Thread: New Name for "American Cabaret" -- and others???

Hmmmmm . . . . . . .

Thinking aloud here . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

So what I do is the *original* "Orientale Fusion," but I just call it Belly Dancing, perhaps describing it further as "based on the Turkish" and "based on the Egyptian," whichever is appropriate for what I'm doing.

Yes?

No?

Does that work?

I mean, I call it belly dancing anyway . . . ..c::

Deborah

I think I'm with the "belly dancing" crowd here. No need to make it complicated. Joe Q Public won't know the difference anyway.

If I went in that direction, I think I'd take a note from the era (60's-70's American scene) and refer to it as AmArab. Wish I had my Saroyan Sings cd here at my office to check on the spelling as it might be AmerAb instead. I'm sure someone would be willing to call me on this one. ..g.:

Originally Posted by Fotia

That's a real good one. Or would it be too presumptive to say Arab-American Eclectic Style?

The name, American or North American, already indicates a fusion of various countries (Lebanese, Egyptian, Turkish and Greek). If it were Egyptian style or any other, it would be called that.

I think the words American Cabaret already describe fusion pretty well. It’s a matter of what fusion was popular and when?

Vintage American Cabaret and Modern American Cabaret

Whether you call it cabaret or oriental(e) is another issue.
Vintage American Oriental and Modern American Oriental

I prefer either of these. I can understand what they mean.

Okay, I'm new here, but I just have to say that the word Oriental makes my skin crawl. Maybe I'm overreacting from growing up in a very Asian city, but the race/ethnicity politics behind the word Oriental/Orientale make me very uncomfortable. It just seems like once again throwing a vast number of cultures into that OTHER category.

Originally Posted by vahvooom

Vintage American Cabaret and Modern American Cabaret

Whether you call it cabaret or oriental(e) is another issue.
Vintage American Oriental and Modern American Oriental

Oooh, more names! I like them.

So, Vintage American includes Turkish 9/8, Persian 6s, maybe some Greek influence and hints at the 7-part routine, right? Veil, zills, floorwork, flair.

Would Modern American include what is currently grouped under "tribal fusion" or would this group only contain Egyptian-rooted-with-pops-locks-and-flash-dance like Jillina, Aziza, Ava Fleming, et alm? And/or is it current American nightclub style only? Ansuya-ish?

Just curious as to how you define your categories.

Originally Posted by Hava77

I think I'm with the "belly dancing" crowd here. No need to make it complicated. Joe Q Public won't know the difference anyway.

I think what I'd call it would absolutely depend on the venue and the situation.

For the general public, 'bellydancing' is hunky dory.

For specific performances for specific shows, I'd describe that performance.

In general, when people ask what style I teach or perform, I tell them I'm especially interested in Egyptian style but I also teach a little Turkish Romani and some other styles to the extent of my ability.

When i perform, I draw from all my training equally, so I just call it American Mongrel.

Honestly, though, outside of Bhuz, I'm rarely asked to think about my style, much less describe it. (not even here do people really ask me to describe it!)

My yoga teachers told me not to get too bogged down in styles. They said you can study Iyengar, Ashtanga, Bikram, Tantric, Integrated, etc. and you should keep an open mind and learn everything you can from each one. But when you teach, you'll teach Lauren style. If you've done your job, you'll bring an ecclectic mix of your studies for everyone's benefit. They told me that an intelligent yogi is knowledgeable about the various schools, but isn't so much of a follower that she lives, teaches or practices in a box.

And I think that's exactly what Randa Kamal does, and Amani, and Naima Akef, and Nadia Gamal -- none of them dance purely in the 'style' of their country, they innovate and draw from ALL sources that they believe will compliment them and make a better show.

Originally Posted by Lauren_

My yoga teachers told me not to get too bogged down in styles. They said you can study Iyengar, Ashtanga, Bikram, Tantric, Integrated, etc. and you should keep an open mind and learn everything you can from each one. But when you teach, you'll teach Lauren style. If you've done your job, you'll bring an ecclectic mix of your studies for everyone's benefit. They told me that an intelligent yogi is knowledgeable about the various schools, but isn't so much of a follower that she lives, teaches or practices in a box.

This is brilliant. Still curious though, vahvooom...

It's frustrating that our dance form comes from areas so spread out, politically speaking at least.

I love 'pan-Arabian' and 'Middle Eastern' but neither once encompasses everything we do -- or everything AmCab dancers did.

Lebanon is considered Levant, right? And none of the bellydances are actually performed in the area called 'arabia' although many of the countries do speak Arabic. I don't think Eygptians like to be considered Arabs OR Africans, although in ways they're both. (they don't seem to like being lumped in with anyone else, Nourhan says they're 'very Pharonic')

and Turkey is part of the EU now, aren't they? At any rate they're not Arab.

So there's just no simple way to lump together the cultures that were fused in American (then and now).

Originally Posted by Lauren_

It's frustrating that our dance form comes from areas so spread out, politically speaking at least.

I love 'pan-Arabian' and 'Middle Eastern' but neither once encompasses everything we do -- or everything AmCab dancers did.

Lebanon is considered Levant, right? And none of the bellydances are actually performed in the area called 'arabia' although many of the countries do speak Arabic. I don't think Eygptians like to be considered Arabs OR Africans, although in ways they're both. (they don't seem to like being lumped in with anyone else, Nourhan says they're 'very Pharonic')

and Turkey is part of the EU now, aren't they? At any rate they're not Arab.

So there's just no simple way to lump together the cultures that were fused in American (then and now).

Yay!!! I was just talking to with my father about the Middle East troubles and he referred to Iranians as Arabs and I had to patiently explain that just because someone is from the Middle East, he is not necessarily Arab. It took a while to get through though.

I've been in the middle of academic research on Egypt unrelated to bd for a while and I don't think many people outside of the area realize what a melange Egypt has been for centuries. To say something is or isn't authentically Egyptian is like visiting North Carolina and deciding that all Americans call sugary carbonated beverages "pop" and anyone who says "soda" obviously isn't authentically American.

Originally Posted by Lauren_

and Turkey is part of the EU now, aren't they?

No they aren't yet. They're working towards membership, and are official candidates for membership, but haven't yet met the necessary criteria.