Apparently Utahns Really Can Dance - Shems's Theory and Fandom

[shems]

So,
I came across this article entitled "Apparently Utahns Really Can Dance" online:

Deseret News | Apparently, Utahns really can dance

It was about how 4 of the 20 finalists on this season's "So You Think You Can Dance" are from or have major ties to Utah: Chelsie Hightower, Thayne Jasperson, Gev Manoukian and Matt Dorame.

It got me thinking about dancers from Utah. Last years winner on this same show, Sabra, was from Utah. In fact she took dance lessons for a while at the same studio owned by my best friends mother growing up. I took lessons there myself for a very short stint.

Finalist also from Utah on "So You Think You Can Dance" Allison Holker 2006, Jaymz Tuaileva 2006.

Lacey (2007 finalist) and Benji Schwimmer (2006 winner) are not Utahns, but they are worth mentioning because they fit into my theory, that I will expound below (they are Mormons).

Now lets pick a different television dance show: "Dancing with the Stars"

It just so happens that this year's junior winners are two teens from Utah:
Utah teens win 'Dancing with the Stars' junior competition - ABC4.com

Two of the professionals on "Dancing with the Stars" are Utahns: Julianne Hough, who has won on the show twice and her brother Derek Hough.

And you must admit, Marie Osmond did great on that show considering she isn't an athletic young chicky anymore. She's the only Utah star, I think, that has been on the show.

We have wonderful professional dance companies in Utah: Ballet West, Reperatory Dance Theatre, Ririe-Woodberry and Odyssey Dance Theatre. There is also a nationally respected Modern dance department at the University of Utah (it was rated in the top 3 in the nation when I went there for a semester) as well as a strong ballet department and the wonderful Children's Dance Theater. BYU also has a strong dance program and a really amazing International Folk Dance Ensemble.

Ballet West - Ballet West
Repertory Dance Theatre
Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company
Welcome to Odyssey Dance Theatre
University of Utah Modern Dance
U of U Department of Ballet
Virginia Tanner Creative Dance Program
International Folk Dance Ensemble

[shems]

In addition to all that, Utah is home to some really great, accomplished belly dancers:

Aziz - to this day the best male belly dancer I've seen outside of the Middle East. He was teaching workshops on the national circuit for years. His zill work and technique were gorgeous and intricate. He shifted beautifully from Jamileh school Vintage Oriental to a modern Egyptian styling and wowed everyone who saw him.
Aziz

Utah is home to many award winners, several of whom have won multiple awards at national Belly Dance contests:

Midnight Mirage - Midnight Mirage Home
Troupe Amara
Jemileh
Calypso
Tirza

Isis - Isis

Zahirah - Desert Orchid Dance Company

Alexandria

Shazadi - USU MED
Sumra

Thia - Bellydancing by Thia
Linda Linda

(& myself Shems - Shems - Professional Belly Dancer in Washington DC & Baltimore - Baltimore Belly Dance Classes - Baltimore Belly Dance although I live in Baltimore now)

I'm probably forgetting several here.

This doesn't even represent the many amazing dancers who don't really go out for contests much, but before I go on and on about the individual dancers in Utah and how much I admire so many of them, I thought I'd put out my theory about why there is so much great dance coming out of Utah.

[shems]

It's the Mormons!

"What?" you say, "but a lot of those great dancers aren't Mormons!"

That's true, but they are part of Utah culture and Utah culture is founded on Mormon culture and I need to give my little Mormon history lesson here...

Back in the days of Brigham Young and polygamy the Mormons were violently driven from the United States of America. This began a great migration that continued for some time afterwards, all the Mormons gathering in the untamed western territory that is now the state of Utah. By religious edict these early pioneers were encouraged to end each day of their long journeys by wagon and handcart with music and dance to keep their spirits up.

When they arrived in the Salt Lake Valley, the first permanent public building erected was the social hall, (built long before the Mormon temple there) in which the Mormons would gather to play music and dance, put on plays and enjoy social entertainments.

That's right, Utah was founded with dance and the arts at the top of the agenda.

From then and forward, Utah has been a place for music and dance to flourish. Culture shifts a little, but it is to this day the habit of most Utah families to put their little girls in dance lessons from the time they are wee. I was in dance when I was 3 years old (unfortunately my local neighborhood teacher moved and I ended up in music and soccer or I would have been a much better trained dancer today). Some families also put their boys in dance. Usually the program consists of tap, tumbling, jazz, ballet, drill team and chearleading. When these women become adults most pursue other careers outside of dance or become mothers. But they miss dancing and what do they often turn to as adults? You guessed it: Belly Dance. Utah has a huge belly dance community. (Also popular are Ballroom, Polynesian, West African, various folk dances, Indian, Flamenco, clogging, square dance, break dance, hip hop, etc.) And since many of the belly dancers in Utah are well trained dancers to begin with, they apply their discipline and artistic approach to this danceform and produce theater style shows, putting together dynamic troupes and training seriously as soloists. Utah has become home to some of the best belly dancing I've ever seen.

Everyone expects great dancing to come out of the big cities with their multiple resources and huge diverse populations, but I want to give props to my home state for supporting the arts.

Apparently Utahns really can dance.

[zorba]

Aziz - to this day the best male belly dancer I've seen outside of the Middle East. He was teaching workshops on the national circuit for years. His zill work and technique were gorgeous and intricate. He shifted beautifully from Jamileh school Vintage Oriental to a modern Egyptian styling and wowed everyone who saw him.

Aziz is my hero! Utterly beautiful, graceful, and flowing dancing from that guy. No masculinizations, no "stupid male tricks", no male ego - just gorgeous dancing!

[ssipes]

Them Utahns taught me to dance, for sure!

[ohio_laura]

Wow - Who knew!

My first thought when I read the title was to try and figure out what utahns stood for

And after reading it makes sense that the Mormon culture has helped create dancers.

[Samira_dncr]

LOL...You are cracking me up!!!

Can I add myself to your list of Utah influenced dancers? I grew up in SLC (and grew up Mormon too)! I used to attend the outdoor bellydance festival every year that was run by Yasmina Rogue...which was probably the single most influential event that helped me form and develop the Las Vegas Bellydance Intensive (yup...it's roots are in Utah).

And I want to add to your "theory" too. I've always said that Utah is one of the most culturally diverse places in the USA due to the Mormons. They send out Missionaries all over the world...and many of the converts relocate to Utah. So not only are all the return missionaires pretty culturally supportive and savvy...the city just naturally attracts converts from all over the world. So the place is a strange sort of magnet for cultural stuff. And certainly, the olympics definitely added to that!!

And as a side note, I was first married in the replica of the Social Hall that was built at the "This is the Place Monument". I think the park has another name now, but I don't know what it is. The original Social Hall was found underneath State Street when they were digging the underground walkway to ZCMI. LOL.

[shems]

LOL...You are cracking me up!!!

Can I add myself to your list of Utah influenced dancers? I grew up in SLC (and grew up Mormon too)! I used to attend the outdoor bellydance festival every year that was run by Yasmina Rogue...which was probably the single most influential event that helped me form and develop the Las Vegas Bellydance Intensive (yup...it's roots are in Utah).

And I want to add to your "theory" too. I've always said that Utah is one of the most culturally diverse places in the USA due to the Mormons. They send out Missionaries all over the world...and many of the converts relocate to Utah. So not only are all the return missionaires pretty culturally supportive and savvy...the city just naturally attracts converts from all over the world. So the place is a strange sort of magnet for cultural stuff. And certainly, the olympics definitely added to that!!

And as a side note, I was first married in the replica of the Social Hall that was built at the "This is the Place Monument". I think the park has another name now, but I don't know what it is. The original Social Hall was found underneath State Street when they were digging the underground walkway to ZCMI. LOL.

Sweet - added juice for my Utah great dancers theory. I kinda miss my home state!

[shems]

More Utah dance accomplishments, suggested by fellow Utahns that thought these were worth recognition:

Kismet named Promoter of the Year
Mashara Rabia was given an award by the community here for her many years dancing.
Sulisha has also won at BDUC.
Amina won at a Wiggles contest.
Munierah won awards for costumes and has made her own line of costumes (Moon Dancer).
Sulisha, Kismet and Thia have opened boutiques and studios dedicated solely to ME Dance.

Locals who have produced shows, festivals and workshops (I know there are several missing from this list): Sultra/Tigris Dance Studio, Shah Sitara, Shahravar, Zahirah, Thia, Kashmir, Jamilla/Desert Veils, Rom, Shazadi, Viktoriya, Johanna, Zarandeo, Midnight Mirage, a Mystique/Isis and Kismet should probably be singled out for the sheer level of their efforts.
Blue Lotus also produces an annual show and won a City Weekly "Best of Utah" award in 2005.

Zahirah, Jamilah, Viktoriya, Midnight Mirage have all been featured in nationally released IAMED and PEKO dance videos.

Thia, Zahirah, Aziz, Shazia, Shahravar, Amina, Corrie have been invited to teach seminars out of state.

Stephanie was featured on Yasmina's Joy of Belly Dancing dancer spotlight.

There's got to be -at least- 100 dancers here with more than 10 years experience, and at least 5-6 with more than 20 years. (I think it's more than that.)

A tangent to bellydancing, but Kairo By Night (a local belly dance band) won an award for Lahadat. And a documentary has recently been produced about them. Desert Wind (another local belly dance band) has also won an award, they tour out of state, and they have about 11 CDs that sell worldwide. Raj and Tarek (two more Middle Eastern musicians) have been performing together at Rakkasah (in California) and Living Traditions Festival (in SLC) for 20+ years. They brought Adnan and Bryan into the group and called it Bazeen. Our community also produced skilled percussionists like Brett "Angus" Bowen and Bryce Schulzke.

And I'd be willing to bet that it's very unusual for a general-interest newspaper to have a regular column featuring bellydancers, like SLUG (Salt Lake Underground) does.

[thaliadances]

This all makes me feel better that my son is leaving the East Coast to go to college in Utah. Too far for Mamma, but sounds like a good grounded place for him to be.

Thanks, Shems

[ssipes]

And I want to add to your "theory" too. I've always said that Utah is one of the most culturally diverse places in the USA due to the Mormons.

Okay, lets not stretch this too much. Salt Lake City is diverse. Moab is diverse. Everywhere else...not so much.

[shems]

Okay, lets not stretch this too much. Salt Lake City is diverse. Moab is diverse. Everywhere else...not so much.

he,he,he - true, true...

[shems]

This all makes me feel better that my son is leaving the East Coast to go to college in Utah. Too far for Mamma, but sounds like a good grounded place for him to be.

Thanks, Shems

And you can feel extra good knowing that when you go visit there are a whole bunch of great places to eat!

mmmmm Red Iguana, mmmm Gourmandie's Bakery, mmmm Sam Pan, House of Tibet, New Dehli Palace, mmmmm, Seigfrieds, Lambs Cafe, mmm, mmmmm Mazza, Oh, I miss you Utah food!

[Samira_dncr]

Okay, lets not stretch this too much. Salt Lake City is diverse. Moab is diverse. Everywhere else...not so much.

I'd also argue that St. George, Logan, & Provo are pretty diverse. I'm not suggesting the Utah is religiously diverse, just culturally so.

I love my Utah roots, but I have no real interest in living there again. I was offered the franchise rights from the Arthur Murray studios to the Salt Lake City market, but I just couldn't do it.

I love the place, I love the culture, I love the mountains and the landscape. I do not love the politics nor the religious homogeny. I don't dislike Mormons...my whole family is LDS. I just happen to walk a different spiritual path and prefer to live somewhere else. (Kind of ironic that I ended up in Sin City...bwhahahahahaha).

But truthfully, Utah is far more culturally diverse then Las Vegas.

[amanda_raqs]

Okay, lets not stretch this too much. Salt Lake City is diverse. Moab is diverse. Everywhere else...not so much.

Ha ha, have to agree with that!

But yes, Utah is awesome and I think, Shems, you are on to something with the Mormon theory. I mean, who remembers Road Shows?!

I am very proud of our Utah dancers!

XOXOXO
amanda
born and raised in the Sugarhood, SLC

[shems]

Ha ha, have to agree with that!

But yes, Utah is awesome and I think, Shems, you are on to something with the Mormon theory. I mean, who remembers Road Shows?!

I am very proud of our Utah dancers!

XOXOXO
amanda
born and raised in the Sugarhood, SLC

Road Shows! I totally forgot the Road Shows, those were awesome! Why don't we do those anymore? I want to put one on now.

[SamiraShuruk]

Hmm....interesting.
My husband was raised Mormon, but like SamiraLV follows a different spiritual path.
His Dad, though true to form was in theatre and ballet- and every night sits down and plays music (usually Beatles) on his little home keyboard.
The sports they were put into were more of the "performing" kind than "kick other teams butt" kind (gymnastics, martial arts - well, OK, that's both, but they did an aesthetically pleasing and graceful kind). My husband and all his siblings were all raised to be total hams. Every time the whole family is together we have to discuss coordinating outfits and take lots of silly pictures.
At recent family reunion (that sadly coincided with a funeral that same weekend) they held a "talent competition".
I just thought it was their family- had no idea it's all part of Mormon culture. Neat.

[Samira_dncr]

I mean, who remembers Road Shows?!

SQUEE!! Road shows!!! Boy does that bring back so many crazy memories.

[Samira_dncr]

Hmm....interesting.
At recent family reunion (that sadly coincided with a funeral that same weekend) they held a "talent competition".
I just thought it was their family- had no idea it's all part of Mormon culture. Neat.

LOL...I'm headed to a family reunion the first week of July. Oh yea...a whole week of planned activities including skits, crafts, music, camping, tie die shirts, and more!! It's always strange for me to go to these things, because there are aspects I LOVE (singing, performing, goofing off) and aspects that I don't like so much (most of the dogma--which is great for everyone else...it's just not my thing).

And I've always thought that young adult Mormons had the most creative ideas for dating...ballroom dance classes, going to the zoo, whatever. Not the typical "clubbing" and/or dinner & movie thing that seems so typical elsewhere.

[ssipes]

And you can feel extra good knowing that when you go visit there are a whole bunch of great places to eat!

mmmmm Red Iguana, mmmm Gourmandie's Bakery, mmmm Sam Pan, House of Tibet, New Dehli Palace, mmmmm, Seigfrieds, Lambs Cafe, mmm, mmmmm Mazza, Oh, I miss you Utah food!

Salt Lake has some great eateries, and there are some rare, delightful jewels scattered elsewhere, but all in all Utah cuisine did not please me, and I blame the Mormon pioneer gene pool (humor, in case its not obvious, please don't take the following *too* seriously). They were mostly Danish I have read, and I think part of their genetic makeup makes them like bland, sweet food, a trait passed on to a large portion of the modern population.

Take fry sauce, for example, what's up with that? Is ketchup straight up too spicy? Do deep fried items need a high fat sauce? (For those of you who don't know, if you order french fries in Utah, you get a disgusting mixture of ketchup and mayonnaise to go with them, and they'll put it on your burgers too, unless you proactively ask not to get it. They act put out if you ask for plain ketchup).

And in Utah, if you buy jalepeno peppers in the store, they are not hot. What explains that? And buy a Mormon pioneer cookbook - everything has sugar in it, even the beef stew.

My graduate advisor had an elaborate theory involving a secret white powdered substance -- UBA (Utah Blanding Agent) -- that he claimed a secret branch of the government put in all the food at those truck check-in points along all the state lines. Apparently it is also in the soil, thus the peppers grown there are not hot.

p.s. Don't eat *anywhere* in Vernal, UT. Bring a sandwich.

[amanda_raqs]

Salt Lake has some great eateries, and there are some rare, delightful jewels scattered elsewhere, but all in all Utah cuisine did not please me, and I blame the Mormon pioneer gene pool (humor, in case its not obvious, please don't take the following *too* seriously). They were mostly Danish I have read, and I think part of their genetic makeup makes them like bland, sweet food, a trait passed on to a large portion of the modern population.

Take fry sauce, for example, what's up with that? Is ketchup straight up too spicy? Do deep fried items need a high fat sauce? (For those of you who don't know, if you order french fries in Utah, you get a disgusting mixture of ketchup and mayonnaise to go with them, and they'll put it on your burgers too, unless you proactively ask not to get it. They act put out if you ask for plain ketchup).

<snip>

I LOVE fry sauce! Although I hate the places that use like Thousand Island dressing or something. Its chunky. bleh :(

[amanda_raqs]

LOL...I'm headed to a family reunion the first week of July. Oh yea...a whole week of planned activities including skits, crafts, music, camping, tie die shirts, and more!! It's always strange for me to go to these things, because there are aspects I LOVE (singing, performing, goofing off) and aspects that I don't like so much (most of the dogma--which is great for everyone else...it's just not my thing).

And I've always thought that young adult Mormons had the most creative ideas for dating...ballroom dance classes, going to the zoo, whatever. Not the typical "clubbing" and/or dinner & movie thing that seems so typical elsewhere.

Ha ha, the last family reunion I went to had a karaoke contest!

[shems]

My graduate advisor had an elaborate theory involving a secret white powdered substance -- UBA (Utah Blanding Agent) -- that he claimed a secret branch of the government put in all the food at those truck check-in points along all the state lines. Apparently it is also in the soil, thus the peppers grown there are not hot.

p.s. Don't eat *anywhere* in Vernal, UT. Bring a sandwich.

UBA he, he, he, I successfully avoided that. I could fill a page with all the great places I liked to eat at in Utah. I guess I just knew where to go. Admittedly none of my favorite restaurants were in Vernal.

[Bellybabe]

Never been to Utah (well,not yet) but I am a practicing Mormon aka LDS.

What has been said about the culture surrounding Mormons is so true but I grew up outside of that because I was born and raised in England and have always lived in places where Mormons are not thick on the ground!

[Samira_dncr]

UBA he, he, he, I successfully avoided that. I could fill a page with all the great places I liked to eat at in Utah. I guess I just knew where to go. Admittedly none of my favorite restaurants were in Vernal.

Tee hee. I agree. I knew lots of great places to eat in Utah, but definitely not in Vernal. ..l;,

[najla86]

America’s Next Top Mormon | Print Article | Newsweek.com

Latter-day Domination | Newsweek Periscope | Newsweek.com

Newsweek agrees with your theory, Shems

[shems]

America’s Next Top Mormon | Print Article | Newsweek.com

Latter-day Domination | Newsweek Periscope | Newsweek.com

Newsweek agrees with your theory, Shems

woo-wee!

[Samira_dncr]

America’s Next Top Mormon | Print Article | Newsweek.com

Latter-day Domination | Newsweek Periscope | Newsweek.com

Newsweek agrees with your theory, Shems

Hmmmm...very interesting....

[Desideria]

Hmm....interesting.
My husband was raised Mormon, but like SamiraLV follows a different spiritual path.
His Dad, though true to form was in theatre and ballet- and every night sits down and plays music (usually Beatles) on his little home keyboard.
The sports they were put into were more of the "performing" kind than "kick other teams butt" kind (gymnastics, martial arts - well, OK, that's both, but they did an aesthetically pleasing and graceful kind). My husband and all his siblings were all raised to be total hams. Every time the whole family is together we have to discuss coordinating outfits and take lots of silly pictures.
At recent family reunion (that sadly coincided with a funeral that same weekend) they held a "talent competition".
I just thought it was their family- had no idea it's all part of Mormon culture. Neat.

Makes me remember the Osmonds the whole family were talented and Mormon and from Utah. Interesting facts I didnt realize all this. At least there are good things to say about Mormons considering what has transpired from the media recently.

[Samira_dncr]

Makes me remember the Osmonds the whole family were talented and Mormon and from Utah. Interesting facts I didnt realize all this. At least there are good things to say about Mormons considering what has transpired from the media recently.

Yeah, well...we all know only too well how badly the media has butchered bellydancing. I'm sure you can figure out that the media certainly isn't going to do much better with an actual religion or spiritual path. There are definitely multiple perspectives on Mormonism and the media isn't very good at giving the whole story.

It's strange because even though I don't consider myself Mormon at all, I still feel a strange protectiveness towards it because there are so many misconceptions that are out there floating around (like polygamy and that mormons have horns...hahahaha). And, of course, most of my family are still Mormon (though I do have an uncle who became Southern Baptist--which took the pressure off me cuz now I get to share the "Black Sheep" title with someone else...hahahahaha).

..l;, ..l;,