Belly Dancing with a Snake??

[NewDancer77]

Hi,

I know it's been a while since I posted, I've been busy with moving and work. I Hope I'm posting this in the right section. As I posted/mentioned before, my Mom is the main reason in how I got into BD and she does perform. I Was just talking to her and she's going to be performing with a snake tonight!! Now to me that is slimy!! But on a serious note is this common? What kind of snake is usually used?? Not going to lie I'm a bit concerned.

Thanks,

Geoff

[Zorba]

Its common enough to where I've seen it multiple times. If the snake is handled respectfully and very carefully, there's nothing wrong with it - but incorporating the snake with one's dance needs to be well done (like everything else), otherwise it ends up looking silly. We had a local dancer years back who had a number of snakes - unfortunately, one of them eventually grew entirely too large to dance with, she was too busy trying to manage this huge snake to do much dancing.

As for type of snake, usually a smaller constrictor of one sort or another. Texas Rat Snakes seem to be popular.

With all that said, I generally don't care for it for the same reason I generally don't care for sword dancing. Too cliche', and rarely done well. There are exceptions.

[Darshiva]

If the snake is the beloved pet & friend of the dancer, there is trust, love and obvious care for the snake involved, then why not - they can make good dancing buddies. If the snake is a prop? HELL NO! Just don't ever go down the snake prop route.

And - obviously - never during moult.

[Ariadne]

Now to me that is slimy!!

Ah, have you ever actually held a snake? They are anything but slimy.

Zorba and Darshiva are right though, it's all about respect. As long as she treats the snake with respect then there shouldn't be any issues.

[Shanazel]

Unless the snake gets agitated during the performance for some reason and lets loose with some nasty stuff snakes are prone to release when upset.

I'm not a fan of dancing with a snake for the same reasons Zorba presented. In forty years, I have not seen a belly dance where the snake contributed anything artistic or unusual.

[Zorba]

Its actually more fun to watch my wife if she's in the audience where a snake dance is going on. Her neck disappears...

[Kashmir]

Had a mini lecture in Brisbane on snake dancing (no snakes in NZ and we are not allowed ti import them :-( ). You have to handle them well; feed them well in advance of the performance (to avoid lethargy or excretion); and have a spare if for the moult. That said, I'd like a pet snake but a bit too woo-woo for me as a dance partner.

[Bellydance Oz]

My friend Eleni dances with a snake (it's not hers, she shares it with another dancer). She does it because it pays well. I can't believe the snake actually enjoys it, so frankly I wish she wouldn't.