Brave New Bellydance World

I loved the last 2 bellydance festivals I visited ... Tribal Caravan and Shaman's Vision. Many thanks to both Desiree and Afra. But I also felt alienated from the "Brave New" Bellydance world ...

As a Greek American ... the fusion of American & Near Eastern cultures attracted me to bellydance. Bellydance festivals were the only place (other than a Greek Orthodox Church) where I felt a sense of cultural belonging. Instead of being "different" ... at bellydance festials it was actually cool to be Greek-American };>

But Modern Fusion has changed that.

The Brave New World of Bellydance seems utterly Americanized. The music is western, the moves are hip-hop, jazz dance, burlesque. My favorite act at Tribal Caravan was Myths & Legends ... which has about as much to do with bellydance as classical ballet. Loved 'em. Felt grateful for the opportunity to see their act ...

... but what the FRACK was it doing at a BELLYDANCE FESTIVAL???? I am seriously confused here, folks.

is it the ineveitable evolution of art? After all ... the French no longer "own" ballet ... why should the Near East own bellydance?

I think other factors apply, though.

It occurs to me ... bellydance festivals are about the only place ADULT dancers and choreographers can express themselves on-stage. Face it, the minute most people graduate from school ... unless they become professional dancers ... they will never dance on-stage again.

Yes, if you do a social dance like Ballroom, Tango, or Salsa ... there are plenty of competitions, festivals, etc. But what about soloists? Dancers who like to choreo their own material? Explore their own concepts?

Nothing. Zilch. Zero. Where is there a "freestyle" dance festival for adult dancers and choreographers? Nowhere ...

... except perhaps at Bellydance festivals.

Somehow ... bellydance festivals became the only place ADULTS could dance on-stage and do their own choreographies and concepts.

And please don't throw the word "Fusion" around ... what I see lately at Bellydance Festivals has gone WAAAY past fusion ... Myths & Legends' act is NOT fusion ... it is their own original, wonderful, thing.

The point of all this? Well, FUSION has become an umbrella that makes many bellydance festivals more like ADULT FREESTYLE Dance Festivals. Nothing wrong with that. I am in favor of Adults dancing freestyle. keeps them off the streets and out of trouble.

And really ... what kind of dancer would I be if I just sat around and complained? REAL dancers embrace artistic evolution. See our troupe Kotu Kedi for an exploration into Tribal Fusion ... that stays true to near eastern roots & culture.

And for those of you (surely I can't be the only one?) who actually MISS Old Skool bellydance ... we will be mixing it up at Ojai Bellydance festival. The theme is live music & improvisation ... how they used to do it back in the day };>

Fusion is welcome, too ... bring it ALL on ... but be warned ... you will see dancers playing zills and you will hear real near eastern music };>
Dedicated to exploring the new Freestyle Fusion ... AND dedicated to keeping old skool alive and shimmying.

www.neareastdance.com/Festival.html

Cheers,
Natasya

Defending Marriage

This is totally unrelated to bellydance ... but I do occasionally think about other things };>

While channel surfing the radio today, I tuned into a Christian rock station (don't get me started on Christians co-opting the devil's music ... couldn't they just stick to gospel?) Anyway, I heard a newscast about a California initiative to "defend" marriage.

Defend marriage from what?

The newscasters on the Christian rock station seemed to think marriage was threatened by gays marrying and that Californians need a law to define marriage as "one man one woman".

In 7 years of marriage ... our marriage has been threatened by many things ... but married gay people isn't one of them.

What does threaten our marriage?

Well, the crappy economy for one. When we both work 60 hours a week to make ends meet ... it seriously reduces our marital bliss factor. Not that we fight a lot ... but we have fought about MONEY waaaaay more often than gay marriage. In fact, I don't think we have ever fought about gay marriage. We are too busy WORKING to worry about OTHER PEOPLE's marriages!

So how, exactly, does gay marriage threaten my marriage?

Hmmm ... I guess after money most "one-man-one-woman" couples (and ours is no exception) fight about housecleaning. Husband doesn't .... wife nags. You've seen this movie.

I have heard gay men are better housekeepers than straight men. So I suppose there is some temptation to marry a gay guy who would clean more ... but being gay ... he wouldn't want to have sex with me ... he would only want to have sex with my husband and that brings us into a whole confusing realm of group marriage ... not my cup of tea. So ... like many straight women I have decided that if extra cleaning is the price I must pay for sex with the man I love .... so be it.

I guess that brings us round to the REALLY big threat all marriages face ... the temptation to stray.

But exactly how does banning gay marriage help with that? I have been propositioned by STRAIGHT men more often than gay women! And if lesbians or gay men are a threat to our marriage ... aren't MARRIED ones less of a threat? Wouldn't a happily married gay guy be LESS likely to hit on my husband than a horny single gay guy?

Hmmm. Maybe the opinion czars in Christian radioland need to reconsider their position. SUPPORTING gay marriage would probably defend my marriage more than banning it!

Whoa!

In the face of such blatant illogic ... I can only turn to an old reporter's adage: Follow the money.
Who stands to benefit by banning gay marriage? Surely not me, my husband, nor any of the other "straight" married folks we know.

Could it be that INSURANCE companies don't want to pay "spousal benefits" if they can worm out of it? Could it be that corporate insurance interests are callously manipulating a segment of the population with emotionally-charged rhetoric to get out of paying spousal benefits for gay couples?

Nah. I mean insurance companies really care about people and really WANT to make sure we ALL have great medical coverage. You know this is true ... just think about the wonderful, caring, personal, service you received the last time you called your insurance company ...

cheers,
Natasya

Fusion & Traditional Roots Bellydance

Bellydance has undergone a revolution in the past few years. Modern Tribal Fusion has risen to the forefront. LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT. But I also hate it sometimes ... when this shallow, co-opt other peoples' culture thing happens. Bellydance is NOT an American invention ... even though we invented American Tribal Style ... the form still has its roots in NEAR EASTERN DANCE.

Suhaila Salimpour made a great comment (BDTV 2004) to the effect that she had the right to do fusion more than anyone because at least she KNOWS what she is fusing ... I don't think she is the only one ... but I certainly appreciate her viewpoint };>

That is where bellydance starts to get shallow ... when it is like a flower cut from the roots ... it looks pretty ... but it will only live a week or so in the water vase of "trend". If you graft onto the roots ... the flower will live longer.

I suppose our new style may someday become a truly American fusion art form in its own right ... like Jazz or Blues music ... are we there yet? Can we get there on a repertoire of 15 repetitive movements and some cool costumes? Time will tell ...

Tribal Style Bellydance Classes in Ojai & Ventura

Learn the folkloric roots of classic tribal style, zills, and avant garde urban tribal in a friendly supportive atmosphere.
Monday night classes in Ventura
Wednesday night classes in Ojai
All levels - beginner through troupe performance.
more info posted here:
www.neareastdance.com

thank you for reading
Natasya

Daniel's Birthday party & jam

This Saturday 12/22
For any of you who might be in Ojai area and reading this.
Dan Sr. is coming down and we will be rockin the toonz, imbibing, and otherwise celebrating the birth of my favorite person on the planet ... Daniel.

Party in Ojai 5pm - ???
Call 805-640-5781 or e-mail for address do NOT rely on tribe messages as i only read them once per week
Bring musical instrument, food, drink, or dance to share.

cheers,
natasya