Thread: Do you represent Arab culture?

Given the fact that so few professional belly dancers are of Arab descent, and that we so often fit into the "ethnic dance" category, I am wondering --

Do you (professional or non-professional performing dancers) think of yourselves as representing Arab culture when you perform?

How about, do you represent Arab people when you perform?

A while back I was invited to be part of a cultural festival. I was asked to submit a symbol or flag or something that would be used as a visual icon of the country I represented. I told the organizer numerous times that I did not really represent a country but that I was a foreign performer of an art that Arabs might not want to be represented by. It didn't matter a bit. I finally sent in a graphic of a zil. At the same time I do try to perform with respect toward the primary cultures. It's a hard one for me.

I try to be culturally respectful and culturally accurate, but I don't nessicarily think of myself as representative of a people or of an entire culture.

However, I do think that in situations when dancers are not performing for Arabs, it can quickly become a cultural representation-which can be both good and bad.

If I am dancing for Arabs, I suppose it would be up to them to decide whether or not I am representative of a part of their culture.

I think Arabs would be mortified if I told them that I was their cultural ambassador to my own. I am just a dancer. If I were a ballerina, would I represent the French?

I don't think of myself as a representative of Arabs/Arab culture, but I also know that sometimes you get grouped into those categories, regardless of what you think. I'm adopted East Asian, and I don't feel like I represent East Asians at all, but I'm still linked to that by others. I think knowing the cultural components is imperative to the dance and I do learn them the best I can, but I don't think of myself as a representative. Then again, I've always been uncomfortable with the general idea of being the face of x group; many groups are so unique, you know? But I digress.

When I dance or talk about my dancing, I present myself the way I as an individual want to be represented: tasteful and interesting. I'm not a particularly outrageous, controversial dancer so I don't think it's a huge issue if I'm viewed as representative of Arab culture.

I certainly try not to MIS-represent Arab culture . . . but to think of myself as representing it would be pretty presumptuous. And while belly dancing does hold a place in Arab culture, it's just a drop in the bucket of ALL that Arab culture is.
Rosette

well, yes...we do. where we are on the map, we work 90% of the time for ethnic peoples.we are the only traditional group here, so we keep it traditional it is what we do.

Of all the times that I have danced in public, I never thought that I was representing the Arab people. I was just dancing. Besides, culture is much more than dance.

Of course we don't represent all of Arab culture. But we do represent something - otherwise why do we care about using appropriate music, checking song lyrics, why do we censor certain moves that people deem inappropriate, why do we care about how our publics perceives us? Because we *are* representing a cultural form, and that cultural form is connected with Arab culture. So no matter what you do and where you go you can't walk away from that and pretend you don't represent anything. You can't take the music and the steps but completely ignore the larger cultural context. Of course, there is a lot of disagreement about what exactly constitutes that cultural context and people come up with different answers.

I struggle with this because on the one hand, I agree, no belly dancer wants to be seen as a representative of Arabic culture - it's reductive and wrong - but at the same time, whether I am performing for Arabs, "white" Americans, teaching class &c I am representing some aspect of that culture. So I have decided for this reason to try to be as specific as possible about what I do. This is easier to do in teaching, when you can explain yourself more, and i know a lot of teachers who think it is important to explain the origins of different styles of music and movements. Occasionally I have taught a little workshop for a friend's Intro to Arab Culture class and what I have done is shown videos of different types of dance around the Arab world - from social dancing in different countries, to nightclub and wedding belly dance performance - and then I teach social dance steps to specific styles of music - Lebanese debke, or Arabic pop music. I want to show the diversity of dance in the Arab world.

It's harder to figure out what you represent and how you can influence that perception when you perform. If I were asked to dance at a cultural festival, and represent a specific culture with my dance, I would take that charge seriously. I would choose music and appropriate costuming and be specific. Obviously nothing we do is "pure" or "authentic" but there are different kinds of efforts you can bring to how you represent your performance. Remember, your performance is not the same as "you." And when you perform, you are representing something.

I may just be an entertainer, but I am specifically an entertainer who is translating an Arabic cultural form - Arabic dance - for a mass audience. And for that reason I think it is best that we educate ourselves about this cultural form, and try to find as many ways possible of educating the people for whom we perform.

What Anala said.

I can do my very best to respect the cultural integrity of the dance, to understand the nuances of my music and to do a justice to different regional styles. Every dancer should know the difference between all of the regional styles, and should study folkloric dance if and when the option is available. If there's a little khaleegy riff in my music, I'll acknowledge it. And when the beledi rhythm kicks up, I'll bounce to it. I know how to structure my sets for different audiences, and what types of costumes my audiences prefer. One of these days, I plan to learn Turkish and travel to Istanbul. This is how I personally make an effort to be authentic.

I went through a short phase where I wanted to out-Egypt the Egyptians. But at the end of the day, it just felt like I was playing dress-up. I'm a suburbanite from Connecticut and my heritage is an Anglo/Germanic mix. I'll never know exactly what it's like to be an Egyptian, and I'll always dance with an American accent. I don't even think this is a bad thing - it is what it is, and I am who I am.

I think the heart of the matter is that music, emotion and art are a universal matter. Most of us will never be 100% authentic from a cultural standpoint, no matter how deeply we immerse ourselves in our studies. At this point, authenticity comes from a place of being true to yourself, connecting with your music, and bringing something "real" to your own dancing. It's really the best we can do. At least, that's what I think...

I think the dilemma in this situation isn't so much your dancing as whether it's appropriate for the venue.

I probably wouldn't do a pure bellydance performance for a cultural festival. It's just not appropriate, for the reasons you mentioned.

If I were invited to perform for a cultural festival, I'd decline unless I could name a country and perform a variety of folk dances from that country. For instance, representing Egypt with Saidi, Hagallah, Baladi and Shamadan in an assuit dress, maybe? (I don't do Hagallah yet, though, so I probably wouldn't have enough to fill a program. Not sure Melaya is how the Egyptians would want to be portrayed, either).

Originally Posted by SatinWorship19

I went through a short phase where I wanted to out-Egypt the Egyptians. But at the end of the day, it just felt like I was playing dress-up. I'm a suburbanite from Connecticut and my heritage is an Anglo/Germanic mix. I'll never know exactly what it's like to be an Egyptian, and I'll always dance with an American accent. I don't even think this is a bad thing - it is what it is, and I am who I am.

Totally. But I don't think representing something is the same as being authentic. You don't have to be authentic to represent something. But I think a lot of people feel that unless they are authentic they can't represent Arabic culture. We are always going to represent something, even if it's the suburbanite from Conn who is studying the many styles of Arabic dance. And there is nothing wrong with that!

Originally Posted by nadira82

Totally. But I don't think representing something is the same as being authentic. You don't have to be authentic to represent something. But I think a lot of people feel that unless they are authentic they can't represent Arabic culture. We are always going to represent something, even if it's the suburbanite from Conn who is studying the many styles of Arabic dance. And there is nothing wrong with that!

This is true. Revisiting my last post, I hope it didn't come across as a tone of resignation - if anything, I believe that we never stop learning! And when I say learning, I mean anything from attending a folkloric workshop to observing how your Lebanese friends might dance in a social setting. This all contributes to an accurate representation. And you absolutely don't want to MISrepresent the dance

I just think a lot of us underestimate the power of the transcendent, internal, universal stuff - Joy, sorrow, sensuality, playfulness.... A dancer could do the most "textbook" representation of beledi, but if she's lacking in the bint el-beled spirit, her presentation won't quite measure up to the real deal. But I guess that's a whole 'nother thread, isn't it?

I would think that every dancer who attempts any sort of ethnic authenticity should feel that they are representing the culture--and in particular, they should strive to represent it with dignity. On the other hand, the expression "representing the people" when one is an outsider sort of conveys a masquerade to me.

The desire to take a foreign dance name is an interesting side effect of this. Sometimes, the dance name can be an intentional attempt to pass oneself off as a native to the culture, but I think it is as likely that one takes a second "exotic" name to prevent a negative reaction from within the dancer's own culture, in the sense that it puts a buffer between the dancer and the judgment that is sometimes passed against the dance.

I do believe you can represent the culture without deliberately representing the people of it, though. I think of it in the same way as one would when studying a foreign language. You attempt to present the language in a way that is culturally authentic, sensible, and appropriate, and you can develop a high degree of fluency, but you don't pretend you are a native speaker--and when you reach a level of proficiency where native speakers mistake you for one of their own, you take it as a compliment and proof you have succeeded in your studies.

What Tourbeau & Satin just said. Also, as per Lauren about the context of the performance. I think if it was offered to me like that, I would want to be very clear that I was doing a contemporary, multi-cultural riff. Or I'd refer them to someone who could do a folkloric, regional number justice.

Originally Posted by Tourbeau

I do believe you can represent the culture without deliberately representing the people of it, though. I think of it in the same way as one would when studying a foreign language. You attempt to present the language in a way that is culturally authentic, sensible, and appropriate, and you can develop a high degree of fluency, but you don't pretend you are a native speaker--and when you reach a level of proficiency where native speakers mistake you for one of their own, you take it as a compliment and proof you have succeeded in your studies.

This is a really good point. I like the analogy!

I sort of struggle with the implications of my young impulsive move to take a dance name. On the one hand, it suits my needs to separate my personal and other professional lives from my dance career, but on the other hand, it also functions as an act of ethnic dress-up that I recognize can be seen as rather offensive.

This is why mine is Sanskrit. It is the element of my sign, it matches my hair, and is also my temprement and what I try to project in my dance.

Nadira your commentary is extremely insightful and I am enjoying reading it.

Satin: "I think the heart of the matter is that music, emotion and art are a universal matter. Most of us will never be 100% authentic from a cultural standpoint, no matter how deeply we immerse ourselves in our studies. At this point, authenticity comes from a place of being true to yourself, connecting with your music, and bringing something "real" to your own dancing. It's really the best we can do. At least, that's what I think..."

This I love.

I stand in for every perception, preconception and misinterpretation of the generalised nebulous Orient, yes. Whether I like it or not. I'm a belly dancer, I'm the flip side of the oppressed/fanatical figure in black.

So while I do not automatically represent Arab culture to Arabs, I do represent perceptions of the Arab world to non-Arab locals. So I better do a good, positive, thoughtful and nuanced job of doing something not of my own culture. (And it is amazing how often women will ask me afterwards how it is that this dancing can come from the same place where They Force Their Women To Wear Black Robes, and so I can educate and give them some idea that the Arab world is not homogenous and that it's more complex than they thought.)

I also do think that sometimes I represent Arab culture to Arabs, or Central Asians or North Africans or all manner of people who are used to belly dance being around in their home countries. I know that people like to hear the music and see the dancing, even if they don't all approve. I will never forget the time some Egyptian Copts got all mistyeyed and happy because we did nice conservative Saidi cane to really traditional music. I know that every time I belly dance or do folk or both at a cultural event wee ladies in scarves come scuttling up to the front with camera phones. They *want* to see the dancing and they like to see it, ieven if it's just an occasion for them to go "ugh, that was terrible. My daughter is so much better. Let's go home and put on some music!" I've met Arab women who think it's hilarious that we do it. I knew an Algerian refugee woman who said it made her happy to see Kiwi women belly dance because it made her feel that yes, there could be a place for her here. I know we make people a bit homesick sometimes.

So yes, I do stand in for it, on some level.

Hmm...I think representation of Arabic culture definitely doesn't apply for me. Tribal isn't very culturally accurate or "ethnically" accurate in any way. It's purely fantasy. However, I'm also very sure to inform just about anyone who will listen of this fact so that I'm not mistaken for performing a dance that's historically accurate in any way.

I think a lot of people see the big tribal skirts, choli tops, turbans, etc and they somehow think that this must be a more historically correct or "older" version of bellydance, but that simply isn't true. A lot of renn faire dancers encourage this impression through both their style of dance and costuming selections, a lot of them portraying Romani or "Gypsies" in a historically inaccurate way more than Arabic people. I think this too is something that should be taken into consideration.

That's just my two cents on the matter, but I'm also not a cabaret dancer, so my style of dance doesn't connect to the modern Arabic culture near as well as cabaret would.

Tribal isn't very culturally accurate or "ethnically" accurate in any way. It's purely fantasy. However, I'm also very sure to inform just about anyone who will listen of this fact so that I'm not mistaken for performing a dance that's historically accurate in any way.

Good for you!! You are right, a lot of people assume it is "older/more historically correct" especially in ATS type garb. I can remember a friend asking me what region a particular dance was from. It felt really weird to say "America".

Originally Posted by Lauren_

I probably wouldn't do a pure bellydance performance for a cultural festival. It's just not appropriate, for the reasons you mentioned.
If I were invited to perform for a cultural festival, I'd decline unless I could name a country and perform a variety of folk dances from that country. For instance, representing Egypt with Saidi, Hagallah, Baladi and Shamadan in an assuit dress, maybe? (I don't do Hagallah yet, though, so I probably wouldn't have enough to fill a program. Not sure Melaya is how the Egyptians would want to be portrayed, either).

I recently performed in a "Silk Road" cultural festival at the local community college. I was recommended by my Arabic teacher (who is Egyptian) and he specifically wanted belly dance, as did the female head of the World Languages department.
I wore a galabeya and hip scarf OVER my costume for the teaching portion and as always included cultural tidbits. I also included some saidi steps. But the show- belly dance. The dept head even specified she wanted a two piece costume. They were paying me and this is what they asked for.

Originally Posted by Amber_moon

Nadira your commentary is extremely insightful and I am enjoying reading it.
.

Ditto.

But in response to the OP.
When teaching and dancing for Americans- I see myself as trying to open their eyes to the beautiful parts of other cultures. I share my appreciation and enthusiasm for the dance in hopes that it is a "gateway drug" into accepting the cultures. I believe this is especially important post 9-11.
When dancing for Arabs or Turks (or Indian dance for Indians) I humbly do my best to bring them a taste of home...because some of them can't go home or don't have a home to go back to. I don't claim or think I represent their culture to them; but the times they come up to me after I dance and they're speaking to me in their language, or when the women ask me to teach them, I figure I must be heading in the right direction...so I continue in that direction with more classes and more learning. ..g.:

Originally Posted by SamiraShuruk

I recently performed in a "Silk Road" cultural festival at the local community college. I was recommended by my Arabic teacher (who is Egyptian) and he specifically wanted belly dance, as did the female head of the World Languages department.
I wore a galabeya and hip scarf OVER my costume for the teaching portion and as always included cultural tidbits. I also included some saidi steps. But the show- belly dance. The dept head even specified she wanted a two piece costume. They were paying me and this is what they asked for.

This is a very different kind of situation, then.

Usually in my case, the people booking me are utterly clueless. They think having a bellydancer will be 'cool' and they could care less what country I'm representing, if any. There will be NO one else representing ANY middle eastern or north african cultures in any way.

Working with knowledgeable folks on a more specialized program would be a treat!

For years I've been part of a group of dancers who performed Middle Eastern dance at Culture Galore, which is a cultural fair thingy that happens every year. I had to miss the last one, which was really disappointing because we now have a fairly solid bunch of Saudis here, and the previous year they had played music and danced informally all afternoon (men only obviously). Last year they did a stage performance including some of their daughters in thobes. To my knowledge that's the first time Arab females have danced in representation of their own culture at an event of that kind in my city. There is a slow shift where we're starting to see men from ME/NA/Central Asian cultures dancing at such events, whereas before? The representatives were Kiwi women, usually white ones.

Can't wait for this year to see what happens!

Last year they did a stage performance including some of their daughters in thobes

How awesome is that!!!

It was UNawesome because they waited till I wasn't there!! I hope they do it this year too!

I don't consider myself a representative because I am not an Arab. Rather, I consider myself privileged to be allowed to dance their dance. I think most, if not all of us here, feel humbled by that honor. And when I do meet an Arab, I tell him/her that as well. None of us, I believe, who are not of Arab descent, would be so presumptuous as to assume we are equal to a dancer from an Arab country.

Representative doesn't mean equal, Fotia, it means standing in for. What a person represents is often determined by who is looking at them, not what they are trying to do. So I might be trying to show Middle Eastern dance but to some people I represent the Great Islamist Threat (even though that's patently rubbish if you know anything about it). We can have *some* effect on how people see us but only to a degree.

Originally Posted by SatinWorship19

.... I'll never know exactly what it's like to be an Egyptian, and I'll always dance with an American accent. I don't even think this is a bad thing - it is what it is, and I am who I am.

I think the heart of the matter is that music, emotion and art are a universal matter. Most of us will never be 100% authentic from a cultural standpoint, no matter how deeply we immerse ourselves in our studies. At this point, authenticity comes from a place of being true to yourself, connecting with your music, and bringing something "real" to your own dancing. It's really the best we can do. At least, that's what I think...

i think that makes it more authentic, when it comes from yourself rather than imitation of someone just because they are from a certain culture. Dina isn't imitating Suheir Zaki but that doesn't make her dancing any less authentic. i use the "American accent" description too. ^_^

Originally Posted by Rosette

I certainly try not to MIS-represent Arab culture . . . but to think of myself as representing it would be pretty presumptuous. And while belly dancing does hold a place in Arab culture, it's just a drop in the bucket of ALL that Arab culture is.
Rosette

exactly. i think at cultural fairs people get that what they see is only a glimpse of the culture (take for example the Greek fest. one of the churches here throws, there is Greek dancing, food, musicians, and even vending, but attending and/or participating will not teach you how it is to be Greek)
so i think that well done bellydance can be as much of a representation of the culture as hummus is ^_~ (that is, only a taste of one aspect). and i think most of the people who even realize that it comes from the Middle East (i've had a lot of people think India, im sure im not alone on that. my aunt also came up with a country of origin that was so weird i can't remember it.... it might have been that she thought Native American......c::.w.:) understand that you can't boil an entire culture down to one dance. but maybe im giving people too much credit ^_~

Originally Posted by zumarrad

Representative doesn't mean equal, Fotia, it means standing in for. What a person represents is often determined by who is looking at them, not what they are trying to do. So I might be trying to show Middle Eastern dance but to some people I represent the Great Islamist Threat (even though that's patently rubbish if you know anything about it). We can have *some* effect on how people see us but only to a degree.

That is true as well. I couldn't think of a way to express this but you spoke it for me.