Letters to the Editor

Email the Snake editor@gildedserpent.com Thank you for contributing your personal opinion to the Mid East Arts community through The Gilded Serpent! Please keep your letters concise, under 500 words , If that isn't possible, consider writing an ARTICLE. Written to "the editor" (as apposed to another letter writer!) and about an issue discussed on this site! If that isn't possible, consider writing an ARTICLE. We regret we can't print all letters to the editor. We encourage free discussion at our tribe.net site - tribes.tribe.net/gildedserpent Please include your name, hometown and country. Please proof your message before sending. All opinions are welcome but those expressed here and elsewhere on Gilded Serpent are not necessarily the opinion of the editors and publishers. Our aim is be a forum of personal expression for the promotion of excellence in the Middle Eastern Performance Arts. Any letters sent to editor@gildedserpent.com will be posted at our discretion. Confidential messages should phoned to the editor at 415-455-8455.

9-1-5 re: A Story Written with Arabic Idioms; Why it is Difficult to Translate Arabic songs into English, Story by Annonymous, Translations and interpretations by Rima El-Mouzayen, Introduction by Najia Marlyz
Thanks! I'm learning Arabic and this might be very helpful when I come across one of these in something I'm reading or listening to.
Shukran jazeelin!

Jennifer Rosen
Denver, CO

9-1-08 re: Professional Presence by Aszmara
I was at Folk Tours that year as well and saw the ideal of professional presence in motion throughout your performance. Despite the facts that you had to take Souren to the hospital, returned to camp late, and had a different musician than planned, you went on as if nothing had ever happened. You embodied the music and performed flawlessly. Artemis and Dalia, who I am sure were also stressed by Souren's illness also gave amazing performances. Thank you so much for your insights.
Jen
Westchester NY

8-28-08 re: Professional Presence by Aszmara
I was at the Folktours show that Aszmara describes in this article. I have to add it was one of the most incredible belly dance shows I've seen in my life (and I've seen a lot of belly dance shows!). The music put everybody in a state of pure ecstasy. (I notice in the photo the clarinet player wasn't named. It was Ismail Lumanovski - look him up on YouTube, he is one hot, hot clarinet player. Also worth mentioning, is Seido Salifoski on Tabla - missing from the photo at that particular moment.) Dalia Carrella was so on, I was wondering how anybody could follow her performance, but then Aszmara came out and totally blew me away. Tayyar and Ibrahim did their great manly Turkish Folklore (including a really great Black Sea dance that has become a favorite of mine). Again I was left wondering how anybody could follow this line up of performances, but Artemis finished off the evening with such grace and a great sense of humor. I laughed I nearly cried, I about fell off my seat, and jumped up to give about 5 standing ovations that night. I truly feel bad for the people who weren't there to witness it.
A-feakin-mazing.

Shems
Baltimore, Maryland

8-19-08 re: Suhaila in the Phoenix, photos by Susie Poulelis, video by Lynette
Lynette,

I'm writing to comment on the issues around Youtube's pulling the performance videoclip material of Suhaila's "Phoenix" show that Gilded Serpent was invited to attend and cover. First, the footage was accurate and only recorded parts of performances during the show, so the reaction of Youtube in response to the "infringement" complaint seems over-the-top to me; you were press invited to cover this event! Suhaila, and many other performing dancers in the ME community, disallow videotaping during workshops and/or performances, but that strikes me as being directed at attendees in general, not press.

Still, Lynette, I've read your updates and am very glad you have consulted an attorney well-versed in copyright issues in the entertainment industry. I did view the all videoclip material on Gilded Serpent before it was taken down, and while it was fair and accurate footage, it was also the unvarnished reality and this is where the problem lies. Most performance artists work very hard at maintaining and controlling their "image". When they perceive that control of that "image" has somehow been usurped, they will intervene any way they can for "damage control".

At the end of the day, though, it's show business; this means ALL publicity is good! There are a myriad of ways Suhaila, can, if she chooses, put a very positive spin on the video clips/article on Gilded Serpent. After all, Suhaila's event was themed "Phoenix", and the mythology of the new phoenix that always rises from the ashes would make a very intriguing parallel to a life-long performing dance artist currently struggling to cope with major life changes and how that has affected their growth and representation of the dance.


Nisima
Pacifica, California

8-18-08 re: AWS 08 Not So Welcoming this Year by Yasmin
Dear Lynette,

Re: prices for the 2008 Ahlan wa Sahlan Festival
I was in Cairo on a buying trip this year and was also privy to some shocking prices. Since 2001, the price of a hotel room in the Hotel Victoria has gone up from $18/night with breakfast to $39/person. Costumes are up 35-40% in the last 2 years. Taxis are double. This is not true for non-American countries. Their countries are doing very well.

We are dropping our currency within the confines of the war in Iraq, the war in Afghanistan, the gas war and our manufacturers' sending all of their business to outside countries. Because of our cheaper economy, foreign investors are coming here and buying mortgages from banks and hiking the interest rates to whatever fantasy prices they want and hundreds of thousands of Americans are losing their homes and are forced to declare bancruptcy.

We need to nationalize American fossil fuels, keep our political noses to ourselves, heavily tax imports and reopen our factories. And we can drop out of OPEC.

OR, we can continue to support our own festivals right here in America where a dollar is still a dollar. And we can look forward to a different administration in Washington.

Thank you for your Snakebyte.
Best Wishes,
Kathe Alkoudsi
D.B.A. Cartouche

8-17-08 re: Making Recorded Music Memorable by Chandani
Thank you for your article on making cd's on Gilded Serpent. Great ideas! Please extend my thanks to your recording tech.

Love T
Tina Enheduanna
Orange County, CA

8-12-08 re: IBDC Vegas Part 3: Dream Big by Betsey Flood
About the IBDC- Behind the scene view from Delilah.

I got the invitation to the press party in the mail the week after I met Alex by chance in Long Beach at another unfortunately floundering belly dance event (not his). I found the idea of a press party curious, but didn’t take it too seriously at first. It was more like, huh? I wish, but no one does this up-scale kind of stuff in belly dance world these days. But I took another look when I found out from a mutual friend, that Amani and Lucy were really going to be there. Erik and I had a show I wanted to see in Vegas anyways so off we went.

I must admit I had fun at the press party. We were wined, dined, entertained and treated like Hollywood celebrities. What’s not fun about that? It could have been really cool, but unfortunately it was not very well attended. So it had a sort of lonely feel to it even though it was good to see some old friends. It was not a cheap party to put on either. Alex had a vision. It looked like he had some nice people working with him, but gosh not much time!

I told Alex if I was going to perform at his event I wanted to do a real show, not a 5 minutes dance by to a CD. I played him the sample CD of “House of Tarab” a six piece middle Eastern ensemble. We signed a contract to include vending space, all expenses paid, plus very generous pay to bring the entire band plus vendor helpers so I could teach and judge contests. It was way beyond what anyone in the belly dance contest and concert business has ever offered to do for judges, teachers, vendors, musicians and dancers. I must admit we thought his visions were off the chart (who didn’t?) but who are we to pooh pooh any one else's dreams? After seeing so much deterioration in belly dance world we wanted it too work out. We wanted some one to raise the bar and care about our realistic welfare as professional artists for a change.

We performed on Monday night and did a great job. The bands moral was high. The workshops were low attendance, but the contests were a delight to watch. Vending was dreary. When the weekends show was obviously falling apart, Alex came to me and asked if “House of Tarab” and I would perform on Friday or Saturday night again, but the band had just taken off on the plane back to Seattle.! Alex flew them all back the next day and Karim Nagi sat in. Laura Rose, the award winning Dahlia Moon performed with us on Friday night. We flew back Saturday morning to do a wedding in Seattle .

All our expenses were paid up front of course. Alex kept in close contact about the dilemma each month. We did eventually all get paid, but we did give him a brake given the fiasco of his situation.

Delilah
Seattle, Washington

8-11--08 Editor's update on the fair use law and video reporting-
Just an update on the situation with our coverage by the fair use law. I took your advice and consulted a copyrights lawyer I was referred to by the California Lawyers for the Arts.
This is what I learned:
This is a classic case of why the fair use law was created. The fair use law definitely protects Gilded Serpent in using video for newsreporting, critique and commentary. There is no law about the length of a clip that is allowed. The lawyer said it has more to do with not filming the whole performance. She said the only thing that she might have grounds for complaint is regarding protecting her choreography and that would be if I had filmed the whole dance. This performance was billed as opportunity to improvise to the band so this should not be a factor. It is helpful that I have the ticket they sent me that says “press” and “gildedserpent” on it. It is meaningful that both Vashti and Suhaila are familiar with how we have covered events before. They cannot invite me to cover the performance and then retroactively revoke permission. She did say that parents have the right to control the coverage of their children. She was not clear about the issue if the parents have placed a child on a public stage. She recommended that we reedit the footage to be as short as can make our point and remove the kids. She said that I should definitely file the DMCA counter notice at YouTube and not be afraid of the legalize that it contains. She suggested that I also contact other online news reporters and let them know of this case.

More additional information:
I also received a note from You Tube today stating that it was Suhaila that asked for the video to be taken down.

Here also is a link to the Code of Ethics adopted by the Society for Professional Journalists
www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp
GS embraces their policies as well as hundreds of other journalists.

We have taken your suggestions to heart and are attempting to remedy the situation. We will reedit the footage, removing footage of the children and may or maynot repost. Your further thoughts would be appreciated.

For those of you who missed seeing the video, we have added the timeline breakdown of what it contained to the original article page.

8-9-08 The following is a letter from the editor posted in response to a discussion thread on tribe.net regarding the video hosting site YouTube pulling our video from their and our site. This video was part of our GS photo and video report on Suhaila's recent show

Please excuse this long winded response-
Thank you Shira for pointing out that the role of the press is different than that of a fellow artist and that representatives of the press are generally invited to performances BECAUSE they will report on what they have seen. Over the years GS has tried to fill the need in the community for objectivity. This is very difficult in such a small community and very few of us actually have journalistic training. We are doing the best we can. This means that the subjects of our reports are not always shown in a flattering light. It is our belief that critique will help the community and our art to grow. Sometimes it is enough to post pieces of an actual performance or people's own words to best impart information. Then individual readers can make up their own minds, without a journalist's opinion as a filter. That was my goal for the Suhaila piece. I wanted the performances to speak for themselves.

This was not the first time Vashti had seen my camera. I interviewed her with the same camera before. I believe the video clip was pulled for reasons other than copyright issues. The unaltered footage I posted contained information she and Suhaila did not want the public to see. Photo spreads are safer. They can be chosen, or altered, in a way that video can not.

My job is to report what I see as objectively as possible. There is no better tool than video for that. As for the copyright issues themselves, I am still learning what they are and how to apply them. It was not my intention to take away the value of Vashti's footage or hide behind the Fair Use law. I doubt that the official videographer's footage on that night will ever be made public. I just wanted to show our community's famous artists as they are today. In the past, Vashti has appreciated reports and reviews of her productions. A producer takes a risk when they invite "unimbedded" press to their shows. I spoke with Suhaila before I even started working on the review. She knew that we would be posting a video collage. She invited me to come do a video interview of her at her new studio. I spoke with Vashti after the review was posted. She tried many strategies to get me to take it down. She even tried blaming me if Andre (S's ex) took Isabella away from Suhaila. It was only after this that she tried the copyrights angle.

Concerning copyrights in general: aren't there other rights here that Vashti and Suhaila should address if they release the footage on DVD? I learned a lot from this article - Music Copyright Law for Belly Dancers

What about the rights of the artists who wrote the music and the lyrics of the songs the musicians played? Synchronization Rights ought to be paid to them, right? I wonder if the producers or Vashti are concerned about cheating those artists out of their income.

As for respect and ethics ... I respect any artist who gives 100% of themselves to their audience, who works hard to represent their art form and who does not rest on past laurels. Everyone has an off day, an off week or month or year. But at what point does respect become a veil to hide behind?

Is it then ethical for a journalist not to report a change? Are not the ethics of objective reporting at odds with respect under these circumstances? Would our community prefer to have a magazine that only publishes positive reviews - out of respect? Or perhaps no news disseminator at all? Over 300 members of our community have published articles with GS in the last 10 years, with more volunteering their time to edit, proof, advise and to teach me.(Thank you!) It seems that most have enjoyed the large audience it has given them to voice opinions. Would you miss it if it disappeared?

I do not think it necessary to make personal accusations about my integrity, values or ethical ideals. I felt GS's ability to report objectively was at risk and voiced my concern in the magazine. Judging by Ashara's posts, I must have hit a nerve in the community, or reopened wounds that hadn't quite healed.

Thank you for listening and for your discussion. I have learned a lot from your debate and it is helping me to sort through my confusion.

Lynette Harris
editor and publisher

8-8-08 re: Suhaila in the Phoenix, photos by Susie Poulelis, video by Lynette
Dear editor,
You don't give us very much information about the situation, but it seems to me that unless you were specifically invited to videotape portions of Suhaila's show, you shouldn't have done so. The Gilded Serpent is not a television station or video news outlet, but an e-magazine. Print and photographic coverage would be what most people would expect when inviting GS staff to an event. Every bellydance show I've been to that's more than a casual hafla has announced "no video cameras please."

If, however, a member of the organization gave direct permission for the GS reporter to videotape, then the organization's behavior seems baffling.

Thank you for your hard work at GS. I very much enjoy your website.

Regards,
Vashti
Madison, WI
[ed note- this writer is not the same Vashti that produced Suhaila's show]

7-28-08 re: Professional Presence by Aszmara
What a joy to find a feature written by one of NYC's gifts to Middle Eastern Dance! I loved Aszmara's article and her wonderful insights from her past and present as a performer as well as her advice to dancers about dancing live shows...every student of dance should read and every pro should review her suggestions! Aszmara has long been touted 'The Best Kept Secret' in Belly Dance...why...we'll never know! In the NY Metro area, she is known as a master dancer, instructor and the Sultana of Synchopation! Anyone who has the opportunity to watch or study with Aszmara should LEAP at the chance...her dancing is electric, uninhibited and her technique perfection!

Gia al Qamar
Northern New Jersey

7-20-08 re:The Egyptian Dance Code by Sausan
Hello There !
I read the "Egytian Dance Code" and like to post some comments on it:

First of all, isn't it some kind of arrogance to post that the Egyptian dance is the most perfect dance in the universe ? The Egyptian dance is, like every folk-dance (and it is the product of some kind of "folcloric evolution") the heart and the soul of the people who dances it ! This post implements an valuation which is from my point of view unacceptable!

So think about this: What we (not-Egytian/Arabian - as the rest of the world) learn ise pure dance-techniques......so to say "sports". And what you see on the thousands of dance-contests are "Sports-Competitions". And like we try to anatomize the different movements into there components we destroy the heart of the dance. And so we like to define the egyptian style. Well, of course, there are some charactaristics which are typical for egyptian style like "not hitting ervery drum beat" and introversive movements instead of the spacious dance style of the turkish dancers. And of course there are some dont's which arise from the evolutionary history of the dance and the role of women in this society. Should an Article like that better be written by an Egyptian Dancer ? This article describes like the different egytian dancers show there different way of dancing and also the diffenten personal styles. For me, a dance style has some basic style elements and then pose a challange to get the feeling. That does not mean the try to copy a style, that means to get personally into it - the music and the movements - and make it yours, and than be able to look authentique. In this case Authenticity is the concruancy of your inner feelings and your outer agitation.
What you are talking about is the soul of the dance. The soul of the dance has to be brought in by the dancer.
Why are we always trying to depart everything in dead single components?

Greetings from Germany
Dahab Sahar / Sabine Baumann
- Gaiberg -
Board Member ot the German Association of Oriental Dance

7-18-08 re: Journey into Womanhood by Artemis Mourat
I just love Artemis soooo much. She has been an inspiration for me, she is a great person, a great teacher. Everytime I speak with her, I feel like I am part of her life, that we are very good friends. She makes me feel good as well as she is sooo generous of her knowledge. I learn so much from her, she is a wonderful woman.

After reading this article, it brang back a memory of my first bellydance show/competition where every judges, even my own teacher, said that I should not have done what I done because my choreography was not "bellydance" by their standard. I was beginning my third year of bellydancing and choreographed on The feeling begins of Peter Gabriel - soundrack of Last Temptation of Christ. In 1998, I was the first one, it seems, to do fusion. 3 years ago, another bellydance competition came and I went. This time I was disqualified because the judges said it was not "bellydancing" (this time I danced on Tablat Bassem - a drum solo - but did it in a tribaret costume). Artemis was there for me when this happen. Even though I was proud to "still be there" even after all those people said I should not, I am the kind of people who likes to "fit" somewhere so this situation made me feel very bad. Her faith in me and her encouragements had an impact, I was blessed to have her to talk to.

My 6 years old daughter often ask my who is my idol and I always answer that I don't have any. But I would have to change my mind right now because Artemis is my idol, she did so much and did it with so much love, I only hope to grow just like her all my life...

Marthyna
from Saint-Hubert, Quebec, Canada

7-14-08 re: Jodette: Undeniably Authentic by Sausan
Dear Editor,
Sausan's article was rich with information and glimpse of a successful and intriguing career. But, I'm confused. The article starts out with what I thought was an interview and ends as a kind of obituary when it says "Survived by three sons, three grand daughters, one grand son, and four great grand daughters, Jodette enjoys the fruits of her teaching labors watching her own grand daughters dance."
Could Sausan clarify this, please?
Lynnae Kelly
Ephrata, PA
[ed note- author's response- "Jodette is very much alive. She is, in my opinion, a survivor; hence, the statement, "Survived by three sons, three grand daughters...." Apologies for the confusion. It should have been written differently."]

7-13-08 re: Journey into Womanhood by Artemis Mourat
Hi
I just finished reading some articles, I wanted to say I especially loved the article by Artemis Mourat. It has really inspired me, and made me feel great about my current place in my own dance, and life. Thank you so much for publishing her article as well as others.
Annwyn
Okinawa Japan,

7-10-08 re: Journey into Womanhood by Artemis Mourat
Artie,
Anyone who has seen you dance can see that you realize your childhood dreams of being Betty Boop, a gunman's moll draped across a piano and a can can dancer in a Western saloon all rolled into one - every time you perform.
While dancing, researching, traipsing around the world and doing all these fun "non-mommy" things- you also have fostered the hearts and dreams of so many women. So even with the conscious choice of not being a "mommy", you have indeed played "mommy" to many, in the warmest, richest way possible- helping us through adult things, womanly things and sometimes of course issues with other women.
Thank you for this wonderful inspiring article.Thank you for inspiring us with your dance, teaching, integrity and research, but most of all, thank you for being an inspiring woman, "mommy" and friend to look up to and to turn to. Beautiful article. May we all feel such peace.
love,
Samira
hometown-state-needed

7-10-08 re: Journey into Womanhood by Artemis Mourat
Dear Artemis,
Thank you for your beautiful and inspirational account of what it means to be a woman (in her 50s). As a woman who too made that decision not to have children it really hit home. There is so much food for thought in your commentary and it bears revisiting often.

Sincerely,
Maria Celado
San Francisco

7-10-08 re: Journey into Womanhood by Artemis Mourat
I just wanted to say a very big thank you to Artemis for her beautifully honest and inspiring article. For me, her article is something to be printed and re read many times in order to absorb all the richness of wisdom it contains. I LOVE it when someone else is able to articulate the myriad of thoughts and feelings for which I have no words. Everything she said held a deep resonance for me.
Again, thank you!
Bobbie Barry, 44,
Victoria, BC Canada

7-9-08 re: Journey into Womanhood by Artemis Mourat
Ms. Mourat: I found your article both beautiful and inspiring. I am 56 years old and I entered this wonderful world of belly dance just 1 year ago. Not only is it fun, but it makes you feel good at any age.
I was raised here in the West at a time when it was not commonplace to celebrate our female population.
This dance is fulfilling and empowering and I am proud to say that both my 13-year-old granddaughters are taking their first classes.
Ms. Mourat you are beautiful and I wish you all the happiness that this world has to offer............

Loretta (Fatima) Sulieman
Washington, DC, USA

7-8-08 Re: When Two Doors Close Two Doors Open by Sarah Skinner
Great Article, Sarah. I understand what you mean when it feels like the end of an era when a great venue with awesome live music shuts down.

Out here in Southern California there was a great place for entertainment called Wahib's Middle East where Roxxanne Shelaby had her Pure Sharqi show in January of 2008 (
A Night at Wahib's Roxxanne Shelaby's "Pure Sharqi" ). Mouhamad Salem had the most kick-ass band with himself on vocals and keyboard, Nazo on bass guitar, Vartan on drums and Amir Sofi on tabla. For various reasons, Wahib's decided not to host live entertainment anymore and you can still feel the void. Mouhamad and the guys are going to another venue that will supposedly open in a few weeks, but it will be in a trendier area and may not have the same friendly and comfortable atmosphere as Wahib's...nor will it have the fabulous food at a reasonable price or Maitre'ds Samy, Rico and David. Oh yeah, and free parking!

My friends and I have felt lost ever since, like, what will we do on the weekends? Where else can we go to get that same vibe? At Wahib's, we also made lots of friends from the Arab American community and even became known as "regulars". Like Sarah said, we have to try and get used to the newer venue. Wahib's is still a restaurant with great food and a friendly staff. I'd hate to go elsewhere where the food and staff are foul and due to a trendier environment, more pricey, but we might have to make that sacrifice as long as Mouhamad, Nazo, Vartan and Amir stay together for that camaraderie and sound. Wherever they decide to go, it will be our new "home" and my friends and I will make the best of it.

Tracey Farmer
Simi Valley, CA

6-19-08 re: A Moment with Amy Sigil, interview and videos and letters below
Even though I feel Amy's dance is not belly dance, she is a dancer.in art I feel to know the artist is to understand their work.
so, I did not find any of the info "too much". in fact, I just might look her up on you tube ! I feel an artist has their life to nail on the stage every time they express from their soul.your life IS your dance/art. without "life", the dance is just wasted movement, a hollow prayer.
sincerely,
Cory Zamora
Fresno, CA

6-19-08 re:A Moment with Amy Sigil, interview and videos and letters below
WOW! Barbara Grant’s letter was scathing to say the least! Ms. Grant’s assessment of Ms Sigil’s life offended me deeply. Why must women continue to judge one another so harshly? Ms. Grant’s comments sounded so bitchy and jealous. I don’t think I’ve ever read anything so un-Christian, un-forgiving and judgmental. I think the old platitude applies, “walk a mile in her shoes”. Of course, that’s how Ms. Grant “reads it” and she has a right to draw her own assumptions, but beware the concept of assume. I was intrigued by Ms. Sigil’s dance and so pursued some of the postings of her on You Tube. I have to say, I was knocked out! How creative, innovative and fun! I call that real talent. I look forward to being able to catch a live performance. While I don’t consider what she does “belly dance”, it was, no doubt about it, great performance and excellent technique, some of the most exciting dance I have seen lately. Personally, I don’t care about her love life, her child-rearing arrangements or much else. I applaud her triumph over adversity and I appreciate the fact that she is in the public eye to contribute to the world of dance.

Shelley Muzzy/Yasmela
Bellingham, WA

6-18-08 re:A Moment with Amy Sigil, interview and videos and letters below
I saw Amy and her group perform when I was teaching at Tribal Fest last month and I have just read her interview on here. I am thoroughly impressed by her dancing and choreography. I loved the artistry, the athleticism, the humor and the skill. I also appreciated her candor in the interview. It takes courage to tell one's story in such personal details and I am sure that this has touched and inspired many people. Many great artists have had a difficult journey and once they have dwelled in the belly of one beast or another, they never see life quite the same again. I believe that those who have come out the other side are supposed to help others in their struggle. Some do it by words, some by art, some by how they live their lives. Amy is doing all three. If she had spoken of her lover and "she" had been a "he" nobody would have batted an eye. Her journey is about overcoming adversity, learning valuable life lessons and becoming triumphant in the end and I found it well worth reading about. I am sure our paths will cross again and I look forward to getting to know her better then.

Artemis Mourat
Washington, DC

6-18-08 re: Tito Seif: Moment of Eternal Shimmy by Stavros
I have to say that this guy is one of the most amazing dancers I've ever seen.His command of melding the movement and music into one is unparalleled! I should be so lucky to dance half as well as he does!

That being said, I still find, despite all the over-florid overdone style of writing in the article, about how he maintains a masculine style, that when he does "orientale, his style is that of a female oriental dancer. When he does tahteeb or the balancing stuff, it's definitely male folkloric. But the minute a guy starts to do orientale, despite how fantastic they are (and this guy IS!) I start to feel like "there's something wrong with this picture". My dance upbringing is such that I was taught that this is a woman's dance.The movements, like us, are curved and rounded. The "homeland of the dance" is the pelvic girdle. There's a reason men never did orientale - it just looks too feminine on them. Doesn't matter who they are - Bobby (Ibrahim) Farrah was one of my main teachers, and when he was teaching us orientale, sometimes he'd have one of his female protegees do the same move. On her it looked great. On him, despite how well he did it (and he was a great dancer), it looked out of place.

Now I'm sure I'm going to get a lot of dissenting opinions and kaka thrown my way for expressing this,and not for one minute am I saying this man (or other men) aren't good dancers - but there are moves that look better/fit more naturally on a man's body and moves that look better on a female's body - vive la difference!!

Pauline Costianes (Ghalia)
Canton, MI

6-18-08 re: Arab Defamation in the Media by Najia
Dead on target & well written - as usual. Been saying the same things for over 47 years...Now: how many dancers do you think will even listen to us?
The Truth WILL Set You Free,
Morocco

6-18-08 re: Arab Defamation in the Media by Najia and Not for Cinderella- The Glass Dance Tasha Banat
I found it ironic that the two articles I chose to read tonight were "Arab Defamation in the Media" and "The Glass Dance". The first one pointed out the horrible insult in some Arab cultures of showing the soles of your feet. The second one had a picture demonstrating the dangers of dancing on glasses - with a bleeding foot pointing at the reader! An interesting irony....

Hiya
San Jose, CA
[ed-note-- Shall I take it down? Its a dumb picture anyway...]

6-18-08 re:A Moment with Amy Sigil, interview and videos and letters below
Hi!
As an out and proud lesbian bellydancer, I truly enjoyed reading Amy Sigil's refreshingly candid interview and I found the strongly moralistic reactions of certain readers' to the disclosure of Ms. Sigil's orientation and lifestyle choices quite ironic considering the attitude that our society holds towards bellydancers' is very similar to the ones held about lesbians (it's not something that good girls do).

The only objection that I had to the interview was Sigil's assertion that more gay women are attracted to the "more rebellious" tribal style than cabaret because they can "put more of their lifestyle into tribal dancing". Every woman's life experience plays a part in the dancer's path that she chooses and each is unique and beatuiful in it's induviduality. Raqs Sharki speaks to my life experiences as a lesbian woman of color and a woman with curves and it dosen't make me weaker in strength of character and inner fire than my tribal sisters.

Namaste,
Eve
Albuquerque, New Mexico

6-17-08 re: Arab Defamation in the Media by Najia
I am more than a bit surprised that in Najia's discussion of " The Arab Mind " she neglected to mention that this is a controversial book in both the academic and political sense.

Academically, the basic premise (that there is a generic " Arab Mind " and a generic "Western Mind " and that the members of each group think like all other group members regardless of factors like local culture, level of political power, and economic situation) the methodology (heavy on anecdotes and hearsay, short on academic studies) and the author's conclusions (for instance, Patai took the child rearing practices of one Bedouin group and extrapolated them to all Arabs) have come in for quite a bit of criticism.

While it's understandable that Najia may not be aware of the grumblings of academics, it's strange that no mention was made of the book's recent history. During the Abu Ghraib scandal it came to light that much of the prison's policy was based on the picture of Arabs painted by Patai's book. In the introduction to the 2001 edition the Director of Middle East Studies at the JFK Special Warfare Center and School at Fort Bragg writes: " At the institution where I teach military affairs, 'The Arab Mind' forms the basis of my cultural instruction ". Patai's book was mentioned a great deal by commentators on both sides of the political fence, and the accuracy of " The Arab Mind " was hotly debated. Najia's statement that Hollywood Arabs "may encourage our leaders to promote unrealistic expectations and erroneous assumptions while negotiating with the various predominantly Muslim countries" before recommending " The Arab Mind " as a guide to cross cultural understanding seems bizarre given its recent turn in the news.

There is nothing wrong with recommending academically controversial works. But potential readers should be made aware that the book they're reading is controversial, and the conclusions are still up for a great deal of debate.

Regards
Inaras
Bremerton WA

6-16-08 re: Arab Defamation in the Media by Najia
“The stereotypical Arabs that Hollywood most often presents are embarrassing and harmful because they may contribute to some of the errors in judgment that some of our key political leaders make. These erroneous images, seemingly funny to some, may encourage our leaders to promote unrealistic expectations and erroneous assumptions while negotiating with the various predominantly Muslim countries.”

Wow. Although these statements are very qualified with many ‘may’s, I have to disagree. I would be horrified if any political leader based any decision or negotiation on Hollywood images. While the average news anchor may not be educated in Arabic and Muslim cultures, our “key political leaders” certainly are. What may seem an ‘error in judgment’ is far more likely to be a very calculated and fully conscious decision. I won’t even touch on Ms. Marlyz’s comment about women in politics, except to say that I absolutely disagree.

That aside, I agree that it is important for dancers to learn about the origins of the dance, as well as the culture. I also agree that some dancers unknowingly offend their audience due to their lack of knowledge. I am lucky to have an instructor who has taught me much about Arabic cultures, including what would be deemed offensive to an Arabic audience. “Know the rules before you break them” is something she says frequently. I will definitely read the book Ms. Marlyz recommends.

Emily Andrews
Salinas, CA

6-14-08 re:A Moment with Amy Sigil, interview and videos and letters below
Dear Lynette:
Though I understand the objections of the correspondents, below, who argue that too much personal information was offered in the piece on Amy Sigil, I don't agree that it is irrelevant to the discussion. The artist clearly wanted the audience to know of her personal background; otherwise, she would not have discussed it in such detail.

Here's how I read it: Woman flops down with two men, gets pregnant by each, and (effectively) throws both children over the wall for someone else to take care of. As a free woman, unencumbered by the lives she has created, she pursues her business--cutting edge art, by all accounts--while the father of her second child is busy looking after not only his own biological daughter, but Amy's first child, as well. What an arrangement!

While Amy's beau plays "boi" and holds doors open in the gentlemanly fashion of a bygone age, Father #2 does the real man's work as he is the only one in this narrative who appears to take responsibility. He alone demonstrates any manly characteristic, or indeed, any courage, worthy of mention.
Sincerely,
Barbara Grant
Tucson, AZ

6-14-08 re:A Moment with Amy Sigil, interview and videos
Thank you so much for your candid article and the wonderful videos. It's refreshing and important for the bellydance influenced world to have honest and open dialogue across genres. Your readers deserve your commitment to the precious diversity our dance-style cultivates not only in technical and historical knowledge, but in the dynamic living cultural experience of our shared dance and lives.
Aja
Utah USA

6-13-08 re:A Moment with Amy Sigil, interview and videos and letter below
Hi Lynette,

Like Pauline, I waited a while to respond to Gilded Serpent's article interviewing Amy Sigil. Like Pauline, I think it included way too much personal information unrelated to Middle Eastern Dance. Unlike Pauline, however, I AM into Tribal in its various forms, as well as AmCab, Egyptian Nightclub, Egyption Folkloric and Zambramora forms of belly dance. And I lived, worked, and belly danced in San Francisco for two decades and I sport no less than five tattoos and one belly ring! With all that, I still have to agree with Pauline's assessment of the article, although she's incorrect about Bay Area not having any laws about public nudity!

Yours in dance,
Nisima
Pacifica, California

6-12-08 re:A Moment with Amy Sigil, interview and videos
Hi!
I've waited a few days after reading this article before I responded. I have to tell you that I found it distasteful. If you wanted to have her talk about her dance journey (even if I can't stand tribal/goth all that ugly/black stuff) OK. But when it started going into her personal life, talking about how her girlfriend acts the "boi", that's when it crossed the line into Too Much Information - and totally irrelevant to dance. I suppose those who live in San Francisco and are used to the naked parades (guess there's no laws against public obscenity there) and all the gay culture have to problem with this. But being that this site is viewed nationally, you have to remember that some things "don't play well in Peoria". Not to say that metro Detroit is a small, closed-minded town. But there's just some things that need to stay private, ya know?
Pauline Costianes
Ann Arbor, MI

6-12-08 re:A Moment with Amy Sigil, interview and videos
I have always been a very big admirer of Amy and Umata and was thrilled to get some insite as to who she really is as a person and how she developed into the amazing performer and artist that she is. I am now even more impressed that she was able to pull together some really hard times in her life and step out into the world with such a wonderful gift. I wonder if her daughters will ever join her in dance…ahh…maybe another chapter in the future.

Sincerely,
Salima Sisli
Lafayette, CA

6-7-08 re:A Moment with Amy Sigil, interview and videos
Lynette,
Thank you for your powerful and inspiring interview with Amy Sigil. She is by far one of my favorite dancers, and it was refreshing to learn more about her through both ink and film. I had no idea what personal challenges Amy has over come, and she truly is a shining example of triumph over tragedy.

Amy is a true dance pioneer, and I hope that others striving to achieve her level of success, will also follow her lead with regard to professionalism and will just stop with the bitchfest. Nobody likes a whiner.

Amy, thanks for being so honest and open about your past, present, passion and perseverance. You are a true inspiration!

Surreyya
Pinole, CA

6-6-08 re:The Egyptian Dance Code by Sausan
Thanks!
I have noticed how arabs accent the beat differently, saidi especially. this is really going to help me in my dance!
by the way- The video clip hides text.
Tara
India

6-5-08 re: Welcome to the Gothla! Dancing Along the Sulk Road Review of 3 DVDs by Rebecca Firestone
Hello,
I'm writing to let you know how deeply offended and disgusted I was with the review by Rebecca Firestone on three Goth Bellydance DVDs. It was poorly written, lacked any objectivity whatsoever, and showed a thorough lack of knowledge on bellydance, gothic art and culture, and frankly how to write a review. Most of it seemed like self indulgent personal attacks on individual dancers, which is a black eye on the Gilded Serpent that you would allow such unveiled and unprofessional rudeness to be published on your site.

If your reviewer had said that the DVDs weren't good, that would be fine. If she had said that the performances weren't good, that would have been fine too. But instead she made childish remarks about fast forwarding, the choice in backdrops, the dancer's diets, their skin color, and the very genre itself that only displayed her own ignorance and incompetence. I have to wonder with all her over emphasis on plots and storylines if this woman has confused bellydance with pantomime.

I'm not a goth. I'm not even Tribal. I'm one of those well trained Cabaret dancers with all of the requisite technique and traditional background that Firestone considers paramount. And I am sickened by this article.

I hope you realize that one of the dancers on this DVD was Asharah of Washington DC, who is teaching at Spring Caravan this Saturday. I wonder if your reviewer was aware of the fact that not only is she well trained and certified in the Suhaila Salimpour technique, she minored in Middle Eastern studies at Princeton and understands Arabic and spent most of her childhood as a highly disciplined figure skater. Her artistry is exquisite, her technique impeccable, and yet because the genre of goth is where she's finds her inspiration, she has been clumsily mocked by your inept author.

From the storm of anger that I have seen online already, it appears that this article has done more damage to the reputation of the Gilded Serpent than it would have ever done to three goth DVDs.

Respectfully,
Suzanne
Philadelphia PA

6-4-08 re: Welcome to the Gothla! Dancing Along the Sulk Road Review of 3 DVDs by Rebecca Firestone
I LOVED Rebecca's witty review. So refreshing instead of the blah blah blah that we usually read. Perhaps the objectionists are right though, maybe we need a review written by a participant. I for one was intrigued by her comments and thought she did an admirable job. It was a fun read. Its very difficult to review bad videos and find something redeeming to say other than "Bad DVD" and leave it at that. Such a fuss, but that is to be expected. The newbies to an art form seldom have time to develop a sense of humor or a thick skin. I myself am always jealous at Rebecca's reviews that I didn't write them. Clever clever clever. I can't help but agree about the bad modern dance analogies and also wonder why some of these "forms" choose to call themselves "xyz bellydance" when they don't even have basic technique. As I have said before, even Picasso knew how to paint in the conventional form before he broke the bounds. And good showmanship is not self-absorbed nor is it so exclusive and obscure that only a few chosen initiates can understand or perceive it. And you can print this if you like...or not!
Shelley/Yasmela
Bellingham, WA

6-4-08 re:The Egyptian Dance Code by Sausan
Hi Lynette,
I'd like to comment about Sausan's article where she says that "Egyptians can't really teach" their style of dance. Does this mean that all the weekend workshops in Dallas I have taken in the past two years with Lucy of Cairo,Fifi Abdou, Randa Kamel, Bebe and Dr. Mo Gedawi - all very well established Egyptian dance stars and teachers and each with their own signature style are not going to provide me with the skills I need to learn to dance in that style?

The fact is learning from an Egyptian IN PERSON was so much more effective than any video I've ever watched because a) it is 3-D image, not the two dimensions of a video, and you see the complete movement and b) each one of these Egyptian teachers provided direct and immediate feedback; whether through an interpreter or their own English skills. This feedback was immediate, personalized and warm; even when "correcting" a step, posture or combination, they exuded that famous laid-back charm and sense of humor that I have grown to love about Egyptians. I never felt left out even with more than 100 attendees in a workshop and even if I didn't ask a question, they were quick to observe the students in a workshop and would come right over anyway!

I agree with Sausan when she says one can spend decades watching videos to learn the "Egyptian style" and I'm not sure how long it takes to learn Sausan's "Egyptian Code" but one thing I am sure of is this: There is no substitute for learning directly from an Egyptian dancer; the culture comes across so much more powerfully in person. If I can't go to Egypt and immerse myself for a year in the culture of this dance, then I will continue to take as many workshops from Egyptians when they teach here.

Yours in dance,
Nisima
Pacifica

6-1-08 re: Welcome to the Gothla! Dancing Along the Sulk Road Review of 3 DVDs by Rebecca Firestone
I just want to express my feelings after having read Rebecca Firestone's so call reviews on gothic bellydance DVD:s. She only said one good and true thing, that being she shouldn't have been the one writing those reviews. She obviously has no adequate knowledge of the phenomenon she's trying to describe.

Such contempt and malice poured over an art form disguised as "reviews" is not very commonly seen, thank goodness. The article reveals either total ignorance or a personal agenda against gothic bellydance, or perhaps the dancers themselves. However, this was a really poorly written and badly conducted review. Rebecca hasn't bothered to make a background check on facts, thus making fatal errors such as going on about Tempest "calling herself the Gothmutha" (which is totally wrong, OTHERS call her that). The remarks on the artists' looks and technique are really embellished personal opinions poorly disguised as "critisizing an art form". One could say "I didn't like these DVD:s" in many ways. Rebecca has chosen the worst way ever seen. I'm not saying she's not entitled to her opinion. I just can't see the point in expressing it the way she did. She obviously seeks to offend the GBD community with this strange and mean "review". Well, she didn't really offend me, but she made me wonder how low one can sink and still get published. Perhaps you should go for someone who can write critisim and still not sound like an angry teenager.

Callisto Utriainen
Gothenburg, Sweden

5-19-08 re: May 11 letter below
Dear Lynette,

I would like to comment on a Letter to the Editor written by Frank Farinaro on May 11. In this letter he makes the claim, "I am Colorado's first professional male bellydancer. I have been dancing for over 2 years now & have loved every minute of it!!!" He also mentions that he will be auditioning for Bellydance Superstars for the second time this year, which means the first time he auditioned he had only been belly dancing for one year!

It is appalling that one can claim to be a "professional" dancer (in any dance form) with only 2 years of training. Is this a reflection of the broad definition of the word "professional" in the belly dance community, where hobbyists of only a couple of years can be booked for paid performance jobs? Is this a reflection of the low standards of our dance form as a whole (because one could never make the claim to be a professional ballet dancer after only 2 years of training)? Or is this a reflection of the lower standards for men in dance? Most dance forms like ballet, modern, and jazz have exponentially higher numbers of women than men. Due to their low numbers, men are a commodity in dance, and often men are able to get positions in dance companies and roles in various types of shows and other performance venues when they are much less technically skilled and experienced than scores of females. I sincerely doubt that any of the Bellydance Superstars have been belly dancing for only 2 years.

Although most Arabs think it is culturally unacceptable, I am not opposed to men belly dancing. After all, America has indeed appropriated belly dance as its own; it has thus evolved into an art that reflects American cultural and aesthetic values. However, I can only hope that we will hold men to the same standards that we hold our female belly dancers and not allow a man to perform in a situation where his technique, artistry, and understanding of the dance does not reflect the MANY years of intense training and study that this dance form requires to achieve a true professional standard. Rather than men being established as important contributors to the community, they will be resented for lowering the standards and simply viewed as a novelty. And we all know that novelties do not last--they simply fade away when the next fad emerges.

Sincerely,
Candace
Dallas, Texas

5-15-08 re:Opening a Bellydance Studio, Tips for Success by Keti Sharif
I just wanted to take the time to tell you thank you for some excellent advice on starting a dance studio. You have pretty much covered all the basics to getting started. Tampa Bay Ballet is an emerging dance studio and company. We appreciate Keti's thoughts and advice and just wanted to say thanks!

Sincerely,
Lindsay Latham
Director, Tampa Bay Ballet
Florida

5-15-08 re: news item on front page
Hi Lynette,
I wanted to comment about the news item submitted by Catherine about men applying for permits to perform belly dance (in nightclubs) in Cairo that were turned down, flat by the Cairo Dance Guild. And I want to make it clear that we are talking "Raks Sharqi" or "Oriental Dance" - not any sort of folkloric style such as Tanoura or traditional stick dance.

I am constantly amazed that we in the West feel free to criticize another culture for operating on it's own standards. Why are we so surprised that the Cairo Dance Guild flatly turned down all the applications from male bellydancers, when in fact the female bellydancers in Egypt have all sorts of legal requirements of covering midriff with body stocking, risk being fine for choreo that is considered too risque, etc.etc. More controversy is only going to make things tougher on the female bellydancers in Egypt.

And, I'd like to point out that we in the West should look to our own "glass houses" before throwing any stones; after all,when is the last time anyone saw a male ballet dancer in a tutu and pointe shoes performing the lead in Swan Lake?????? Unless it was a comedy or advertised as a total counter-culture type show, the ballet world doesn't present ballet as a genderless, androgynous dance art form. And other Western ethnic dance forms have clearly defined gender based costuming, moves and roles; Flamenco, Tango, Irish step dance. And Polynesian dance forms are firmly rooted in their cultural customs, roles and standards. So I ask, why isn't it okay for Egypt to hold to their standards for THEIR dance art form in THEIR country?

Yours in dance,
Nisima
Pacifica, CA

5-13-08 re: The Ancient Art of Keeping Your Mouth Shut by Neon
While I agree with the initial premice that on-line groups often sharpen their claws too often at meow-fests, I believe that Neon went farther than necessary into the murky waters of freedom of speech.
As I understood her article, she would like to put Gilded Serpent out of business ;) No peer-critiqued product reviews, no thoughtful discussions of trends in style by those in a position to judge. Do readers only want to read bland positive "Atta girls?" I thought they wanted to see both sides of a subject and hopefully learn something.

If all the big name artists take Neon's words as gosple, anyone with experience worth listening to would lay down their pens and go into verbal retirement. Heaven forbid we might offend someone, somewhere, in a future near or far. Being a good critic - or journalist - takes time, practice and experience in the field. She says we are insular - so who else to impart knowledge than the ones who have "been there and done that"? Apparently commercial considerations are more important than passing on knowledge.

Oh well. My future is screwed... but I knew that anyway.
Yasmin
Washington DC

5-11-08 re: Valizan Interviews Ozgen for the Gilded Serpent
Dear Gilded Serpent,

My name is Frank Farinaro, & I am Colorado's first professional male bellydancer. I have been dancing for over 2 years now & have loved every minute of it!!! Bellydance has truly changed my life. As I'm sure you know, men are the minority in the bellydance scene, so support & recognition are a very important & appreciated gesture that is sought by us from the bellydance community.

I have been following the YouTube interviews lately & I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for doing such a service to the male bellydance community by doing the interviews on male bellydancers at the International Conference in Canada. It really encourages male bellydancers to keep working hard at what we do.

This year, I am auditioning for Bellydance Superstars for the second time, & I am as motivated as ever. Although I am dissapointed to be missing out on what would of been my first Tribal Fest this year, I am so excited to be auditioning again.

What the future holds for me... time can only tell, but I do (someday) hope to be the first male signed to Bellydance Superstars & support from Gilded Serpent as well as the bellydance community keeps my backbone strong & my head held high! I will keep bellydancing & making a good name for male bellydancers for as long as I live... or at least posses the ability to dance.

With respect,
Frank Farinaro
Colorado, USA

4-27-08 re:
Howdy Lynette, re:The International Bellydance Conference of Canada. Thank you for being so cutting edge! How I enjoyed viewing these clips. Keep up the good work.
with love,
Stasha
Berkeley, CA

4-27-08 re: Divorcing Bellydance from Burlesque by Miles
To The Editor of The Gilded Serpent:
Miles Copeland's enormously self-important declarations on The State of Bellydance and The Enslavement of Arabic Women in his recent article in The Gilded Serpent--and then his follow-up letter to The Editor--would be laughable if they weren't so very dangerous to Bellydance, artistic development, artistic freedom, and womens' equality.

Mr. Copeland posits himself as a wise Pasha who sits at the center of the Bellydance world, and he presumes to predict many other peoples' behaviours based on his vast knowledge of the intricacies of The Arab Mind--which he apparently believes is a single, evil entity, still trapped in ancient times. The truth about what's going on in all the Arab countries is, happily, radically different than Mr. Copeland's understanding.

Yes, many Arabic women are still gravely oppressed; certain ancient practices and beliefs keep many women in religious, social and economic servitude---but for every knee jerk Jihadist, every Muslim traditionalist, there is an equivalent member of the population embracing the Western values of equality, liberty and justice for ALL. This is true in the economy, in education, across every level of society, and in the arts. Jihadists and extremists get all the press, but one has only to stop for a day in Dubai to see the way Western values have taken hold, of which concrete manifestations are literally being carved out of the sea and sand. This is true across the Arabic society, mentally and physically.
.
Great leaps forward in art are always thought of, on some level, as shocking and/or obscene. Picasso's paintings were shocking and banned. Lizst was considered shocking and insane. Oscar Wilde was imprisoned for obscenity before he became one of the most famous playwrights in the Western world. Henry Miller was banned for obscenity before he became a bestseller, and so on. Because dance is an art form that is enacted by bodies in motion, it is always, on some level, shocking and provocative, even when the dancers are fully dressed. And dancers who truly expand the boundaries of the art are the most shocking, because they are doing something with the art that has not ever been done before, whether it is a triple piroutete a la Barishnakov, soaring for so long and so far across the stage that the audience believes the dancer to be on wires, like Najinsky... tapdancing up the side of a building, like Fred Astaire. Isadora Duncan was also considered shocking and obscene before she became wildly famous and influenced generations of dancers and choreographers. So, too, were Jerome Robbins and Bob Fosse. Now, they are Icons of Western dance.

Princess Farhana (Pleasant Gehman), who has been an international ambassador for American Bellydancer, and who has influenced thousands of people with her art and craft and talent around the globe, stands in this long, glorious line of path-breaking dancers who have elaborated upon the boundaries of their art, and of artistic expression in general. But because we live in an age in which performers engage in far far more provocative behaviours on stage and on screen than Princess Farhana ever has, no one would dare call her--or any other traditional Bellydancer or Burlesque dancer--obscene. But Mr. Copeland seems to have some kind of a vendetta against her, although it's unclear why, exactly, he believes himself to be the one individual who should decide what is "appropriate" or "correct" for Bellydancers. To try to censor Princess Frahana, or any other dancer who is engaging in any kind of dance, or creating new forms of dance based upon ancient principles, turns Mr. Copeland into exactly the kind of Oppressor he claims to be protecting Arabic Women from. And excusing his absurd position by claiming to protect dancers for both economic and moral imperatives is patently absurd. This is a slightly more innocent version of the kind of dangerous false rhetoric Terrorists engage in.

Mr. Copeland is conducting his Own Private Jihad, and it is being aimed at everyone in the Bellydance world in general--and Princess Farhana in particular--all of whom have done nothing but tirelessly promote Bellydance and Freedom of Expression, and through this, the equality of women.Pretending that any little linkage of Burlesque and Bellydance will have grave deleterious effects to Arabic Women Artists, and believing that audiences are phenomenally stupid and can't make any kind of distinguishing artistic judgments on their own, Mr. Copeland takes many steps backward in time, and hurts everyone: Dancers, audience,
and, yes, his own credibility.

Respectfully yours,
Sammi Khouri
London, UK

4-25-08 re: Divorcing Bellydance from Burlesque by Miles
Miles, while I'm sure you have the best of intentions, the idea that you can support freedom of expression for women in the Middle East by limiting the freedom of expression for women in America is a ridiculous assertion. If women in the Middle East are permitted to practice and perform bellydancing ONLY if it is seen by the powers that be as "respectable," then that is not truly freedom. Women in America have true freedom because we can choose our own forms of expression, regardless of whether other people consider our expression to be "respectable" or not. As soon as there is some outside force acting as the respectablity police, deciding for us what is tasteful or vulgar, that is the end of our freedom of expression. Putting ourselves in cages here will not help women elsewhere, but it would certainly hurt us.

Bombshell Betty
San Francisco, CA

4-25-08 re: Divorcing Bellydance from Burlesque by Miles
A performance artist of any kind is capable of multiple diciplines. An artist must maintain freedom. What I find most offensive about your article is the suggestion of blacklisting any seasoned performers/producers within our community. It's bad policy in general. It's unAmerican! It's McCarthyism! It's Victorian repression. Miles just wants to control
us.

After my years of experience and service to bellydance and the empowerment of women, is Miles going to blacklist me because I am sponsoring a day of burlesque with Princess Farhana at my Belly Dance Retreat 2009? I believe in freedom and education. I am sponsoring that day because I want dancers to be educated, not weak and meek minded. It?s women?s history.

I'm not a burlesque dancer and don't suggest mixing the two in traditional Middle Eastern bellydance forums. A professional knows to gauge for specific venue or audience. I think Aphrodite-minded women who are attracted to bellydance may also be attracted to burlesque. I've come to realize it's as much an art. Independent minded, wild spirited, feminine women are important to the universe and, really, could you live without us?!

I always thought the one ingredient the BDSS show lacked, was the Super Star. They needed a diva to bring the house down! You bring us well executed, behaved dancers, but where is the edge? I always pictured someone with curves, pizazz and the charisma of Tina Turner.

Clearly, Miles has no idea what neoburlesque is. I found it disarmed my preconceptions. Acts were done by women of all ages and sizes being sexy, funny, and very adept at holding the audience's attention. This wasn't about being nude - it was celebration, creation, dance and the art of anticipation. Moms were in the back room helping daughters get dressed! The audience seemed a lot like a bellydance audience but with defiance in the air. These women would not have
flocked to the stage 10-20 years ago! What?s going on? They crave personal empowerment and control over their body and life - very much like bellydance!

Additionally, the 4 year BDSS tour isn't the root of bellydance growth. It's taken generations. Miles did not discover bellydancing the day he walked into Rakkasah, and perhaps hasn?t discovered it at all. He still doesn?t get why so many women love this dance.

The culture at large misses the fact that bellydance is deeply personal for women. Within its subculture, we are released from the slavish edict our popular culture dumps. ?Women are only valuable if they are young and skinny? - a repressing myth BDSS still perpetuates. Women will always be repressed as long as men dictate and manage our physical power.

We have had over 30 years of proving to the Middle East that bellydancers are not prostitutes. Bellydance has become a beloved art form worldwide. The attitude in the Middle East remains largely the same.

We are not going to liberate women ANYWHERE by blacklisting (black cloaking?) the freedoms of our own.

Delilah
Seattle, WA

4-25-08 re: Divorcing Bellydance from Burlesque by Miles
Having just finished a tour of Guatemala as the Bailarina Zaina Zahesha, I can say that I agree with Miles on how important it is to be careful how we present our dance. This past January I was seen auditioning at the Ethnic Dance Auditions in San Francisco by a representative of the Arte Cenro Cultural of Guatemala City. They invited me to go to Guatemala to perform and teach for 10 days, which I did with Susu Pampanin as my accompanist on percussion. I was treated as if I were a prima ballerina, which after so many years of performing in this genre, made me want to cry from the accomplishment. For those of you new to this dance, 10 years or less, you may not know what those who have gone before you have had to put up with. I have made my living as a Belly Dancer for many years and have never had the respect that other professional dancers receive. In Guatemala we were presented as accomplished artist. We performed with concert pianist and modern dance companies. (In fact we were the headliners of these). Why is this a novelty instead of the norm? How is it that we are, at last, achieving some level of respectI feel it is because we have fought for many, many years to earn the respect that other artist and dancers enjoy. For to long we have been perceived as Middle Eastern flavored strippers. I am not saying that stripping and burlesque cannot be an art, because I believe that it can. I am saying that until you see burlesque dancers on posters with ballerinas; let’s keep it separate. I, for one, am grateful for at last getting the respect that dancers from classical dance forms have been receiving all these years.

TerriAnne Gutierrez
aka Zaina Zahesha
San Francisco Bay Area

4-22-08 re: Divorcing Bellydance from Burlesque by Miles
I truly find it fascinating that elements of the bellydance community that has so often offered criticisms about me and the BDSS that are totally without merit from people who never even saw the show, take offense at critique put forward by me about the dangers of advertising a show linking burlesque and bellydance. I can assure Pleasant I have no way of judging the specific show and was not doing that. But I did see the advertising and therefore I can comment on that specific aspect of the show which is what I did. If the inferences were in fact misunderstood by me and the show itself harmless that is indeed the point I am making. Advertising that can be misinterpreted negatively will be and that is the danger.

I am the first to encourage creativity in artistic pursuits and breaking the rules and I have done this as a career. But unlike any other dance form, Bellydance is in a unique situation as many people, if not most, in the community recognize. That uniqueness comes from two directions. The longstanding public perception of the dance in the Western world and the low esteem the dance has been held in generally and the wish of may to see its status improved for the good of all. Secondly the extremely low esteem it is held in in the region of the world that it started and the detrimental affect this has on the art and the women who do not engage in it is a career pursuit because of this. With the ever mounting conservative pressures in the region we are in danger of witnessing the termination of the art as something Arab women can pursue even in Egypt.

The most important point is this fact. The Arab world, for good or ill, gives value to something that succeeds in the West. Bringing Saad al Soghrier to the US to perform, and the videos I did with Hakim dueting with Western stars saw both artists have huge increases in their fees for their shows in Egypt BECAUSE there were perceived to have been accepted in America. The same can happen for the art of bellydance in Egypt. As it rises in status in the US so will its status in the Arab world. But the Arab world is now caught up in the age old dilemma of what is "proper" and what is not for women. The trend is unhappily not towards liberalization but the opposite direction making it all the more difficult to affect change. One thing for sure, if bellydance in the west is associated with anything remotely connected with nudity (true or not) then bellydance will suffer in the Arab world and we will see no new Arab dancers enter the business.

The BDSS just performed in Dubai with great success, and on this weekend in Cassablanca, Morocco. We have become very aware that the image we project must be very precise and we have a responsibility that goes beyond our one show. We feel that the art of bellydance CAN in fact rise in respect in this part of the world and we will all benefit from it. It is only fair that Arab women should one day have the freedoms of women in the West when it comes to artistic expression. They do not have this now. I simply ask dancers like Pleasant and others to be careful how you use the word bellydance in your advertising which is where most people will see it. Advertising reaches far more people than ever see a show and advertising is 100% about leaving an impression. If it does not it is not good advertising. You can complain all you like but there is a price to pay for the linkage of burlesque and bellydance. Admittedly it is a price that is more likely to be paid by Arab bellydancers than Americans but it is a price we should at least admit and try to do the right thing. It is unfair and I agree, but it is a reality and it is a subject of valid discussion and Gilded Serpent did the right thing delving into the matter for us all to think about.

Miles Copeland
Sherman Oaks, CA

4-21-08 re: To Buy or Not? Guide to Mass Market DVDs Yasmin
One of the best articles I’ve ever read in my life. I couldn’t agree more with Yasmin’s comments. She is truly an expert on buying bellydance videos. Having purchased a lot of horrible videos and only having given them to friends, I am more determined to follow Yasmin’s advice. Those videos were a waste of money and very disappointing. Now that I have such good advice, I’m now prepared with my next video purchase. Thank you Yasmin and Gilded Serpent.

Sincerely,
Gilded Serpent fan, Marie A.
Los Angeles California

4-19-08 re: MECDA Breaks its Silence by Rachel Soto and Just the Facts:Response to MECDA by Doyne Allen
Marta Never Had a Silence To Break!
In my forty years of involvement with Middle Eastern music and dance, I have come to know many, many of you, both professionally and personally. One of the proudest achievements of my life has been the co-founding of MECDA, and the building of that organization into a national association, serving dancers across the country.

If I had wanted to ‘make money’ from MECDA, I would have done so long ago. My sole intention throughout the years was to make money for MECDA, so it could continue to thrive and grow.

In the past two years, there was divisiveness in the organization on a scale unheard of in the past. The last election was enveloped in a bitterness that threatened to fracture the unity of the community. The results of the elections were decisive, and it was my hope that we could move forward. These hopes were soon shattered, as I outlined in my letter responding to the MECDA Breaks Its Silence article by Rachel Soto.

I feel it is very important to make the public aware that MECDA is suing me! I was served with a lawsuit accusing me of stealing ‘trade secrets’ from MECDA. No one signed the summons to identify themselves as the individual(s) who verified the ‘facts’ given to the attorney serving me. Since that is the case, it is as if the entire organization of MECDA has brought the lawsuit – yet, when I speak with members, they know nothing about it. I want MECDA members to know this is how the Board is spending their money, instead of providing the Cymbal Digest in the Chronicles, an Anniversary party, or the annual MECDA Directory.

I have come to consider nearly every MECDA member my friend, and a companion upon the journey to unify and to gain deserved respect for our beloved music and dance. My heart is made very happy by those of you I see at various venues, and the ones living too far for us to meet, I miss dearly.

I am now embarking on fresh collaborations with promoter Miles Copeland. Please know that although the circumstances are new, my intentions are absolutely the same; Our festivals will welcome all levels of ability, all dance styles, all age, size and gender. We are inclusive, not exclusive, and will create venues to celebrate all aspects of Middle Eastern dance arts.

I hope we will all be together soon.

… One remaining issue from my previous affiliation with the current MECDA Board: I would like to publicly apologize to anyone who somehow believed that Doyne Allen was involved in the “Concerned Committee’s” alleged acquisition of the MECDA membership list, which is confidential. There is proof that the “Committee” had used the list, but I never said (nor imagined) that Mr. Allen was responsible, simply because he had no access.

Sincerely,
Marta Schill
Sierra Madre, CA

4-18-08 re: Divorcing Bellydance from Burlesque by Miles & When the Hip Hits the Fan by Princess Farhana
This is a very interesting conversation. There was recently one very similar to this in one of the burlesque message boards I belong to, only it was talking about the association that burlesque has in the eyes of the public with strip-club strippers, i.e. poledancers. I wrote about this in my blog here: http://bombshellbetty.wordpress.com/2008/03/08/stripping-vs-burlesque/ In the burlesque movement, we are seeing some fusion between burlesque and poledancing (for example, the duo called Gravity Plays Favorites). Some people like this, and some don't. I consider it to be the inevitable result of a creative and innovative movement. Everyone adds their own style and flavor to the mix, which then inspires more people to add their own styles and flavor, which then inspires more people...

The burlesque "bump-and-grind" dancing in the 50's was taken directly from bellydance moves. You can call this cultural appropriation if you wish. I call it human nature and an inevitable part of growth and creation. As creative humans, we see something we like and wish to emulate it, and then we add our own creative influence to what we are doing and soon enough a new style or even artform is born. This happens in music, in visual art, in dance, in architecture, in literature... you name it. Burlesque as it is known in America (and as it is spreading internationally) is an American cultural tradition that drew from European theatrical traditions and later developed into striptease (often comedic) with bellydance inspired moves and costuming themes.

It is pointless for traditionalists to bemoan the changes and new interpretations that people create in these art forms. Everything changes. People will always innovate. All I can recommend is that traditionalists stick with the style they enjoy, the innovators stick with what they enjoy, and everyone just worry about your own act, your own reputation, your own success, and leave everyone else to their own business. Or you can bang your head against the wall, but I promise you that won't change anything anyone else is doing, although it might give you a headache. And dismissing someone else's success by calling them "sleazy" while excusing your lack of success by blaming it on them is just a cop-out. If you want to be hired (to perform or to teach), work on your skills and presentation and stop worrying about what other people are doing. If you stand out, you will be successful. If you don't, you probably won't.

To the people who are afraid that "bellydancer = callgirl" in the eyes of the public, keep in mind that the people who would look up a bellydancer in the phone book and harrass her are the kind of people who automatically think "woman = whore." Disassociating burlesque from bellydance won't iradicate that kind of ignorance and sexism. Any employer who would fire a person for practicing or performing burlesque in their off time deserves to be slapped with a law suit.

And anyone who claims that associating burlesque with bellydance is undermining their efforts to "legitimize" bellydancers in the countries the art came from is just fooling themselves. The dance forms will be respected in those areas when women are respected in those areas, and not until then.

Public dancing and performance in general has only recently been seen as a respectable activity for women in our culture, and there are many places in the world where it is still seen as indecent. For hundreds of years in Europe and America, "actress" or "opera dancer" or "chorus girl" were synonymous with "prostitute." The bias against women showing their independence and flouting cultural strictures is not new to striptease, and cultural ideas of what is "vulgar" or "tasteless" or "indecent" change from generation to generation. Expecting the norms of yesteryear to apply today is not only unrealistic, but it would also paint even the most "traditional" and "respectable" of dance forms with unflattering associations.

Blaming burlesque for dance's "sleazy" associations isn't going to fix any of these problem