I’m no expert, but it seems that the proponent for all of this has been the devotion of WOMEN in the western hemisphere. In all places of the world, both sexes are struggling to define the feminine identity. It is as mysterious, awesome and powerful as life itself. Any activity women take up that deals powerfully with identity will be subject to scrutiny. Every facet of civilization is reflective of the whole.

What you have on your side is a local community – that you built – that understands your work as a dance artist.

In places like Trinidad & Tobago, where raqs sharqi is just getting a foothold, we don’t have that. I think 90% of my audience has a revelation when they realize by seeing me dance, that sensual and sexual are not the same thing. On the one hand they are disappointed (that it wasn’t slutty enough), but then it makes them think. Then they try to prove that what I do is not really bellydance.

Now, here’s the clincher: In the absence of a large community of reputable bellydance companies, schools, trade publications, competitions, workshops, seminars, etc, etc. Where’s the cavalry to back me up? Where are the other dancers that offer similar performances to the same audience, thereby venerating my position?

The lay person will always view bellydance as provocative. They haven’t had the opportunities we’ve had to break through the stereotype and see what’s really there. That’s something only a community of dedicated knowledge-seekers can do. Like biochemistry, or astrophysics, bellydance is specialized knowledge. You can’t expect the average person to just ‘get it’. It takes our whole community of like-minded people to shine the light.