Dear tribal bellydance,
We need to talk. Understand, my dearest, that I’ve been ill this past week, and I’ve been doing a lot of soul-searching… and looking at costuming pictures, etsy, and a rather assorted number of hafla photos from people I love and people I’ve never met (you’d be amazed what people put on the interwebs, darling). But this has been coming for a long time, and I’d like to say it’s me (not you), but it’s definitely, definitely you. You see, my darling…
You look like crap.
I’m not talking about your style, dear; no, don’t cry! I love your Sharon Kihara arms, your hip-twists, your Egyptian basics, pop-locking and Beats Antique. I’m talking about your costumes.
At first, I said, this is just a phase you’re going through. We’re a baby style, and I understand that it was only our Rachel Brices, our Sherri Wheatleys, and our Samantha Emanuels that would be able to afford beautiful, custom-made costumes. And us tribalistas, on a whole, are not the wealthiest of demographics. But now, my lovely, I am seeing some of your practitioners sink hundreds into a kuchi bracelet while their bra straps are showing. And frankly, my dear, it fills me with rage. At least in traditional styles it’s only the one-hip-drop-wonders that dress poorly. But you, my darling tribal, are being played by even professionals. PROFESSIONALS! Teachers and gigging dancers! How can it be acceptable to see women offering classes, gigs, even workshops, on stage and performing with visible tags, obvious underwires, uncovered cups, and original straps? Changing the existing bra-straps to cross (or, heaven forbid, a racerback) isn’t going to cut it — and neither is tucking in the tag! How can you stand it, my darling tribal dance?
Now that I’ve noted what makes me mad, why should your practitioners stop, my darling dance form? In short, because it makes all of us look bad. Because it hurts THE TRIBE. Tribal (both the improvised styles and fusion) are baby dance forms, unknown by the general public. Our big sisters of the orientale styles get a bad enough rap as it is! By dressing inappropriately, we’re hurting our wider set of shimmy sisters (and brothers!), and we’re making our own style look ill-informed and cheap.
Also, my darling, it’s disrespectful to the audience. It shows that some of your practitioners don’t care enough to wear a real costume. When they sink money or time into beautiful skirts, trousers, and jewelry, but don’t bother about their bra, then they just look sloppy. And when they sew some lace or jewelry to the lingerie bra (or, heavens forbid, just glue it!), that is the ultimate expression of laziness and disrespect. It’s a cover-up job, not a proper costume. It wouldn’t suit for Hallowe’en; why should it for the stage?
Now, don’t misread me, my dear, in thinking that I’m saying we shouldn’t let student-level costumes exist! At my first hafla performance (I’d been dancing for two months!), I wore an everyday tanktop, a long skirt, and my hip scarf. It was very simple, but it was respectful (my knickers weren’t showing, and neither was my bra!). One shouldn’t have to sink hundreds of dollars/pounds/euros into a costume in order to perform! However, some minor sewing skills or an investment in one good black choli would never kill a tribalista.
And I will confess, my beloved, that I too have had my plain-lingerie-bra day. Thank goodness that I am able to write that in the singular! It was a desperate moment for a gig before I had a proper bra, and oh how I wished I had a choli! I covered up the straps and band as best I could with an underbust vest (which also straightened out the bottom line), hid the join with a borrowed pendant, and performed. But I wish that day had never happened, as I realise now that even lingerie cups, be they plain or lacy, are quite perceptibly different from a proper costume, be it plain or lacy. I certainly wasn’t ready to perform, and my lack of decent costuming–and knowledge of it!–was evidence of that!
So, my dear, how do we fix this scourge? It’s in everyone’s best interest, after all, for all of THE TRIBE to look groomed, professional, and clean, to the best of our abilities (and costumed equivalent to our dance level)! Bellydance originally existed as a family-friendly art form, and should continue to do so. Therefore, I suggest that when a hafla is announced, any announcement should note that lingerie bras are unacceptable dancewear, and that those disrespecting this request at the hafla will not be allowed to dance. If they like, the organisers may even link here so that I can explain it for them! Then, at the hafla, keep a one-size-fits-most wrap top in back. If someone is wearing an uncovered lingerie bra (regardless of whatever has been sewn on as “decorations”), politely ask (in accordance to the rules publicised when the call for performers went out) that they wear said wrap top to keep the appropriate atmosphere. If they refuse, skip their set. It’s simple. It may not be pleasant, but disrespect of one’s audience rarely is.
And here’s the other part of the deal: I’m not going to watch them. Regardless of how good some of your practitioners are, my dear dance, I will not watch them if they will not respect their audience with a decent costume. If there’s a plethora of inappropriately-dressed dancers I might even ask for my money back. I don’t go to the ballet to see dancers in legwarmers; I don’t go to a hafla to see dancers in lingerie. I would encourage others to do this as well — we should make it in the best interest of the hafla organisers to make sure the performers are up to a standard!
And that, my dear tribal, is what I needed to tell you. I still love you dearly, and we’ll still be hanging out a lot. But some of my shimmy sisters need to treat you, me, and the rest of THE TRIBE with the respect we all deserve!
With all my love,
the Bird
I welcome any comments and further suggestions on how to change this unfortunate situation — I’m only one person, after all, and can only come up with so much!
Oh, and the next person to wear a Native American-inspired costume (or use the word “shaman”) will get a rant concerning racial privilege and appropriation. Even if we’re at a hafla. I’m not playing nice anymore–at least, not until so many of my shimmy-sisters stop making THE TRIBE look bad.
Tags: bellydance,costuming,tribal,tribal fusion
Categories: Arts, dance
No Comments »
