One Debate about “Belly Dance”
by Nizana
Recently I read a newspaper review of a new book about Belly Dance. As I read it, I related to some things, while others I wasn’t familiar with. The following week, a letter, written by a local dancer, was published as a response to the review, disagreeing with the contents based on the book review. Part of the debate centered on the age of the dance. The book author indicated it was an ancient dance form, while the local writer told the readers that it was only around 100 years old.
I did some processing about this, and where I was at with it. I haven’t read the book, just the review, so I am not debating the book contents, nor the local letter writer. It just raised questions in my head about the different things you learn about Middle Eastern dance, and from whom; and as an instructor and student, wanting to have the most accurate information. Ok, so “belly dance” as it’s known today, is probably around 100 years old, what with the Chicago Expo and Little Egypt. However, the roots of the dance are ancient from everything I have seen and studied. Of course the dance form as we now know it has been Americanized, and changed, not only with American influences, but other cultural influences as well such as Latin, East Indian and African! Because we live in one world, there are external influences that happen to change things as a matter of course. Some dances have remained authentic in style and costuming and music, and others change over time, and Belly Dance is no different. It, too, continues to change and be influenced by other cultures and art forms.
I have tried to learn from many teachers, books, DVD’s and other dancers as much as I can about this art form. I try to be discriminate in choosing my resources to get the best information that I can rely on to pass on to my students. This dance is one that is performed all over the world, and has become pretty popular these days. There will be differences of opinions, styles, costuming and music, and not everyone will like everything. That is how it is with just about everything. In fact, that is one of the things I teach my students, is that with this dance form, there is so much to choose from! You can study and/or perform only one style, or many! You can dance to authentic routines in authentic costumes, or fuse it with another style or two. You can dance with a snake, or not. You can do floor work, or not. You can dance strictly Egyptian, or perhaps you are more suited to only American Style Tribal (ATS). That is one of the beauties of this dance; the variety and choice! Be sure to inform your audience what you are doing, and stay true to what you are doing with the costuming, music and dance technique. There is room for creativity, all kinds of props to dance with, and oh so many different types of music! Even musicians of the Middle Eastern genre are creating new music and covering old classics!
Belly Dance to me is both modern and ancient. It is a blending of what was and what is. There will continue to be changes in the dance, through creative influences of many peoples and cultures as it continues to grow around the world. The roots of the dance (the Middle East, North Africa, and the Mediterranean) are very ancient and intertwined and ingrained in the styles of today‘s Middle Eastern dances. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and there are some hard core believers as to what is the definition of “Belly Dance.” To me and many others, it has become an all encompassing word/phrase that describes the many styles of Middle Eastern based dances. (Disclaimer: For me, I must add that only includes those styles that are still being respectful to the dance and the cultures.) It may have at one time only meant Egyptian cabaret and certain folk dances, but today, to most dancers, it means much more. Maybe it’s semantics, and if there was a different name for it as a whole, to separate out what is “authentic” and what is not, then that could be a way to address it. I think that would be a difficult task, and I don’t think it would be supported. Many dancers are specifying the type of belly dance “Fusion Belly Dance,” “Tribal Belly Dance,” etc. to make it more distinctive as to the description of what it is, in a “sub-category“ if you will. It is important to accurately describe what you are doing, whether it be an interpretation of or staged version of a certain style, authentic, or fusion. Most people have come to know all of these varied styles under the umbrella of “Belly Dance.”
I truly enjoy classical/“old school” belly dance and folk dances. I have enjoyed performing the Khalegee, Cane and Stick Dances, and the Debke. I have studied Egyptian cabaret dance as well. I enjoy watching the different styles in this genre. I also enjoy watching, learning and performing the new stuff - fusion, tribal and blendings of different influences, and good ol’ American Style Cabaret. I think there is room for all of it if everyone calls it what it is and doesn’t claim it to be something else. But I think until someone comes up with a differentiating name to separate them out that is universally accepted, it’s all going to be under the umbrella of “Belly Dance.” And to me, belly dance is both an ancient and modern dance…
