Troubled

So what do American belly dancers do now?

We love and embrace the music and dance from Egypt and the Muslim Middle East. Most of us try to promote all of the arts of the Arabic world and dispel the image of religious fanatics. After 9/11 things were very bad. Here we are again with the attack on the American embassy that has left four of our citizens dead. This makes me angry and sad.

Now what?

Keep telling our students and customers that not everyone “over there” is like that and these are isolated incidents? I do not want to hate monger against Muslims, so what am I supposed to say when everything people are hearing in the news are attacks targeting foreigners, women, Christians, and Jews? I realize every religion and culture has its drawbacks, but this is above and beyond. I don’t think Americans are buying into the “isolated incident” idea anymore.

What makes it worse for me is that I’m a former military, American woman whose father is Jewish, mother is Christian, and I belly dance. I feel like most Muslims would think I’m the Devil himself. How am I supposed to reconcile who I am with my love of Arabic arts? What do I tell my students? What do I tell myself?

We go on. That's what we do.

We are dancers. We are artists. Yes, the things that are going on in the world do upset me. I care that innocent lives are lost because there exists those who do not hold all life precious. But I'm not about to let ANYONE stop me from doing what I love. Simple as that.

Many hugs to you, Jane. You are a precious sister in dance. I don't have all the answers; I'm not sure that I can argue or explain on an intellectual level when it comes to bellydance apologetics. But then, why should I have to apologize for anything?

My grandmother taught me that there is good and bad in ALL people, regardless of race or religion. If we give up what we love because of the evil people out there, they've won already.

These aren't isolated incidents, nor should you try to convince anybody that they are. However, you are clearly buying into the "single story" of an entire people (or entire peoples, really). I would highly recommend watching this video:
TED Blog | The danger of a single story: Chimamanda Adichie on TED.com

Over here all we hear about "them" is the terrorist attacks, "over there" all they hear about us are our drones and invasions. M

aybe if we would start looking at other people (whoever they may be) as PEOPLE--who are very much like us and have many of the same needs--as individuals with cultures every bit as complex as ours, instead of seeing them through the filter our media gives us and allowing them to be represented by their government and/or the worst among them, maybe then, we would see that there is no conflict, there is nothing to be reconciled.

Yame said:

However, you are clearly buying into the "single story" of an entire people (or entire peoples, really). I would highly recommend watching this video:
TED Blog | The danger of a single story: Chimamanda Adichie on TED.com

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To say I'm buying into the "single story" idea is to simplify the issue. I am *not* one of the single track orientalist belly dancers who essentializes and romanticizes the Oriental other. I've known and worked with enough Middle Eastern people. I've done my homework and paid my dues over the twenty years I've been involved in Middle Eastern dance. I've branched out and studied. I do see them both as individuals and as diverse groups. This is why my gut reaction is so disturbing to me.

When I first read your question I had no idea how to answer. It's a good question and one that comes up anytime something tragic like this is occurring. We have an advantage in the US that when there are these tragedies in other countries we're often the refuge for those who are forced to flee their own countries. Here we get to see the best of their cultures expressed by those refugees even while their home culture may be imploding. Our own culture becomes enriched by their presence. Here we can preserve arts and skills that could be lost in the general destruction. In a way your dancing is preserving some of what is best about their culture, you're fighting against cultural disintegration by just being.

I don't know if that helps you at all though.

The only response I can think of when you need something short and to the point is, "The same people who are responsible for all these horrible things are also trying to destroy this dance. Why should we let them win?"

Their politics are much like ours in that they're dominated by religious fanatics and the "normal folks" and the moderates, and the non- and other- belief systems, don't have a chance.

As I've said many times, cultural matters are rarely simple.

Egypt is in a lot of social upheaval right now. Even before the revolution, the economy was in dire straits.

One huge societal issue was that young men were unable to find jobs that paid enough to support a family, and without income, they weren't going to be able to get married. In Egypt, the parents of a young woman won't let their daughters leave home to marry a guy who will be unable to support her. They expect the couple to wait until he can support them. So these young men are trapped, in adult bodies and brains, but unable to FUNCTION as adults with incomes, their own dwellings, spouses, and children. This had created a lot of rage and social unrest even before the revolution.

Another factor is that the Egyptian economy has gotten worse since the revolution. Tourists are staying away, due to fear of getting caught in "incidents" such as those we've periodically heard about on the news, and tourism has traditionally been a HUGE component of the Egyptian economy. Without tourists, the economy has gotten even worse. Hotels and restaurants have laid off workers, souvenir sellers are unable to move inventory, Nile cruise ships are in dry dock, etc. When people don't have jobs, and can't support their families, they often look for someone to lash out at, someone to take out their frustrations on. Unfortunately for Egypt's economy, such lashing out will delay economic recovery, as the tourists won't return until the situation stabilizes.

Another factor (which I mentioned in a different thread) is that during last year's revolution, about 25,000 criminals were released from prison as part of the chaos and are still at large. I imagine a number of them are participating in a lot of these out-of-control-mob actions that make the news just for the fun of it.

With so many volatile elements at work, it wouldn't be difficult for an agitator to stir up an angry mob.

Nothing is black and white, we can like certain aspects of things and dislike others. Dance is an aspect, a good one and no amount of current bad news from the ME could change that. People who love art will still love it. Each culture got its good and bad, and we should try to focus on the good things, those enrich us.
I think I have been lucky to have and have had students and customers who understand that. I have never been questioned but if I had I would explain it as I did above. I think in general people who are ignorant and who would question us would not come for belly dance classes or wouldn't book us for a gig.

The irony is the same illogical linking of belly dance with terrorism is the same urge that justifies killing Americans because of a movie made by other Americans.

Something else my grandmother taught, and that was to look for the good in everyone, unless they prove themselves otherwise. She was a big believer in giving everyone a chance, and she allowed for mistakes. Only when a person proved himself/herself consistently bad/evil/selfish did she shun anyone. She couldn't stand anyone who would hurt or step on others to accomplish whatever personal agenda they had. She believed in taking people on an individual basis, and not judge a whole group or race of people for what a few did or said.

A culture that has given much artistically is indeed precious. I can't help but feel that in spite of all the terrible things that happen "over there," the people of the Middle East still manage to find joy, and they express that joy.

As to what has happened lately (especially in regards to the video that was made making fun of Mohammed), yes, we have freedom of speech in our country, but just because a person has the right to do something doesn't make it right when it's harmful or disrespectful. I'm not saying the killings and the riots at the Embassys that are going on are right, but neither is disrespect towards someone else's culture or religion. Two wrongs don't make a right.

EDIT: Oh, geez, you must have posted while I was still writing this, sorry, Kashmir!

Definitely look at each person as just one person, not as a part of a group. All cultures got good and bad things, but I like to ignore that and judge a person for who they are as person just like your grandmother said. In my circle of friends we are a very mixed group from places all over the world. No one really takes notice of that unless we talk about something interesting we like from someone's culture
I think that we are very blessed with this city we live in, it's one of the best multi cultural places!

Kashmir said:

The irony is the same illogical linking of belly dance with terrorism is the same urge that justifies killing Americans because of a movie made by other Americans.

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I was just thinking the exact same thing a few days ago. I'm hearing so many people complain about Muslims and suggest some horrible things over the past few days... when it's exactly that same logic that was used by the perpetrators of the attacks to kill innocent Americans.

This is not from Cairo, but rather Libya. However, I find the perspective to be a good illustration of what may be a more typical (possibly?) reaction from your average person, regardless of their country of origin. Video shows Libyans trying to rescue US ambassador - Yahoo! News

First of all sweetie, you need to explain to them that this is not a "Muslim" dance. The dance originated in Egypt and spread to neighboring regions. But its roots predate any of the major religions. Further more, Islam, although the dominant religion, is not the only religion. Christians and Jews also live in most of those countries and they all grew up listening to the same music and doing the same dances in the same way that people in the USA regardless of religion all listen to the same music, watch the same movies etc.

What is goin on in North Africa and the Middle East is social unrest due to dictatorships, economic turmoil and lack of opportunities. A lot of he outrage against the US is due to anger over our foreign policies. However, it should be kept in mind that the news cameras only show a one dementional view of these societies. They tend to show up when things blow up, they tend to focus ONLY on those areas and ignore the rest of the society, pretty much what they do on a regular basis. We will never learn what those societies are like or what people are really thinking, because we ignore them.

So you don't have to sugar coat things, make excuses or pretend. The dance is a part of their culture that is a celebration of life and despite all the troubles people may be experiencing, when they remeber that life is still worth living, they dance.

Jane said:

So what do American belly dancers do now?

We love and embrace the music and dance from Egypt and the Muslim Middle East. Most of us try to promote all of the arts of the Arabic world and dispel the image of religious fanatics. After 9/11 things were very bad. Here we are again with the attack on the American embassy that has left four of our citizens dead. This makes me angry and sad.

Now what?

Keep telling our students and customers that not everyone “over there” is like that and these are isolated incidents? I do not want to hate monger against Muslims, so what am I supposed to say when everything people are hearing in the news are attacks targeting foreigners, women, Christians, and Jews? I realize every religion and culture has its drawbacks, but this is above and beyond. I don’t think Americans are buying into the “isolated incident” idea anymore.

What makes it worse for me is that I’m a former military, American woman whose father is Jewish, mother is Christian, and I belly dance. I feel like most Muslims would think I’m the Devil himself. How am I supposed to reconcile who I am with my love of Arabic arts? What do I tell my students? What do I tell myself?

Click to expand...

Yeah I get a bit of flack for this as well, but I reply not everyone in every country is hell bent on wiping the other out and what we see in the news is minorities speaking on behalf of silent majorities, quite likely scared silent majorities that just want to get on with life like the majority of us.

But belly dance and belly dance music, do we hear the militants playing it, no we don't, it is not associated with them, what it is associated with is holiday resorts and so by that what we do in celebrating an aspect of their culture is simply celebrating an aspect of their culture and nothing else, we are not supporting the militants we are listening and dancing to the universal language of music which in this case just happens to come from a people axes are ground against,but it was not always so and belly dance has been around a lot longer than western antipathy towards the culture where this comes from

But there is something else particular to the west that is not very nice and that is the constant need for a bogeyman to enable the war machine as make no doubts about it, war is profitable, it is an industry, much money and many jobs depend on it. But who is the next bogeyman, wel that is simple look to a part of the world where someone has something you want and make them your enemy, for it working with the British Empire, it always works.

And then there's this.....

Libyans storm Islamist militia base in Benghazi - Yahoo! News

Iranian Woman Beats the Crap Out of Cleric for Telling Her to Cover Up



We need to have alternative views as well. People need to be informed that the news is not always accurate. Its business and unfortunately, most of the time, its the entertainment business. If it bleeds it leads. Very few news outlets are interested in human intrest stories. They look for what is going to excite the public and push emotional buttons.

Extremists wouldn't even allow belly dance music to be played, only religious music is allowed and belly dance is of course out of question, so how can belly dance and its music be related to extremists?

Amulya said:

Extremists wouldn't even allow belly dance music to be played, only religious music is allowed and belly dance is of course out of question, so how can belly dance and its music be related to extremists?

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This.

And its coming HERE - if we're not careful. We have our own home-grown version of this...

Tell me about it. The Discover program for the county school district banned belly dance from being taught in elementary school even though I taught the program at elementary level for over fifteen years without anything but rave reviews and invitations to teach again. ONE parent who had not even seen the class protested and the school district shut me down. They wouldn't even discuss viewing the program themselves before making the decision- too afraid of controversy.

HOWEVER: the high school PE teacher just requested two full days of dance classes for her students in November for the third year in a row. :lol:

Shanazel said:

Tell me about it. The Discover program for the county school district banned belly dance from being taught in elementary school even though I taught the program at elementary level for over fifteen years without anything but rave reviews and invitations to teach again. ONE parent who had not even seen the class protested and the school district shut me down. They wouldn't even discuss viewing the program themselves before making the decision- too afraid of controversy.

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WHAT????? >:0 WHAAAAAT?!?!?!? OH, that makes me...why, I oughtta...OH, I'M LIVID!!!!! WHAT the heck did that parent think you were teaching?!? >:/ And the school didn't even give you a chance! Arrrrrrrgh, I'm gonna be angry the rest of the night!!! >:/

PARENTS, pfffffffft...