The Debacle
First, I want to say, that being a Rakkasah Instructor this year was and still is for me, an achievement of a lifetime of dance. I am honored that Shukriya asked me and I would never do anything to cast a shadow on this fabulous event nor her 26 years of hard work. I want her to be glad, even proud to have asked me, not disappointed that she did. And I do hope I am asked to come back again to teach. Teaching or not, I will be back. Most of you have read my annual articles about Oberon and I - our trek to either East Coast or West Coast Rakkasah, how much fun we have and the wonderful performances, instructors, vendors and friends we get to see and spend time with. So, Shukriya - - from the bottom of my heart, “Thank You and Thanks for the Memories”.
As a Teacher/Instructor/Performer we have a responsibility to our students and audience, those individuals spending their hard earned money and valuable time to be with us. That responsibility is taken seriously by most of us, sadly by a few, it is abused. I value my moments both on the stage, and in the classroom (both as an instructor and student) and don’t intend to de-value that by an act of maliciousness. If/when you disappoint your students, fans, fellow dancers, it can be a long road back, if you can find the entry ramp to the highway at all.
I have received a barrage of calls and e-mails from people across the country wanting to know if I was going to step up to the plate and say something about the debacle at Rakkasah this year. Actually, I didn’t want the responsibility of writing anything - - didn’t want to hurt Shurkriya or Rakkasah any further. I am being told however, I can’t always write about the roses, when there are thorns in the bush. I said, “Why should I give the perps even an ounce of publicity”? Yes, that is what one calls a person/s who have violated anyone in a violent way. Webster’s defines Perpetrator this way: one who perpetrates; esp., one who commits an offense. Simply, I have and still am torn on this issue - but as you see, here I am - speaking up. Those of us who can, should.
I have called the dance performance so many of us were held captive to (or subjected to) at Rakkasah, the “Debacle” which Webster’s describes this way: a disastrous confusion.
What does one say or even do when witnessing a train wreck? It is hard to turn away as we keep thinking the cars will quit falling off the track. Then, do we talk about it or do we simply walk away, sick to our stomachs, sad and grief stricken or even angry if we feel someone deliberately wrecked the darn train? This is also how I have heard the debacle referred to - a horrible train wreck.
Personally I am disgusted at the behavior displayed. The performance gave way to slavery, racism, and sex - on a stage in which so many true icons in our business have offered beautiful and truly artistic performances. All this happened in a room with families - children for goodness sake. It made me feel violated in an indescribable way. I personally saw no artistic value because this was NOT the venue in which to present that kind of performance. If they really new anything at all about Kama Sutra, they would realize this was NOT the venue. And believe me, I am far from being a “prude” but I am intelligent enough to understand when is or isn’t the right time for this kind of content. For Shukriya to have to post an apology to her own website makes it clear most of the people present were not pleased either. Add to that the enflamed postings that went on for weeks after Rakkasah.
Lesson learned? I doubt it. People who act so maliciously and with so little respect for those around them normally don’t care about lessons. The excuses posted make it clear they see nothing wrong with what they did - - your basic, “that’s my story and I’m stickin to it”. In fact, they seem to believe they are the victims in some way. Did we learn a lesson as an audience, workshop attendees, promoters? I do hope so.
I want to share something that someone in our business who is extremely well known and highly respected and whom I have never ever heard say an ill thing about anyone. This person walked up to me in the middle of the debacle and said, “Well, I guess this is what you do if you can’t dance”.
So, you see, the lesson the Perps really should learn is that at that moment, their best dancing was not going to do them a bit of good and actually went unseen by nearly everyone present. The saying, “You can’t see the forest for the trees” comes to mind. (Or is that, we couldn’t see the dancers for the bushes?).
As to any publicity being better than no publicity - - well, I guess we know how that is panning out don’t we?
I am sad for anyone who thinks this is, or ever was Middle Eastern Dance, Raks Sharki, Orientale Dance, ATS or Belly Dance. It wasn’t even Kama Sutra (the supposed theme of the debacle) because it was too sloppy and overdone. Nothing graceful or loving about it. Our dance art, and Kama Sutra do have something in common however. Love and respect for our partner/s. There certainly was and is a complete lack of love and respect shown by the performers for their audience, and in turn, now for the performers by their audience. This for once seems to be a case in which it is acceptable to say, “Turn about is fair play”. They won’t receive respect from this camp!
I leave you with a quote by the incomparable Mae West. I found this accidentally and it just seemed to be the perfect way to finish my comments, considering all the climbing that was going on (in more ways than one).
* She's the kind of girl who climbed the ladder of success... wrong by wrong! . . Mae West
....... Zaina Hart
