Bellydancers of Cairo

[danidance]

I got the DVD and like it a bunch. I think Natasha did a very good job.

I love Samasem. (I've always loved her rhythms CD, one of the best IMO.) She is smarter than hell and presents so well. I also loved when she said she's clumsy and can barely walk and was not trained in dance from a young age - it made me feel much better about me!

[Sashy]

Originally Posted by danidance

I got the DVD and like it a bunch. I think Natasha did a very good job.

I love Samasem. (I've always loved her rhythms CD, one of the best IMO.) She is smarter than hell and presents so well. I also loved when she said she's clumsy and can barely walk and was not trained in dance from a young age - it made me feel much better about me!

See what i told you?That DVD is a keepsake for every bellydancer or dance lover.

[zafirah]

Originally Posted by Lauren_

I think my favorite part, though, was when the filmmaker interviewed her own father & brother.

We are surprised by the duality we encounter in egypt (it's a lovely dance, but not for my daughter/wife/sister) until we have to recognize how familiar it is!

Hmm, I felt that bit was a little lazy. Not exactly a fair survey of American men! Her father possibly is holding onto cultural values from elsewhere (he has an accent so I assume still holds onto his cultural identity from whereever his family are from) and her brother is hardly going to have an 'everyman' view of the dance with his sister making a career of it. Could she seriously not find any other american men to interview?!

Still, better than her other DVD (she's the bellydance for wimps one, right?)

Z

[Adishakti]

I just got the movie yesterday and watched it last night - thanks for the heads up on this video; I really enjoyed it.

[danidance]

Yes she is. I agree with you on both counts here.

Originally Posted by zafirah

Hmm, I felt that bit was a little lazy. Not exactly a fair survey of American men! Her father possibly is holding onto cultural values from elsewhere (he has an accent so I assume still holds onto his cultural identity from whereever his family are from) and her brother is hardly going to have an 'everyman' view of the dance with his sister making a career of it. Could she seriously not find any other american men to interview?!

Still, better than her other DVD (she's the bellydance for wimps one, right?)

Z

[Lauren_]

Originally Posted by zafirah

Hmm, I felt that bit was a little lazy. Not exactly a fair survey of American men! Her father possibly is holding onto cultural values from elsewhere (he has an accent so I assume still holds onto his cultural identity from whereever his family are from) and her brother is hardly going to have an 'everyman' view of the dance with his sister making a career of it. Could she seriously not find any other american men to interview?!

Z

You're right, a bit lazy to interview relatives rather than 'man on the street.'

But the views expressed by her father/brother seemed to reflect the view of most of the father/brother/husbands I've encountered among my students, at least. The average 'everyman' on the street in the U.S. would only vaguely be aware of bellydance and wouldn't be able to answer the questions at all, so you'd really have to ask relatives of dancers or dance students to get an informed answer.

But you're right, non-relatives might have been a better way to go.

[mekyria]

Good point, Lauren. Non BD related men often don't realize what it's like to be a BD 'widower'. It would probably produce comments like 'I wouldn't mind if my girlfriend was a sexy bellydancer' *wink wink, nudge nudge*

[zumarrad]

a bit lazy to interview relatives rather than 'man on the street

Weeell, to a point - but when you consider how much stuff in the documentary is focused on the impact of being a dancer on the family, and also the kinds of negative responses she, a liberated US woman got from her own father and brother who know she is a dancer, I think the choice of family members was very pertinent. It would have been good to get some wider US perspective in that case as well, though.

yay I finally bought this dvd and it is a gem, very well done although much of the attitudes were not new to me and its not the first video to bring up these issues but I am very happy to add it to my collection.
also loved the special features and directors commenary but the real bonus was the cute camera man with his funky hair do.