"Floorwork" - the dark side

[Gia al Qamar]

And the male involved in the vulgar display....was he belly dancing too?

:clap::clap::clap:
Nuff said.

 

[Caroline_afifi]

And the male involved in the vulgar display....was he belly dancing too?

Are people around 'Belly dancers' in Gigs 'belly dancers?' I think not.

I have never said this was cool or great. I just said I do not really like floor work as it all looks the same to me. It looks like I have rubbed a few people up the wrong way and not just in this thread (nuff said was joke by the way and not from this thread).

I was tempted to attach a number of you tube videos of dancers in the 'west' doing similar things and floor work which looked like simulated sex b oth with and without people present. But I cant be bothered with the discussion as it is pointless now.

Gia, Take the dance which ever way you want, disregard the rest.
I was only giving my opinion.
It was not even aimed personally at you, I dont have a clue who you are. You obviously love your floor work but prefer to see it as 'artistric' and have a go at anyone is doesnt.

 

[Aniseteph]

Just want to say I really appreciate Caroline's input on belly dance in Egypt.

I'm right on board when it comes to disapproving of sleazed up belly dance in the West, but IMO it is interesting to get some sort of perspective on how the, er, earthier? aspects are accepted or otherwise by native communities in the ME.

 

[Caroline_afifi]

Just want to say I really appreciate Caroline's input on belly dance in Egypt.

I'm right on board when it comes to disapproving of sleazed up belly dance in the West, but IMO it is interesting to get some sort of perspective on how the, er, earthier? aspects are accepted or otherwise by native communities in the ME.

Thanks for this. I feel the same as my threads in other areas have shown.
That is why I am not such a great fan of floor work as it is the easiest thing in the dance to go completely wrong. It is actually illeagal in Egypt because of what is symbolises. There are a few rebels as this video shows.

 

[Shanazel]

I have seen some beautiful floor work over the years, but rarely if ever used it in performance myself. I never liked dragging my costumes around on the floor, I have lousy knees, and sometimes I danced in places where I felt safer on my feet. A teacher used to tell us that floor work came about from dancing in tents with low ceilings, but I suspect that is just one more belly dance legend.

 

[da Sage]

I have never said this was cool or great. I just said I do not really like floor work as it all looks the same to me. It looks like I have rubbed a few people up the wrong way and not just in this thread (nuff said was joke by the way and not from this thread).

I was tempted to attach a number of you tube videos of dancers in the 'west' doing similar things and floor work which looked like simulated sex b oth with and without people present. But I cant be bothered with the discussion as it is pointless now.

Knee work, split work, layback/drops, and plank style laybacks (side and back) tend to look very different to me. And I hope I wouldn't confuse crunk with stripper work, or a comedic skit with bellydance floorwork.

Caroline, I do agree with you that a lot of floor work looks the same to me...especially the poorly executed kind, and the "hey look, I can do floorwork" kind. But a properly rehearsed, well-timed floorwork section can add a lot to some performances.

 

[Reen.Blom]

Are people around 'Belly dancers' in Gigs 'belly dancers?' I think not.

I have never said this was cool or great. I just said I do not really like floor work as it all looks the same to me. It looks like I have rubbed a few people up the wrong way and not just in this thread (nuff said was joke by the way and not from this thread).

I was tempted to attach a number of you tube videos of dancers in the 'west' doing similar things and floor work which looked like simulated sex b oth with and without people present. But I cant be bothered with the discussion as it is pointless now.

Gia, Take the dance which ever way you want, disregard the rest.
I was only giving my opinion.
It was not even aimed personally at you, I dont have a clue who you are. You obviously love your floor work but prefer to see it as 'artistric' and have a go at anyone is doesnt.

Caroline, here have a hug *hug*

Keep on posting! I find your posts very informative and learnt alot from your posts about Egypt!

*Hands Caroline a big slice of a Chocolate cake, how does Black forest sound to you?*:lol::lol::lol::lol:

 

[Salome]

Dear Caroline,

just thought I would mention that floorwork is, what's the word I'm looking for... a traditional part of the American Oriental (amcab) genre. Especially for the old schoolers or those who were trained by them. Like many other elements of American style, it's a hallmark that reflects the influence or relationship to Turkish style. In our routine structure, the floorwork segement is usually the third segement and typically isn't brief, but like a drum solo or entrance song - it is it's own section. Not trying to change your mind or anything just to illuminate that some people will feel defensive or offended by floorwork being dismissed because it is an important part of the dance to them I too enjoy your posts. For fun, thought I would include some floorwork videos that reflect the style of floorwork I'm referring to:

 

[Gia al Qamar]

All nice examples...thank you for posting Salome!
My idol of floorwork is NYCs Rayhana...
This is a link to an online clip that shows just little bits of her floorowork...it is positively magical and breath-taking in the literal sense...
:: RAYHANA ::
Caroline, I am not sure why you seemed personally offended by my posts...I was indeed surprised that someone who said that they had a limited exposure to floorwork would be so vocal about her dislike of it...but...I support your right to have your opinion even when it differs from mine!
Gia

 

[Eshta]

And the male involved in the vulgar display....was he belly dancing too?

No, but you have to admire his dedication in trying to continue singing throughout it all!

 

[Caroline_afifi]

All nice examples...thank you for posting Salome!
My idol of floorwork is NYCs Rayhana...
This is a link to an online clip that shows just little bits of her floorowork...it is positively magical and breath-taking in the literal sense...
:: RAYHANA ::
Caroline, I am not sure why you seemed personally offended by my posts...I was indeed surprised that someone who said that they had a limited exposure to floorwork would be so vocal about her dislike of it...but...I support your right to have your opinion even when it differs from mine!
Gia

I think it was the 'Nuff said'. I used this as part of a joke which went astray in another thread so it felt like a personal dig. It didnt bother me too much so dont worry.
I did say earlier I had seen Raksan of Berlin and this dispaly was fabulous. I have also seen some serious skill with a sword but mostly I have felt like I watching something I would preffered not to have. There is not so much of it in the UK.
I will watch the clips. Thanks.

 

[Caroline_afifi]

Caroline, here have a hug *hug*

Keep on posting! I find your posts very informative and learnt alot from your posts about Egypt!

*Hands Caroline a big slice of a Chocolate cake, how does Black forest sound to you?*:lol::lol::lol::lol:

Sounds like just what i need! thank you for being so considerate. A big kiss to you x

 

[Erina]

Gosh initially I thought that was very alarming.
Then by the end it was so absurb I found it mildly to strongly amusing.

 

[Shanazel]

Oh, Salome, floorwork to Bolero, surely one of the most boring songs ever written, despite what Torvil and Deane created from it a couple of decades ago. I assume she did floorwork as opposed to anything else so she'd be close to the ground when she fell asleep?

 

[Caroline_afifi]

Thanks for the clips. I am not used to seeing floor work like this.
It did take skill etc. but it looked incredible erotic fantasy and still simulated sex for me. Some of it actaully made me cringe. I just think it is not my thing at all really.

It looked clever but very sexy and erotic and everything in the West seems to be geared up for the sexy and erotic so it had very little meaning for me.
I will stay in the minority and prefer the rebels in Egypt despite being crude, rude and funny, it has more of a political statement attched.

 

[Gia al Qamar]

I think it was the 'Nuff said'. I used this as part of a joke which went astray in another thread so it felt like a personal dig. It didnt bother me too much so dont worry.

Wow...that's honestly unfortunate...I didn't read whatever thread you're referring to...so what you thought was a personal 'dig' was really me just using a time worn phrase that had nothing at all to do with you...
I think it's time to put this to bed and move on eh?

 

[Caroline_afifi]

Wow...that's honestly unfortunate...I didn't read whatever thread you're referring to...so what you thought was a personal 'dig' was really me just using a time worn phrase that had nothing at all to do with you...
I think it's time to put this to bed and move on eh?

Yes I suppose. Although i am really interested to know how other people see it etc?

I will show other people in my house and see what they think. Perhaps it is just me?

 

[Mosaic]

Dear Caroline,

just thought I would mention that floorwork is, what's the word I'm looking for... a traditional part of the American Oriental (amcab) genre. Especially for the old schoolers or those who were trained by them. Like many other elements of American style, it's a hallmark that reflects the influence or relationship to Turkish style. In our routine structure, the floorwork segement is usually the third segement and typically isn't brief, but like a drum solo or entrance song - it is it's own section. Not trying to change your mind or anything just to illuminate that some people will feel defensive or offended by floorwork being dismissed because it is an important part of the dance to them I too enjoy your posts. For fun, thought I would include some floorwork videos that reflect the style of floorwork I'm referring to:



Love the music in the first vid, and she is very graceful, I didn't mind that one, I would have like very much to see her dancing on her feet though. The other 2 ( showing my age) somewhat too much for me. If I tried that sort of thing I would look like a big fish out of water and would never be able to get up again!:lol:

I suppose some dancers do floorwork here in Oz, but so far i haven't seen any.
~Mosaic

 

[Salome]

Thanks for the clips. I am not used to seeing floor work like this.
It did take skill etc. but it looked incredible erotic fantasy and still simulated sex for me. Some of it actaully made me cringe. I just think it is not my thing at all really.

It looked clever but very sexy and erotic and everything in the West seems to be geared up for the sexy and erotic so it had very little meaning for me.

Howdy

Well one clip is of Sema Yildiz, she's Turkish and does Turkish style, not western. And as I said this is where 'we' got it from. There isn't anything really done on the floor, that isn't done standing. Except maybe the splits. Do you find Turkish and or American style dancers generally sexy/erotic/with little meaning? Or is it the context of being on the floor? Curious minds want to know.

 

[Caroline_afifi]

Howdy

Well one clip is of Sema Yildiz, she's Turkish and does Turkish style, not western. And as I said this is where 'we' got it from. There isn't anything really done on the floor, that isn't done standing. Except maybe the splits. Do you find Turkish and or American style dancers generally sexy/erotic/with little meaning? Or is it the context of being on the floor? Curious minds want to know.

Just the floorwork. The last two clips were particularly erotic and looked like the simulation of sex and touching the body etc.
I dont understand how it can be perievd as anything other than erotic?
I could never do it myself.

I know very little about Turkish, but my husband said it was used in the old Egyptian movies to show slaves competing to 'turn the men on' at slave markets etc. There is something about the floor I do not like and it seems a very submissive posture to me.
By the way, his eyes nearly popped out at the last clip.