First, I want to say that I am so pleased that my Facebook news feed over the past day has been filled with thoughtful conversations from dancers of a variety of ethnicities discussing the Salon article about "white" bellydancers (see link to article at the bottom of this post). How awesome is my world now that what has gone viral for me is an article about cultural appropriation in bellydance and the ensuing discussions surrounding it?! Thanks to some thoughtful quotes by other dancers, I have decided I do, in fact, want to add a few of my cents into the pot - even just to keep my own intellect in tact and to be sure I am being a respectful dancer in the field.
The writer is well entitled to her opinion and it is indeed valid...for her. Just as not all white bellydancers can be lumped into the same culturally appropriating category, not all Arabic writers will have the same opinion about bellydance or "white people" bellydancing. There have always been those in power who oppress others, take their culture from them, reshape it into something cheap and plastic and glossy, and sell this watered-down version of their culture back to them at a price they cannot afford.
As a white women, I try never to be too far from the knowledge that I sometimes have privileges not always offered to all women of color, which deeply saddens me. Because of this, I feel a duty to be eternally grateful, to not take my privileges lightly or for granted, and to do my damndest to use them for good and to try to ensure others have those same privileges. Part of that is that I always try to learn about other cultures and to share in them. If I live in my own narrow view of my own narrow culture, I don't think I could ever try to become a better human in a world filled with FAR more cultures than my own. To not occasionally partake in or at least start to learn about other cultures in some capacity, for me, is not only stifling, but a pretty self-centered little reality. But I also do my damndest to know my platform - I am a Westerner approaching a culture other than my own and so I try to stay open and teachable. Dance is a perfect way to do that - I have to be open and teachable about my technique, my artistic expression .... and about many cultures other than my own (not just Arabic). And in this endeavor, I aim to achieve a cultural exchange and sharing rather than appropriation. But for me, belly dance is dance. It is art. Its public image has been shaped by cultural appropriation of Middle Eastern culture turned into two-dimensional stereotypes. Its public image, however, has also been shaped more by patriarchal systems across many different cultures perhaps more than anything else. And as a woman, regardless of my culture, I dance not to depict a harem fantasy or to entertain men for some cheap pleasure; I dance because in all cultures, it celebrates joy and music and community and relationships. And I belly dance because as I learned more about the art form, its debated history, and the myriad of cultures from which it comes, I wanted to do my part to show gratitude for the fact that this dance exists. It is my humble hope that that I can play even a small part in helping my audience see the respectable art form that is Middle Eastern dance so that some of those old patriarchal and stereotypical ideas can start to dissipate. Belly dancers of all cultures have the ability to do that if we are respectful, learn, stay open and teachable, and stand and dance in solidarity with dancers from the Middle East, North African, Turkey, Greece, Spain, Iran, Romania, Kuwait, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Australia, Germany, Canada, the U.S. ...
And, in one final parting note, belly dance has been reshaped for centuries by positive influences and cultural sharing. Mohamed Abdel Wahab was influenced by western music, Mahmoud Reda by jazz and Broadway and western movies, Badia Masabni by ballet and western theatrics and business practices. And the dance was heavily influenced throughout the region, traveling to Spain and mingling with flamenco, picking up Roma traditions, incorporating African music and movements, and dialing in other cultural art forms. Sometimes it is cultural appropriation. Sometimes, though, it's just sharing and exchange.
http://www.salon.com/2014/03/04/why_i_cant_stand_white_belly_dancers/
The writer is well entitled to her opinion and it is indeed valid...for her. Just as not all white bellydancers can be lumped into the same culturally appropriating category, not all Arabic writers will have the same opinion about bellydance or "white people" bellydancing. There have always been those in power who oppress others, take their culture from them, reshape it into something cheap and plastic and glossy, and sell this watered-down version of their culture back to them at a price they cannot afford.
As a white women, I try never to be too far from the knowledge that I sometimes have privileges not always offered to all women of color, which deeply saddens me. Because of this, I feel a duty to be eternally grateful, to not take my privileges lightly or for granted, and to do my damndest to use them for good and to try to ensure others have those same privileges. Part of that is that I always try to learn about other cultures and to share in them. If I live in my own narrow view of my own narrow culture, I don't think I could ever try to become a better human in a world filled with FAR more cultures than my own. To not occasionally partake in or at least start to learn about other cultures in some capacity, for me, is not only stifling, but a pretty self-centered little reality. But I also do my damndest to know my platform - I am a Westerner approaching a culture other than my own and so I try to stay open and teachable. Dance is a perfect way to do that - I have to be open and teachable about my technique, my artistic expression .... and about many cultures other than my own (not just Arabic). And in this endeavor, I aim to achieve a cultural exchange and sharing rather than appropriation. But for me, belly dance is dance. It is art. Its public image has been shaped by cultural appropriation of Middle Eastern culture turned into two-dimensional stereotypes. Its public image, however, has also been shaped more by patriarchal systems across many different cultures perhaps more than anything else. And as a woman, regardless of my culture, I dance not to depict a harem fantasy or to entertain men for some cheap pleasure; I dance because in all cultures, it celebrates joy and music and community and relationships. And I belly dance because as I learned more about the art form, its debated history, and the myriad of cultures from which it comes, I wanted to do my part to show gratitude for the fact that this dance exists. It is my humble hope that that I can play even a small part in helping my audience see the respectable art form that is Middle Eastern dance so that some of those old patriarchal and stereotypical ideas can start to dissipate. Belly dancers of all cultures have the ability to do that if we are respectful, learn, stay open and teachable, and stand and dance in solidarity with dancers from the Middle East, North African, Turkey, Greece, Spain, Iran, Romania, Kuwait, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Australia, Germany, Canada, the U.S. ...
And, in one final parting note, belly dance has been reshaped for centuries by positive influences and cultural sharing. Mohamed Abdel Wahab was influenced by western music, Mahmoud Reda by jazz and Broadway and western movies, Badia Masabni by ballet and western theatrics and business practices. And the dance was heavily influenced throughout the region, traveling to Spain and mingling with flamenco, picking up Roma traditions, incorporating African music and movements, and dialing in other cultural art forms. Sometimes it is cultural appropriation. Sometimes, though, it's just sharing and exchange.
http://www.salon.com/2014/03/04/why_i_cant_stand_white_belly_dancers/
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