people who need to be precise about everything. It seems in the world of belly dance there exist people who are heavy thinkers in abundance. People who are very precise and strict in the way they do things (like accountants, lawyers, etc). And that can be a positive thing especially for belly dance, an art form that demands a very high level of proficiency and the mastery of movements that can take years to learn properly. This is the one art form I have had the patience to learn and the acceptance of not having it down to perfection right away. Mainly because I know I won't have it down right away, that's impossible. But I do know I feel spiritually and physically whole when I belly dance and that it's a dance form that fits perfectly with my body and the way I love to move in space.
I don't feel like chatting on the belly dance forum because when I do, I feel like they are so worried about my not knowing what I need to know, I can't say anything. So...I'm doing my own thing, working with my instructor and occasionally going to the forum to ask questions and give updates on how my training is going. Belly dance may not be all about female empowerment and male belly dancers exist, but that doesn't change the fact that it does make me feel empowered. It's also a way I can showcase my deep love of music. I didn't realize I could dance until I began learning belly dance. I watch professional belly dancers in awe because I know someday that will be me. When I went into an auditorium to watch a professional belly dance performance and a student belly dance performance, I became excited because I knew I would one day be up on that stage moving with the music and creating my own beauty.
The fact that so many Americans are interested in a dance from another country can be a positive thing. I don't have a problem with the parallel between the goddess and belly dance (even though it is false) because that does far less damage than the exotic dancer connection (also false). Being nitpicky is so exhausting, but surrounding myself with love of the dance and music leaves me with a feeling of peace. That is what matters to me right now.
