Thread: question for the second-generation belly dancers

How often do you mention that you are a "second generation" belly dancer in the short bios read before a performance? Never, every time, only when it's appropriate? Do you feel like it gets old?

I'm starting to feel like I'm wearing it out. Anyone else feel this way?

Who would be the second generation?
Who do we consider the first?
What are the dates/names/places we include in this family tree?

I'm assuming it means your mother was also a bellydancer.

My daughter is second-generation but I don't think it gets mentioned in her bios/intros much.

I assume second generation means that one or both of the dancer's parents was a dancer previous to their birth. (or during the childhood of the dancer, up through elementary school age)

examples: Ansuya, Phaedra Rose, Laura Rose, Suhaila Salimpour, Kira, Jayna of BDSS

to answer the OP, I think it's up to the dancer how often it gets mentioned. but bear in mind that we all get sick of our bios at a certain point, it's not just a second-generation thing!..l;, mix it up if you want to.

I think you would want to mention it whenever your audience is significantly new to you. If you have danced in the same hafla three times in a row, maybe drop it. If it's a new location, go for it!

Thanks for the clarification! Since we were talking family tree of bellydance in another thread, that was where my brain went!

Originally Posted by lotus

examples: Ansuya, Phaedra Rose, Laura Rose, Suhaila Salimpour, Kira, Jayna of BDSS

and Aradia!

And Jamila al Wahid! (Just saw her dance at Rakkasah, so she is on my mind. I had forgotten how awesome she is.)

Thank you ladies. This helps a great deal. My mom was a dancer before and for a while after I was born.

It makes sense to maybe mention it if it's a new audience. But to mix it up a little bit now and again. I think I'm worried that it'll become old. That should be my first clue ,r:;

I usually announce it when I am traveling or out of state, I will mention it in Las Vegas if my Mom is in the audience, I just like to send her the respect for putting me on this path, otherwise, for hafla's where everyone knows I grew up doing this I don't bother, many of them studied under my Mom.

I get very sick of my bio as well, but it is what it is, you may try rewriting it, with the same information, but totally different, or even ask a writer/English student/journalist to do a rewrite for you!!

awesome. Thank you thank you ...

Originally Posted by Aradia

I get very sick of my bio as well, but it is what it is, you may try rewriting it, with the same information, but totally different, or even ask a writer/English student/journalist to do a rewrite for you!!

I like your bio - you would scare the shimmies out of me if they all of a sudden presented you as "Aradia, second generation bellydancer, and a fabulous Las Vegas instructor, choreographer and artiste in her own right. Recently adding PoleBellyHoop to her reportoire and tonight presenting a Lebanese style feast for the eyes".....

IF your parent infact danced or still dances and you have learned from them - there is nothing wrong with acknowledging them and their hard work on you. My dad was a Bhangra dancer - and my teacher of 14 years - I wouldnt dream of trying to take creds for his hard work (and patience) with me. AND, if I dont do a good job that day - I can blame him :P

I just get fed up of hearing bios or presentations where the second generation thing is the ONLY real information given..."XX is a second generation belly dancer. XX's love for the dance grew in her heart as she grew inside her mother's undulating belly. She thanks her first pair of inherited zills and her mother for bringing the joy of dance and beauty of this wonderful artform to her. Ladies and Gentlemen - XX!" ..c::... its not like people REALLY listen to bios or presentations anyway - so when you're going to give a presentation and someone ACTUALLY bothers to listen - why give them such bla bla info? .w.: What is really relevant? Your name, where you're from, what you do, what you're presenting. Period. We KNOW you love the dance - otherwise you wouldnt be on stage. It's not a poetry demonstration - its a dance performance. Skip the bla bla and just get out there and DANCE, wi'cha? lol :)

also very good points. Thank you David.

Originally Posted by david

I like your bio - you would scare the shimmies out of me if they all of a sudden presented you as "Aradia, second generation bellydancer, and a fabulous Las Vegas instructor, choreographer and artiste in her own right. Recently adding PoleBellyHoop to her reportoire and tonight presenting a Lebanese style feast for the eyes".....

IF your parent infact danced or still dances and you have learned from them - there is nothing wrong with acknowledging them and their hard work on you. My dad was a Bhangra dancer - and my teacher of 14 years - I wouldnt dream of trying to take creds for his hard work (and patience) with me. AND, if I dont do a good job that day - I can blame him :P

I just get fed up of hearing bios or presentations where the second generation thing is the ONLY real information given..."XX is a second generation belly dancer. XX's love for the dance grew in her heart as she grew inside her mother's undulating belly. She thanks her first pair of inherited zills and her mother for bringing the joy of dance and beauty of this wonderful artform to her. Ladies and Gentlemen - XX!" ..c::... its not like people REALLY listen to bios or presentations anyway - so when you're going to give a presentation and someone ACTUALLY bothers to listen - why give them such bla bla info? .w.: What is really relevant? Your name, where you're from, what you do, what you're presenting. Period. We KNOW you love the dance - otherwise you wouldnt be on stage. It's not a poetry demonstration - its a dance performance. Skip the bla bla and just get out there and DANCE, wi'cha? lol :)

Yeah, definitely not meant to be poetry, who you are, what you do, and some credentials!!

Hmm Polebellyhoop..l;,..l;, You must have seen the ad for Aradia Fitness!! They are a chain of fitness centers from the East coast I think. They recently opened one here in Vegas, I was like, "Oh hell" now people are going to think I'm incorporating pole dancing and lap dancing 101 into my work!! I saw they are now offering belly dance classes,m::

I thought second generation meant as removed from the original source. For instance, my main teacher was Arabic and has her own original style. So I consider myself 2nd generation to her as she was 1st, then I was 2nd. My students would be 3rd generation.

Now my first teacher was a student of Bobby Farah's. I'm 3rd generation to him.

I've never specifically said I'm generation so and so in anything. In any event sponsored by me teacher I would make mention of the fact that I was her student but that's it.

Originally Posted by Aradia

Yeah, definitely not meant to be poetry, who you are, what you do, and some credentials!!

Hmm Polebellyhoop..l;,..l;, You must have seen the ad for Aradia Fitness!! They are a chain of fitness centers from the East coast I think. They recently opened one here in Vegas, I was like, "Oh hell" now people are going to think I'm incorporating pole dancing and lap dancing 101 into my work!! I saw they are now offering belly dance classes,m::

Uhhm, no, actually I just made that up thinking that'd be weird enough to where nobody would feel targeted and hung out... oh well... lol.

Originally Posted by Lauren_

I'm assuming it means your mother was also a bellydancer.

My daughter is second-generation but I don't think it gets mentioned in her bios/intros much.

I consider myself to be a second generation oriental dancer because my mother was a dancer through my childhood up until today (and hopefully many years to come).

I claim my mum as my first and most significant teacher, she is also my ongoing dance mentor... I will mention her in that context and I won't pretend we're not related so the 2nd gen thing is mentioned in a round about way. And even then she is pretty well known here so I don't have to mention it.

But I have never found a way to mention "second generation dancer" in a short bio without sounding like I was trying to cash in on it. I mean, I don't assume it makes me a better dancer by default and I wouldn't want a casual audience thinking I thought that. A detailed background bio on a webpage or the like would be different.

And now I'm going to backflip a bit. I've been thinking lately that maybe I should use it more. No, it doesn't make me a better dancer by default but I self identify as an oriental dancer so strongly because of the ties I have with this dance. The sights, smells, sounds, the feel, the movement are childhood memories for me, not something that is exotic or 'other'. And because I have this fear of looking like a wanker it is something I seriously downplay and almost deny to some extent.

Nanda, this is exactly how I feel. My mother was my first teacher, and is an ongoing dance mentor. My dance ties with her go back to early childhood. The sounds and movements are childhood memories for me too. My mom has since stopped dancing and isn't well known. I like to give her credit when I can, but I don't want to sound as though I'm trying to "cash in on it".

I keep going back to what Sandra said, and that's the possibility of mentioning it to an audience who isn't familiar to me. Otherwise, I'm feeling like I should leave it out. If I ever get a website, it will probably be more suitable there.

Thank you...

I don't usually mention it for myself as part of an announcement at a hafla or festival, but I often include the fact that my daughter is a third generation BDer -- and she definitely lives up to the title!

Deborah