Cultural appropriation, or plain old racism???

[Ariadne]

Who decides it is "an art form"?

Well the people who write dictionaries for one. If you look up the definition of dance one of the results is "the art of dancing" and under origin and history it lists:

"dance
c.1300, from O.Fr. dancier, perhaps from Frankish. A word of uncertain origin but which, through French influence in arts and society, has become the primary word for this activity from Spain to Russia. Replaced O.E. sealtian. Related: Dancer (mid-15c.)."​

I have never actually heard of any dance NOT being considered an art including "just raqs, and raqs sharqi, and all the others", they're all art. Any art that has strong ties to a culture does require that those ties be treated with respect be it dance or painting etc.

So while I agree with you that saying "we like your dance so we'll define it as 'art' then it belongs to us" is wrong that isn't actually what sultan said. She said that "no one group can claim it to the exclusion of all others" and with the possible exception of arts with religious significance I have to agree.

 

[Rania]

It appears to be plain old racism, on her part. As a white girl who belly dances I don't care for hearing remarks such as "Your white how could you be a belly dancer?" "Or oh you don't look like a belly dancer!" However, Ms. Jarrar took things to a whole other level then other remarks I have heard. While I can respect a different opinion while at the same time as disagreeing I find her article to be not worthy of to much respect and is offensive, because of the way it was written.

Its not a matter of what a person says its how they say it. The words "Can't Stand" and other words she used to choose her writing, shows nothing but pure sarcasm, not her opinion, or concern written in an approate respectful manner. Why does she tittle the article why I can't stand white belly dancers? Instead of why I can't stand non Arab belly dancers. Or a more respectable tittle would have been "Why I think belly Dancers should be Arabic." I almost forgot to mention the offensive remark about black ballerinas in her offensive article number II.

Yes, Rhonda Jarrar is part Palestian and Egyption. However, I have seen her pictures, and she is fair skinned white woman herself, that is of Palestinian and Egyption hertiage. Ms. Jarrar acts as if skin color, is an indication of race or ethnicity and its not. Fair skin, dark skin, tan skin is no more an indication of race then hair or eye color.

Either way our world as become so diverse due to the globalization, traveling and technology, and has only added beauty and a cultural twist on this art form.

 

[Greek Bonfire]

Racist to the core. And we would probably see more Arab dancers if most of the people of that heritage weren't so opposed to their own women and men performing the dance publicly. But excuuuuuuuuse me for being born white.