Good question in today’s Star Poll.
We must remember that ‘bellydance’ is the Western name for this art form and the word belly is believed to come from ‘beledi’ a style of Arabic dance meaning ‘from the heart.’
The style of dance that is associated with harems and ‘dance of the seven veils’ is not true bellydance and therefore, I would not associate it with family fun or the art of bellydance for that matter.
However, traditional Bellydance is a soulful dance form that is traditionally done in a galibeya (a long dress) with a hip scarf or now a cabaret outfit (bra top and skirt), is a style of dance which empowers women and is a form of expression – it is not to lure men and in fact originates from a ‘fertility dance’ and women celebrating together – there are even male bellydancers now.
SO why, do people question bellydance and not Cirque du Soleil? Why is Peter Andre dancing topless acceptable to family’s but women dancing in cabaret outfits aren’t?
We are in a society today that seems obsessed with sexualizing women, children and even men but why should we go along with society’s stereotypes?
Bellydance is not sexual, it is an art form and it is sensual as it is powerful. Are we really becoming that crude where we believe that any flesh on show is too much, or women portraying confidence is intimidating and something that should be hidden?
For me, bellydance helped me escape society’s ‘norms’ that to be a dancer or to be beautiful I should be stick thin. It also helped me to see how often action is more powerfl than words. When I dance I don’t do it to pleasure men, I do it to liberate myself and most of all to connect with an audience with this emotional dance style. These emotions can include happy songs, sad songs and even cheeky and fun songs.
Bellydance is a positive celebration, a theatrical event, a musical show and most of all a bridge between two cultures.
The international Bellydance Superstars (BDSS), who were founded by former manager of Sting and the Police Miles Copeland, are bringing Europe’s biggest bellydance festival to Sheffield. Their spectacular Saturday night show will be compered by Sheffielder Sophie Mei.
This not-to-be-missed festival involves 3 days of spectacular workshops lead by the Bellydance stars themselves, a huge souk (large market of bellydance wear and products), live bands and DJs, Middle Eastern Buffets, Superstar Auditions and the all new Bellydance Superstars Show: The Art of Bellydance.
This major theatrical dance extravaganza, whose show The Art of Bellydance rivals those byRiverdance and Cirque du Soleil with its spectacular visual feast, will appeal to both families and a wide spectrum of dance enthusiasts.
Family-friendly and featuring bold new choreography, exquisite costumes and new production elements, the Saturday night show The Art of Bellydance builds on the BDSS troupe’s renowned reputation in highlighting a variety of bellydance styles and unique fusions in a way the world’s major stages have never played host to before.
The Bellydance Superstars (BDSS) are at the forefront of a worldwide explosion in prestige and popularity in the art of Bellydance, taking this once largely solo performance, and ancient art of Middle Eastern culture, into the 21st Century mainstream.
