Article Compares Sadie & Kaya's America's Got Talent Performances to Stripping

[MsCaddell]

I've been keeping up with Sadie & Kaya on America's Got Talent, curious to see how far they would make it in the competition. In that vein, I decided to look up articles on the subject, to see what's being said outside of the bellydance community. Go here and read the following article: Kaya and Sadie promote Erotica on America’s Got Talent | Small Screen Scoop

What do you think of the writer's judgement? Do you agree? Or are you offended and defensive of Sadie & Kaya?

In a similar note, how do you feel about their performances yourself, outside of what this article is saying?

 

[MsCaddell]

Here's a Video of Their Week 3 Performance

I think this is their last one before elimination. My opinion from looking at this is that the male judges' lasciviousness might have ruined their chances of continuing on to the next round. Pierce and Howie made it all about how turned on they were. Sharon was the only one to talk about actual talent and marketability potential.

 

[Shanazel]

I didn't think the remarks were particularly lascivious- c'mon, these are guys on television playing to an audience. I thought it was a nice Las Vegasy kind of performance which is probably more inline with this kind of contest than an elegant Egyptian performance would be. I hope they win and think there is a certain amount of sour grapes going on with the writer of the article.

I was a lot more offended by the refusal of the television network to allow the Lane Bryant commercial air time (see the article). Big girls looking sexy is a no-no. Apparently we're only acceptable when we look down, out, and ashamed.

 

[gisela]

It is like the writer is making K and S responsible for the camera zooming in on bare skin and for the judges' stupid remarks. That is not really fair is it?!

 

[Gia al Qamar]

<<There is no cultural respect you can siphon from their performance. They act more like glorified strippers than bellydancers. >>

Sadly...I have to agree. Technically, both dancers are well trained, but leaping to the floor and undulating while gazing in open mouthed porn-star fashion at the camera is NOT what this dance is about. If you know this duo's history, you know that they've created a well earned reputation for, as the writer of this article says 'over sexualized and far too erotic...' dancing.
You can't sell the sexual aspects of this dance and expect that your audience will appreciate the artistry once you've pushed that to the background or haven't brought it to the table at all.
Howie and Pearce reacted predictably to a jiggling bunch of flesh.
And...please...someone explain why they allowed the powers that be to put them on stage with TIKI torches and men in what looked like quazi Polynesian attire? :think:

 

[lizaj]

I think the criticism is extreme. They are certainly allying themselves to the sexee side of this dance but they aren't the only ones to make milage out of this and turn sensual to "exotic",Las vegas-style whatever
They re not strippers but they haven't got a good record on "exposure" and I can undertand some dancers attitude towards them over in the USA. Those who want to present a culturally sensitive picture..something the "dynamic duo" ( Yeh the Batwoman and Robina of US BD) have not exacty attempted to grasp....will never approve. I don't think they'll ever be able to shake off their rather grubby past so I undertand where the writer is coming from.
If they hadn't got that past I'd shrug at the AGT performances and say well what can you expect in that venue..they have to go for Flash Bang Wallop and they have to put up with the silliness of the brain-dead "judges"(Judy they ain't!).
When I try to ignore taxi-cabs,Karma Sutra and down market rap videos, I still come up with the fact that I don't like their heaving,popping,boob-thrusting style, their lack of connection to emotions and music and their boob-enhancing bras
I wish I had their waists though

 

[Aniseteph]

At least the writer differentiates what K&S do from bellydance/bellydancers in general, AND strippers from bellydancers. Yay!

I can't quite work out where she's coming from though. She's not a dancer bemoaning misrepresentation ("No doubt, there is a talent and art to belly dancing". Umm, yeah.) so assume it must just be that their lewdly bouncing boobs are too much for US TV. I don't know - are they especially bad compared to music videos, or other dance acts that get on the talent shows? Why pick on them especially?

LOL at K&S saying in that clip that they represent real women. Whaaat? I can't get my head round this, are they flying the flag for Ms Average Bod then? :lol:

Banning that underwear ad though - good grief. IMO we've all had "super-thin with unfeasibly large boobs" pushed in our faces (so to speak) by the media for so long that they are scared silly by the dangerous potential eroticism of something a little rounder.

PS. Batwoman and Robina... <snort>

 

[Elvira]

I like the part with the veils, it was very stylish. And then suddenly they danced like they could lose their skirt at any moment...

This was the first video I've seen of them, but they do seem to be on the raunchy side of bellydance I don't think they represent bellydancers in a good way, they are confirming the prejudices about bellydancers. I can see why people who know nothing about bellydance are confused.

It was more exotic dancing then oriental dancing.

 

[gisela]

At least the writer differentiates what K&S do from bellydance/bellydancers in general, AND strippers from bellydancers. Yay!

I can't quite work out where she's coming from though. She's not a dancer bemoaning misrepresentation ("No doubt, there is a talent and art to belly dancing". Umm, yeah.) so assume it must just be that their lewdly bouncing boobs are too much for US TV. I don't know - are they especially bad compared to music videos, or other dance acts that get on the talent shows? Why pick on them especially?

LOL at K&S saying in that clip that they represent real women. Whaaat? I can't get my head round this, are they flying the flag for Ms Average Bod then? :lol:

Banning that underwear ad though - good grief. IMO we've all had "super-thin with unfeasibly large boobs" pushed in our faces (so to speak) by the media for so long that they are scared silly by the dangerous potential eroticism of something a little rounder.

PS. Batwoman and Robina... <snort>

i so agree with everything you said here.

 

[Suzanne Azhaar]

Normally a quiet lurker, logging in to say I disagree with the written article. There are many variables to consider with this show (besides not holding S&K responsible for camera angles, judges inarticulate babbling, or backdrops/props.)

Speaking only from my point of view~ They are responsible for their dancing, have their own style, and I haven’t seen anything too mortifying as of yet.

Things to consider~

A minute and a half to impress the judges, studio audience and viewing audience at large, could you do it?

These are smart business ladies. The prize is a million dollars, approximately $25,000 over the next forty years. How many belly dance competitions and gigs would a dancer have to enter and win to clear that amount after paying for classes, fuel, airfare, hotels, meals, entry fees and costumes/makeup, etc.?

The North American public isn’t educated about belly dance. (Cell phones, yes. Belly dance, no.) As such, they don’t know the history of the dance or S&K. And do they really care? I don’t think so; explaining for twenty years now, and still deal with inappropriate questions on a regular basis. People are going to think & believe what they will. BD has been fused with every whim, culture, dance form out there and it’s still called belly dance. Why blast these two for being who they are?

How many times have you heard, “She’s talented, but that’s not my style”? Why should that make a difference as to whether or not the dancer performs? (Shakira didn’t ask me if I liked the way she dances and fills enormous auditoriums.)

These two believe in themselves enough to try out, are still there, and have a goal (a million dollars). Perhaps even a secondary plan~ acting? Sometimes all one needs is enough air time to become a household name to garner a significant income.

Example~ Jersey Shore from MTV, those miscreants are earning greater than $30,000 per episode (twelve episodes per season) and currently recording Season 3. Would be willing to bet none of them have a college degree.

Like it or not, these ladies are attempting to earn an income in a depressed economy and gaining recognition for who they are as performers. I don’t have to like their exotic historical leanings or them as performers, but I do give them credit for being confident and talented enough to go after a million dollars.

Must go, have a wedding I am not being paid a million dollars to perform at.

 

[onela]

Ehh I'm not going to quote anybody in particular as I've got too much ADD to get that involved in who said what but there are sentiments in this thread that I agree with- I also thought their double veil routine was great, and that the second half of their performance wasn't to my tastes. I wouldn't mind having studly men fan me with palm fans though!

I also disliked their "real woman" schtick in the interview clips. Speaking as a dancer or just as a woman, I don't relate to them and their narrow definition of "real woman". In all honesty that was enough to put me off.

 

[Greek Bonfire]

What I don't get is that on a show like Dancing With The Stars, they will do some hot Latin dances and they are okay with that. Some of those moves are more sensual than bellydance moves but since it has a different label, it's acceptable.

Put a "belly" on the label and it becomes porno Go figure.

 

[Shanazel]

Re: real women. I think Sadie and Kaya believe they are ordinary women from ordinary backgrounds making their mark in an extraordinary profession and thus striking a blow for real or ordinary women everywhere. I've met Kaya and she didn't strike me as stuck on herself. I also know her teacher, Marjorie of Colorado, who said success could not come to a nicer person than Kaya.

Suzanne hit it perfectly when she wrote:

Like it or not, these ladies are attempting to earn an income in a depressed economy and gaining recognition for who they are as performers. I don’t have to like their exotic historical leanings or them as performers, but I do give them credit for being confident and talented enough to go after a million dollars.

 

[Darshiva]

I watched the veil routine & I thought it was lovely & then they dropped to the ground & the grinding began & I just thought 'Girls, everyone knows that guys don't vote on America's Got Talent!'

 

[Gia al Qamar]

I watched the veil routine & I thought it was lovely & then they dropped to the ground & the grinding began & I just thought 'Girls, everyone knows that guys don't vote on America's Got Talent!'

:clap::clap::clap:

 

[shiradotnet]

I think one thing that weakened Kaya and Sadie's positioning on the show was that they didn't offer a back-story that would tug people's heartstrings. Other contestants talked about the struggles they have been through: poverty/lack of opportunity for dance training, illness, etc. Some talked about how, if they won, they would use their prize money to help their parents. Some spoke of deceased parents who would be so proud if they could see them today. In contrast, Kaya and Sadie just said it was their dream to win - compared to all these other people, they just didn't present themselves as someone people could feel an emotional connection to.

Although on the surface the show bills itself as a talent show, the contestants need to motivate audiences to pick up the phone and vote, and talent alone is not the only element that is needed for that.

 

[nightdancer]

At least they were honest, though. Didnt someone a few years ago win some sort of reality show, rooted in "My dad died, my mom was a drug addict that left me, I raised my two siblings, etc" and it turned out she was from the Upper East Side in New York and her parents were accountants, or something?

 

[LunaXJJ]

I'm generally not a fan of reporters, as they tend to stretch the truth, and overexaggerate.

This is just furthering the stereotypes associated with belly dance. Its actually really sad.

 

[Shashi]

K&S

I think it's wonderful that these two young, beautiful, talented belly dancers who are ambitious, are seeking out opportunities in the mainstream. It's so wonderful to finally hear other dancers applauding them for their getting out there and trying to make some money in this profession. Some belly dancers have said some pretty nasty things about their past. However, I didn't see any of the complainers trying out for AGT or being creative in trying to promote belly dancing or making money, just a lot of sour grapes about what the public might think about belly dancing. S & K are here to stay, they do have talent and yes they are sexy and do promote that style. I congratulate them and wish them the best in their endeavours.

 

[jenc]

I think it's wonderful that these two young, beautiful, talented belly dancers who are ambitious, are seeking out opportunities in the mainstream. It's so wonderful to finally hear other dancers applauding them for their getting out there and trying to make some money in this profession. Some belly dancers have said some pretty nasty things about their past. However, I didn't see any of the complainers trying out for AGT or being creative in trying to promote belly dancing or making money, just a lot of sour grapes about what the public might think about belly dancing. S & K are here to stay, they do have talent and yes they are sexy and do promote that style. I congratulate them and wish them the best in their endeavours.

Let me declare at the outset that I am over 60 and struggling to lose a little weight around my waist. if you think that means that I am jealous, so be it! I have to say that for me (and my sig other) the routine was not sexy - I thought that it was more a serires of tricks that put my in mind of a kind of raunchy cheerleading!! for me sexy is subtle