If another dance form, not Burlesque, was performed as a 'special item' at a bellydance performance, would this be as misleading? Say, if someone had a flamenco act, or maybe a latin dance act, would that be a problem? Just wondering if it's isolated to Burlesque and Bellydance because of their perceived 'tease' element (mind you, has anyone watched a good lambada? if that's not overtly sexual, I don't know what is!)
To keep the pasties on, they use doublesided tape btw! But I do NOT know how they manage to swing the tassles in two directions. Mine I'm sure would only point to the floor in despair!
But I do NOT know how they manage to swing the tassles in two directions. Mine I'm sure would only point to the floor in despair!
I always thought that was an urban myth!!! I want to see a vid then my curiosity and interest will be all done!
The performer herself may know the difference. . .The audience will not.
It's a simple and sad-but-true fact. Most Americans already think bellydance is sleazy or it's used for "turning on" men. . .
If your website or promotional material shows pictures of you doing burly and belly dancing, do you REALLY think that people are going to realize "Oh there's a big difference between these two dances, and she's a master of both of them" ? No, they're going to see belly dance as just another form of "stripping" -- and as empowering as that may be, it has no more to do with belly dancing than it has to do with tap dance, or learning Irish folk dances.
I have some questions..
What is burlesque exactly? what is the relation between it and ME dance?
Is what people teach and learn in their weekly classes Burlesque?
Is burlesque something so easy everyone can do it and any 'belly dance' teacher can teach it?
I have fifty more to ask but this will do for now...
It's been said before but the "Little Egypt" "link" has to do with the way dance developed in the US not in the ME and Burlesque pre-dates Chicago.
The development of what we call Raqs Sharki dates from the early-mid 20th century in Cairo so ....
Its whole purpose is to tease the men who are watching, saying "you can look but don't touch".
I am slightly confused by your response, especially the 'so....' I'm not really sure what to make of that. It gives the impression that you are suggesting my post is completely misinformed. But please explain this to me as I feel I may have misunderstood the tone of your post.
The question to which I was directly offering that reference to little Egypt was Caroline Afifi's question 'What is burlesque exactly? what is the relation between it and ME dance?'. The question wasn't to do with dance developing in the ME, it was to do with any links between burlesque and Belly dance. I wasn't trying to suggest that the link had anything to do with development of dance in the ME.
Please also note I didn't say that little Egypt's appearance started burlesque, I am well aware that burlesque existed long before that date. I said it was near the point at which stripping became a regular occurrence.
The original poster's question didn't relate specifically to any time period of either burlesque or belly dance either; it just said do they mix.
I actually would argue that it almost definitely didn't begin that way and nor is that its whole purpose nowadays.
Burlesque began as comedic, satirical routines. More like acting I suppose, rather than dancing. It became more risqué over time until gradually it became burlesque as we know it today, often (but not always) involving the removal of garments. However, just taking clothes off does not make a good burlesque performer. Burlesque at its best, as I have seen it, stays true to it's roots and is funny and tells a story. I have seen awful acts who have just dressed up as schoolgirls/librarians etc (there are lots of 'themes' that get done to death) and take their clothes off to a piece of music which are not creative, amusing or skilful at all.
I would certainly dispute that it is for teasing men. Burlesque audiences are predominantly female.
I am slightly confused by your response, especially the 'so....' I'm not really sure what to make of that. It gives the impression that you are suggesting my post is completely misinformed. But please explain this to me as I feel I may have misunderstood the tone of your post.
The question to which I was directly offering that reference to little Egypt was Caroline Afifi's question 'What is burlesque exactly? what is the relation between it and ME dance?'. The question wasn't to do with dance developing in the ME, it was to do with any links between burlesque and Belly dance. I wasn't trying to suggest that the link had anything to do with development of dance in the ME.
Please also note I didn't say that little Egypt's appearance started burlesque, I am well aware that burlesque existed long before that date. I said it was near the point at which stripping became a regular occurrence.
The original poster's question didn't relate specifically to any time period of either burlesque or belly dance either; it just said do they mix.
What burlesque is:
The word burlesque means literally 'to make a mock of'. It never used to revolve around striptease but now that tends to be a main part of a lot of acts. ...
Links to ME dance:
The significant documented link I know of is through little Egypt dancing at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. ...
it would be wrong of me not to add that there are also plenty of acts who work to uphold traditional burlesque styles and work very hard to make acts that are comedically brilliant and/or elegantly danced who don't focus just on the strip element and wearing clothes from underwear catalogues.
Surely it doesn't really matter what burlesque should be, it's what it is today that matters.
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