Ok, I’m probably preaching to the choir, but dancers, and especially
instructors, ought to be reading as part of their study of the dance. There are
classes and workshops, DVD’s and on line classes, shows and blogs; so there’s
plenty of media on belly dance. But don’t forget the books and magazines! There
are several great books out there, and there are fantastic publications in both
hard copy and online. Am I biased because I am a staff writer for "The
Belly Dancer Magazine" at ishimmy.com and have been published in
"Zaghareet!?" I don’t think so, but I am a regular subscriber to both
and just added “The Belly Dance Chronicles.” I subscribe to several dance
newsletters and own quite a few books from “Serpent of the Nile” to the “Tribal
Bible.”
There are so many fascinating reads out there that cover history,
culture, technique, costuming, make-up, presentation, etiquette and so many
more things that dancers should endeavor to know. Some of it is pertinent to
the now, and much of it is good solid information for the ages. You can find
out what the trends are in different parts of the world, and you can learn
historical details that are important to be aware of. You can see fabulous
pictures with reviews capturing spectacular events. You can learn of upcoming
events or instructors in your area or where you might be visiting. You can find
recipes, poetry, artwork, and descriptions of the actual countries of the
Middle East, North Africa and the Mediterranean.
Reading educates you, so that you represent the art form in a respectful
and informed manner whether you are dancing or teaching or talking about it to
others. By reading, subscribing to publications or clicking on advertisements,
you support those who put passion and love in to their craft so that others may
benefit from it. It also enhances your level of professionalism, because then
you are familiar with the dance and how you are presenting it. What you are wearing,
what you are dancing to, and the movements you are using should be congruent
with what it really is. There are people out there putting costumes on and
they’re dancing to a national anthem, or they’re calling it belly dance and
it’s nothing more than someone shaking their groove thing in a bedlah. By
enhancing your learning about the dance through reading materials, you can
learn what is belly dance and what is not.
I’ve mentioned some periodicals in this article, and there are a whole
lot more out there. Go and support your local bookstore or direct publisher.
Ask your teacher for ideas and search online for choices; some are national,
some are more local, and many have book reviews that you can read to see which
ones interest you. Some libraries occasionally have something to check out.
There are lots of fabulous options out there to choose from, so read to your
heart‘s delight!
