Thanks, Darshiva! You're totally right. How did you convince that town that belly dance is an acceptable art form? My hometown has a decently large belly dance community, but the stigma is still there...mostly with some men that are not informed. As for women that aren't involved, I noticed that they only see belly dance as a way to get in shape (which it is!), but not as an art form. Is it a marketing problem? I'm sure some people have tried to change things, but I certainly need some guidance
Afrit said:To get respect you need to start by presenting high class performance to the public. So, no inexperienced students in public, no cheap costumes, no porn star faces, moves or costumes.
Jess said:As for women that aren't involved, I noticed that they only see belly dance as a way to get in shape (which it is!), but not as an art form. Is it a marketing problem?
If you are looking for respectability avoid offering spots to burly dancers (might be unfair but if you are having problems with respectability don't give people the chance to confuse what is what).
ITA with what's been said. IMO some people enjoy the idea that it's a naughty foreign sex dance, either for the titillation or for the chance to get offended or more likely a mixture of both, and they aren't going to give it up lightly. Whatever.