dance dance insanity!
First, I am posting from my new MacBook! I've had a little trouble transferring some files--like old sentimental iTunes playlists and my Firefox bookmarks--but I figure this is an exercise in letting go. My poor iBook is just about dead, so I can only do so much data retrieval. Ah well. Look, a new shiny
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Fun post! Very inspiring! I'm just slidin' back into the EL Jz after a hiatus. I like your bit about watching good tribal dancers as ecstatic.... So True!
I'm very interested in bodies and watching them move. Sometimes good tribal bellies are like the working cogs of an old swiss watch. I like to see all the parts move and click past each other. Plus, I'm super new to belly in general and tribal in particular. I signed up for the Tribalcon we had down here, but then my aunt got sick so I didn't get to attend any workshops. I did however see the show which included a performance by ZOE! OMGess!!!!! Gorgeous with vintage-y tribalesque costuming. WOW!
And I got to participate in the Hafla. That was a blast! The musicians threatened that if no one danced they would play their last song. At that moment... the room burst into the flames of 50ish bellydancers improving their own grooves. It was quite a sight. I was at the time ... sick myself... but then I was instantly healed enough to get down myself. I think I learned more that night than I have in all the classes I've taken. It was joy on ecstasy :-)
I really like tribal styling too, so I got to learn and see more of that. Can't wait to get some stuff... Hee hee...a friend warned me the belly was addictive and that soon I would get the jones for adornments. Et oui...
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Wow, the events around you sound like a lot of fun! I love it when there are live musicians at haflas, it adds such a great energy.
Any time you wanna chat about belly dance, let me know. Hell, I'm thinking of writing a book on it, and I welcome input from anyone at any level of involvement with it, so perhaps I'll send you some of my questions if you're interested in participating...
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Oh I am totally interested in participating in your book about bellydance! I'm actively looking for a book on it, in fact. Surprisingly there were none for sale at Tribalcon. Can you recommend any?
I'd love to chat some time about the belly, as well. Cool! :-)
*coin belt jingle*
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On tribal specifically, there's Kajira's The Tribal Bible, which is pretty extensive and contains lots of interviews.
The most scholarly (and only scholarly, as far as I can tell) book out on belly dance is Belly Dance: Orientalism, Transnationalism, & Harem Fantasy, edited by A. Shay and B. Sellers-Young. Costa Mesa, California: Mazda Publishers, Inc. I think I got mine on Amazon so it's pretty widely available. Lotsa topics are covered--belly dance in Egyptian film, the allure of the seven veils, spiritual belly dance, and so on.
Plus there's my own quite excellent article on belly dance costumes, "'Whether it's coins, or fringe, or just stuff that's sparkly:' Aesthetics and Utility in the Costumes of a Tribal Belly Dance Troupe." Midwestern Folklore 32 (1/2):83-97. 2006. Just kidding about the excellent part, I'm simply pleased to have a publication! :D I'm thinking of scanning it in as a pdf so I can make it available to more dancers, but the journal ought to be available at most university libraries.
Otherwise, yeah, I'm always up to talk about belly dance. I gotta have you sign something if I'm actively doing "research" interviews with you, though, and that may not happen right away since I need to reframe my research questions... :)
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You are a rockstar! Thanks so much for these book resources!!! Do they talk about bellydance and its effects on the anatomy/musculature? That's what I'm most interested in.
Gonna check 'em out for sure. Yay! :-)
You should definitely make your undoubtedly excellent article available in PDF form. A lot of folks don't have access to University Libraries sans student id.
I'm happy to "sign something" if you want to actively do research interviews with me. No prob. I've got a permanent account here... so I'm not going anywhere. Though you just met me & I've not written anything since due to life circumstances... I'm usually quite a prolific writer here; so I'll be around when you've reframed your research inquiries.
SO COOL! Seriously can't wait to check out the books!!!! Thanks a bunch! :-)
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Hm, I don't believe any of those books are particularly muscle/fitness-oriented. That's something I'm trying to piece together for myself--how much does belly dance improve my cardiovascular abilities vs. muscle endurance? If I lift weights one day, should I also do a dance workout that day? And so on.
But yeah, let me know what you think of those books if/when you check them out. :)
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