![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
I am not going to respond to the infamous blogpost 'why I can't stand white bellydancers' . A lot has been said and written and I am going to let it sink in for a while before writing an article for my students. Despite the tone of the article, appropriation is a real issue in the belly dance community and I believe that students and professionals should be aware and approach it with an open heart and an open mind.
But! now for something completely different. Recently it struck me that Suraiya from Poland is always very much photoshopped in her pictures, while in reality she is a strikingly handsome, strong and slender dancer. So why is she using photoshop? It seems that she is narrowing her waistline to create more curves on her flyers and turning her skin into porcelain. Take a look at her photos Take a look at her photos and tell me what you think.
I know a Dutch dancer who in reality weighs 45 kilo and who never photoshops her waistline. She bought herself some silicone boobs. What I like about belly dance is that it celebrates the female form, in all shapes and sizes. But how can we maintain the idea of inclusion when we send a message that as a pro, you need to be unrealistic curvy or know how to photoshop yourself into the perfect image?
I feel that our Dutch bellydance scene is falling into two categories: the pro dancers that do everything to maintain a polished image, who ask troupe dancers to loose weight and ask troupemember that are tall to leave the group. The dancers that work the international scene and organize events, who are full time dedicated to belly dance and it shows in their technique and stage presence. And the group of amateurs, who are not a perfect size, not young, who dedicate themselves to teaching and performing at local hafla's. Who are limited in the time and dedication because they have another job, a famlily or circumstances that prevent them of putting much energy in dance. What these dancers show is the joy in movement, they tell a story with their dance. They might not be as eloquent and trained as the other group, but what they say is equally (if not more) important to women.
Most women fall into the second category and as the difference between the two groups increases, so does the understanding and recognition from both sides. Will we end up in a world where pro's should always be young, thin and perky, and amateurs should never be on stage because they are not?
But! now for something completely different. Recently it struck me that Suraiya from Poland is always very much photoshopped in her pictures, while in reality she is a strikingly handsome, strong and slender dancer. So why is she using photoshop? It seems that she is narrowing her waistline to create more curves on her flyers and turning her skin into porcelain. Take a look at her photos Take a look at her photos and tell me what you think.
I know a Dutch dancer who in reality weighs 45 kilo and who never photoshops her waistline. She bought herself some silicone boobs. What I like about belly dance is that it celebrates the female form, in all shapes and sizes. But how can we maintain the idea of inclusion when we send a message that as a pro, you need to be unrealistic curvy or know how to photoshop yourself into the perfect image?
I feel that our Dutch bellydance scene is falling into two categories: the pro dancers that do everything to maintain a polished image, who ask troupe dancers to loose weight and ask troupemember that are tall to leave the group. The dancers that work the international scene and organize events, who are full time dedicated to belly dance and it shows in their technique and stage presence. And the group of amateurs, who are not a perfect size, not young, who dedicate themselves to teaching and performing at local hafla's. Who are limited in the time and dedication because they have another job, a famlily or circumstances that prevent them of putting much energy in dance. What these dancers show is the joy in movement, they tell a story with their dance. They might not be as eloquent and trained as the other group, but what they say is equally (if not more) important to women.
Most women fall into the second category and as the difference between the two groups increases, so does the understanding and recognition from both sides. Will we end up in a world where pro's should always be young, thin and perky, and amateurs should never be on stage because they are not?
