Respecting Middle Eastern Dance Culture

I wanted to share something my own teacher shared with me a few years ago. She travels to Egypt regularly to study with some of the great Egyptian dancers and teachers, and she says it’s normal to be welcomed into Egyptian homes and spend time dancing with Egyptian women.

Unfortunately, many dancers don’t realise the significance of some of the dance moves they learn and so take them away and add them to their performances.

What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas

When you get together with your girlfriends for an evening, it’s an unwritten rule that what passes between you stays between you. There are many things you would say to your closest friends that you would never expect to be blabbed to other people.

It’s like the “old” saying “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas“!

Women dancing together in Egyptian (or Turkish, or Lebanese) homes are exactly the same. Some of the moves you dance in private are the equivalent of talking about your s*x life to a friend.

Too often we blunder into other people’s cultures and take what we want for our own use, whether we understand the significance or not (and this isn’t just limited to dancing).

Try to be respectful in your dancing and remember that this is a significant aspect of ancient cultures. By all means, dance the way YOU feel, interpret the music in YOUR own way, but be grounded by good technique and a responsible attitude.

Bookmark to:

Technorati Tags: egyptian belly dancing, middle eastern dance, respect in belly dancing, turkish belly dancing