Copying Caroline..the new NADA

[lizajuk]

deleted

[waldim10]

Arabic Dance (sometimes known as Raqs Sharqi, oriental dance or bellydance) is a beautiful ancient art form which gives expression to female strength and sensuality. It is popular worldwide and appeals to women from a variety of cultural backgrounds. Traditionally learned within the family and performed at weddings and social gatherings in the Middle East the dance has become increasingly popular in the West as an effective and enjoyable exercise accessible to women of all ages, shapes and sizes

Love their inclusive home page. Mind you, they've not appeared keen on male dancers in their mag so far as I've seen so I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

[beafarhana]

It needs better contrast between text & background. From my squinty-eyed short-sighted point of view, the text is far too pale against the background. I don't care how artistic it might be, I want to be able to read it. Also I'm on dial up, and it took an age to load.

But being more positive, it looks nice & navigable.

[Emma]

I found it hard to read as well, darker text would really help. I do like the teacher directory with the map, that's great.

[lizajuk]

Emma and Bea thank you for those valid points..it'll be passed on...

[deelybopper]

I like it! I agree that the text should be darker...there isn't quite enough contrast to make reading comfortable.

I have some other comments, but am emailing them.

[straightleftknee]

I like it but agree a stronger colour contrast between text and background would make it clearer.

[waldim10]

Originally Posted by lizajuk

I'm not very chuffed that you have given Bhuzzers the wrong impression of our organisation and magazine. If you are a fully paid up member..are you...you'll see you are wrong about the magazine...we also include articles on horses and small dogs.....g.

As you are aware, my viewpoints are informed by a prolonged exposure to the UK's general behaviour towards males who try to learn this dance. If I sound bitter, maybe it's because I have much to be bitter about. Let us just say that the front page, and I bet your male non-dancer didn't write the copy originally, is emblemetic of the attitude I experienced. The first NADA mag I ever read (last year) contained an article that was very dismissive of male dancers. I was less than impressed. However, if things have changed markedly in the last year. ....

I also know that most of the UK dancers here on bhuz are actually very welcoming to males. You may be surprised to hear that I have always been distressed that those UK dancers who bear the brunt of my exasperations are those least deserving of it, but bhuz has been my place to vent about my experiences as there's nowhere else. I have apologised in the past and, no doubt, will in future for the offenses that I give, but you really can't know what it's been like at times.

However, re NADA I became a lapsed member last year and so was unaware that you had taken over the editorship. I appreciate that each editor offers her own flavour and know you will be a benefit to the community. Even if you disbelieve the sentiment, I offer my heartiest best wishes.

I'm glad to see that you intend to write positively about foreign trained dancers such as Jim B, Khaled and Shafeek. But that's easy. I'd be more interested in somebody asking the hard question of why it is that most British teachers wouldn't dream of allowing a man in their classrooms and how they defend such behaviour. Vague statements of intent from the committee are all very well, but how many teachers in NADA actually accept men in their beginner's classes ? Till then, support is moot. After all, why aren't there any men to write for the mag ? It isn't cos men don't want to learn y'know.

[waldim10]

Originally Posted by lizajuk

I suggest you stop angering your allies and concentrate on a strategy to gain more. And tell all these would be male students to stand up and be counted.

What male students ??? Most of the teachers in the UK forbid them !! All a woman has to do is phone her nearest teacher and she's in. A male has to keep ringing round and begging till someone takes pity on him. And that may require more humility and interest than he possesses.

Don't blame the males for their absense. It's the women's fault: That self-interested and self-absorbed community that think that this is a dance form, which gives expression to female strength and sensuality. It is sought after worldwide for its distinctive power and beauty and appeals to women from a variety of cultural backgrounds. An ancient and beautiful art form, Arabic dance follows a long musical tradition of women dancing to entertain themselves and has much in common with other arts of Islam in which subtle designs weave in and out of each otherand theirs alone.

don't blame the victim, look to yourselves.

[lizajuk]

I don't need to look to myself, thank you very much!
No man has ever rung me or any of my dance teacher colleagues and I'll not be held responsible for the actions of other teachers.

You hi jacked this thread so forthwith it's done .

[waldim10]

Originally Posted by lizajuk

I don't need to look to myself, thank you very much!
No man has ever rung me or any of my dance teacher colleagues and I'll not be held responsible for the actions of other teachers.

You hi jacked this thread so forthwith it's done .

Curious. You invite a comment and then accuse me of hijacking the thread when I do. You didn't have to react to my first comment as you did seeing as it is entirely consistent with the opinions I have expressed over the years. I really don't like those female-exlusive descriptions and, having been invited to comment, did so. Still whatever.

[KathyC]

Haven't been on line for ages and not likely to be on again for a while, so at the risk of a flaming in my absence (I'm not entirely sure what's been said here), reading the quote where the words "women" etc are highlighted, quite apart from the fact that it's excluding men it's not historically correct, is it? This dance, as far as I am given to understand, has always been performed by men and women.

It reminds me of someone who once sat and showed me a video she deemed "educational" about the history of MED and all it went on about was Egyptian dance, there was no reference to any other regions in the video and this person who took it upon herself to "educate" me touts herself as some sort of authority on the dance, giving lectures and stuff. We need to be very careful about what we write and what we say because the history is vague enough as it is. Exluding regions or whole genders ain't gonna help.

Right back to the packing for Torquay now, sorry if I've taken the thread even more off track.

Kathy x
PS I tried to teach two boys to dance - my sons. But they are the only ones who've ever asked me to teach them. And of course I taught them in a feminine style, 'cos that's how I dance. I'd be happy to teach more males my style of dance but wouldn't be able to teach the more masculine versions.

[nikkiraqs]

My teacher and dear friend Ann Hall has a male in one of his classes, and he was warmly welcomed by us all when he first joined, not one of the ladies complained or had a problem with it. He is just another student in our class.

Continuing to be bitter and taking it out on people on Bhuz isn't going to help your case Helen.