The BOB reloaded!

Bob

Dear Yshka,
The BOB Factor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That's Brilliant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Scientists should immendiately start looking for it in the gene pool!!
Hugs to you,
A'isha

Dear A'isha,
lol! Maybe it IS genetic - in the MED part of the family that is. (thinking of my sister who has a slightly BOB'ish thing going on even after 1 year of dance... )
Would sure be cool to have scientists find that out now wouldn't it!

Love,
Yshka

Yshka said:

Dear A'isha,
lol! Maybe it IS genetic - in the MED part of the family that is. (thinking of my sister who has a slightly BOB'ish thing going on even after 1 year of dance... )
Would sure be cool to have scientists find that out now wouldn't it!

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Maybe it is genetic as well as contagious Let's spread the BOB Factor

Originally Posted by Chryssanthi Sahar:
Let's spread the BOB Factor

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YEAH!!! Let's spread it and educate the world some more!

Maybe we could also send out missionaries to like.. convert and educate the ignorant (and other MEdance-degrading-reputation-ruining folk out there)? Bellydance patrol

Bob

Dear Yshka,
Ahhhh.... now we are getting down to the crux of the matter. I can't tell you how many times I have been referred to as a "Belly dance Nazi"!!!! LOL!!!
Regards,
A'isha

Dear A'isha,

ROFLMAO!!
Belly dance nazi??? (completely ignoring negative german-nazi connotation): Now that BOB exists, you might even take that as a compliment ! BOB'ly speaking, that's like the highest title a BOB could ever have lol!

Guess you're not alone anymore, you've got many bitches behind you worldwide in your quest now

Love,
Yshka

BOBs

Dear Yskha,
It DOES turn out that I find myself in some p[retty great company these days!!
Hugs to you, A'isha

Dear A'isha,

You sure do! And we are very proud and happy to have you with us in BOB

Love, Yshka

Yshka said:

Dear A'isha,

ROFLMAO!!
Belly dance nazi??? (completely ignoring negative german-nazi connotation): Now that BOB exists, you might even take that as a compliment ! BOB'ly speaking, that's like the highest title a BOB could ever have lol!

Guess you're not alone anymore, you've got many bitches behind you worldwide in your quest now

Love,
Yshka

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Dear Aisha you are definitely not alone Being a BOB means searching for the essence and not for the superficial glam. So let others be the "superstars" We are the BOBs , yeahhhhh!!!

You've got a slogan. What about a mission statement - explanation - etc. that could go on the back of the shirt. Other dancers who share your sentiment might want the shirts too but don't know about this thread and could draw another conclusion regarding the acronym...

Salome said:

You've got a slogan. What about a mission statement - explanation - etc. that could go on the back of the shirt. Other dancers who share your sentiment might want the shirts too but don't know about this thread and could draw another conclusion regarding the acronym...

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Yeah Salome, you're right. We must find a statement. Let's start to propose some statements. My proposal would be: "Be authentic" or "Go for the essence". Let's gather some more statements and decide then. Aisha has always very good ideas. So Aisha dear, what is your proposal?

"Belly dance: it ain't just shakin' whatever will move."

shanazel said:

"Belly dance: it ain't just shakin' whatever will move."

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LOL

*applause* Love it!

Bob

Dear Group,
What do you think of this for a mission statement?

The BOB mission is to uphold the integrity of the dances of the Middle East and their fusion off -shoots, through clarity in instruction, sincerity in performance, correct labeling of dance forms and honesty in presenting dances to the public. It's all about "ESSENCE"


Many thanks to Chryssanthi for suggestiing the use of the word essence as a part of our mission statement.
Regards,
A'isha

The clarity, sincerity, and honesty parts are very good. Don't care much for the labeling part. What constitutes proper labeling is one long ongoing battle that even the BOBs are never going to agree on, and if we are serious about a mission statement, I'd hate to see a standing disagreement made part of it.

BOBs

Dear Shanazel,
The whole BOB issue is one of "labeling" in fact. If it isn't belly dance, don't call it belly dance, and belly dance is defined as "an authetntic ( Middle Eastern/ North African) ethnic dance in movement and spirit". There is total honesty and integrity in calling one's art "fusion" or "American" if that is what it is. Belly dance is merely the American ( and generally western) term for those dances that come from the Middle East and North Africa. The average westerner does not think of belly dance as meaning something from the west.

Does anyone else want to submit a mission statement?

I leave mine as is or withdraw it. This is what being a BOB is all about.
Regards,
A'isha

I like it!

You ladies were very creative coming up with BOB! I love it! And definitely prefer the acronym to the the harsh sounding B-Word! I find it amazing and amusing that so many people, men and women consistently label any woman that has a mind of her own, opinionated, articulate enough to speak her mind, DEMANDs what she wants or fights for what she thinks is right, A BITCH! Which translates to: Who does she think she is? She is full of herself! and thinks she is ALL THAT because she is, has...
Well, the bad news is, WE CAN´T WIN! Too docile, delicate and soft spoken=Weak and not taken seriously. Too outspoken, independent and self-sufficient=The all inclusive B-Word . The good news is: If you are lucky and smart enough to survive all the bullet holes shot in you for being so damn exceptional, you become one of the ELITE! Living life on your turns with your middle finger turned up to those that don´t approve! For those of us that often get labeled with this distinguished title, ROCK ON!!! It´s already been said before, "Many will hate you, but most will admire you."
Tenica

Dear A'isha,

You are certainly entitled to withdraw anything you like, though I think it is a shame to adamantly avoid any kind of compromise or meeting of minds at all. People fight a lot of wars over "my way or no way" and it appears to me that insisting on absolutes leads mainly to bad feelings at best and blood shed at worst. You have indicated in the past that the only forms of dance that should be called belly dance (American term though that is) are those that are recognized by middle eastern people as belly dance, and the branch forms such as American Cabaret or American Oriental should not be called by this admittedly western term to avoid offending anyone of middle eastern extraction or confusing the poor stupid audiences of the west who might think AmCab is a form of belly dance straight from the heart of Egypt. Middle easterners can't even avoid offending middle easterners- look at the way some of those cultures treat their dancers. This is appreciation for their own art form?

It's the old saw- I trust me to draw all the boundaries, but I'm not sure I trust you or her or him to draw the boundaries. Shall we declare war and the winner gets to write the rules, or shall we do what we can to accommodate each other while acknowledging differences in philosophy? It has been a long time since I announced, "If we don't do it my way, I'm taking my marbles and heading home" and I'm not going to do it now. I liked your statement very much with the exception of the labeling part, and if that means I am compromised as a total BOB, well, I reckon I am. It won't be the first time I've failed to be a complete and total adherent to any one philosophy. It is one of the drawbacks of trying to see more than one point of view.

Bob

Dear Shanazel,
I feel that you have misunderstood me all together if you think my point of view has the slightest thing to do with what Middle Easterners think. It is the American term, as I have stated many times, for Raqs Sharghi and Oriental Tanza, regardless of literal translation or lack thereof. When the average American says "belly dance" he/she is not thinking westernized art influenced slightly by another culture. The expectation is that there will be a legitimate offering of entertainment from another country.
I see the problem as being based in way too much compromise over the years. That is what has led us to all of the nonsense that is being done in the name of "belly dance" today. It is time to really take a stand and defend the dance for a change, instead of being so very careful and politically correct. Otherwise we can look froward to a lot more of the same. I have spent too much time trying to "see more than one point of view", much to the detriment of a wonderful dance.
Today I get to see stuff like Kaya and Sadie, and Rajiputi of the dead animal skins, and women with spikes in their backs, and women with costumes covered with bones throwing spears at each other...all claiming to do belly dance....because of countless years of compromise. I would say that I am not exactly "insisting on absolutes" either, just because I want people to state honestly what it is that they are presenting to the public. If I were insisting on absolutes, I would be like some people and believe that there is nothing but belly dance and nothing else should even be presented unless it is authentic... a thing that I have definately NOT supported in either word or deed. I happen to be very supportive of and work with artists of merit who are doing fusion and other forms of dance that are not belly dance, especially when they are brave enough to say so.
I stand by my statement as written; no compromise. If that makes me a belly dance Nazi, so be it. I think we need more people who are willing to put their reputations on the line instead of letting people walk all over the dance. I have never said that there was no room for fusion or other styles of Middle Eastern influenced dance, only that there should be clarity in definition. Why is that so scary to so many people? I have a friend who says its because people are afraid that their style will have no provenance or legitimacy if they do not have a ready-made label. Myself, I would hope for a more honorable reason of some sort.
I acknowledge our differences in philosophy. What I do not acknowledge is the idea that we can call anything we want by the name of "belly dance", which in reality is a very specific ethnic dance form. If it is narrow minded to want people to just say what they are doing, then gosh, I guess I am!!
Regards,
A'isha