Bellydance Superstars

something new who would have thought

How ironic when one third of Americans have just been officially classified as Obese, not simply overweight, a trio of belly dancing Americans should be strutting their stuff on the world stage. Let's hope those who are suffering from obesity will take comfort in watching healthy bellies at work.

Now that's more like it!

Buttamini - As you can see, American women are in great shape! Ha ha ha!

If these superstars can pose like this in cold winter, i feel excited to think of their summer tour :)

some14some - They're inside. They're gonna have the same outfits in the summer. No complaints, right? Ha ha ha!

How come western movie stars are made to pose with Japanese "talents", while these ladies are allowed to appear under their own steam? Not complaining but merely an observation.

That reminds me - a perfect time to visit Luxor...

Something new for people to mimic.

Bellydance is massive in Japan. We frequently play for dancers here. And gaining a lot more attention in the US as a hobby and as fitness.

This group has some of the most famous dancers globally. Will be sold out instantly but if you get tickets it will be a pretty impressive show.

FYI, Belly dancing is very big in Japan, my daughter dances and there are many stuios and belly dance venues in and around Tokyo. If you ever get a chance to see Shala, I highly recommend that you do.

I've never really understood the attraction of watching, oggling wobbly bellies. Actually, it could be a sign of the times, what with the world economy in Belly-up mode. Perhaps the women will add a bit of confidence, boost to the Japnese economy.

Buttamimi. I study and play ethnic music and many of my friends study ethnic dance. The community in Japan takes both the music and dance quite seriously. Most dancers study with well trained teachers and put a lot of time, attention and expense into this hobby.

It gives people a great link to global cultures, offers a strong community to interact with, a means of creative expression, a way to develop grace, balance and confidence as well as providing great physical work out. But most of all it is something the dancers I know love to do. And that is enough reason to support and encourage this community.

If you go to a show you won't find guys "oggling wobbly bellies." You mostly find other dancers supporting and learning from each other. And around this Japan is growing a fantastic ethnic music community.

So more power to the Bellydance scene and if you really want to know what it is all about, and why people love it... Then come out to a show and find out for yourself. There are a lot of wonderful people and a lot of talent out there in this community.

FYI, Belly dancing is very big in Japan,

I fulfilled part of my college PE requirement through a belly dance class. It's all in the pelvis, you don't move your feet in contrast to most types of dance, hence the name (though it's known as "Oriental Dance" in Turkey). If you like to dance, well it's a lot of fun.....

I'm sure belly dancing is a lot of fun and has strong cultural and ethnic roots, but it's not for me. I prefer the elegance of Fred Astair, Ginger Rogers and Gene Kelly, and even the exciting Irish troupe River Dance, thank you very much.

I prefer the waltz like i used to do wiv me late missus Elsie.

They used to have loads of belly dancers in England in Turkish Restaurants and that, but they wasn't like these birds they was fat.

I never heard of bellydance superstar though, ireckon they made the name up themseleves and that, you know to lokk good and all that.

I can't see the disciplined, serious salarymen of Japan going for this kind of thing.

Is it my imagination, or is this JT's largest 'picture of the day'?

Ethnic dance is as valid an art form as a waltz or "elegant" western dance. Eastern dance is a vast genere with forms that are very different in Arabic, Persian, Turkish and Turkmen cultures. Bellydance as a word emcompasses so much more than "Oriental Dance". It includes traditional styles from many countries, modern forms interlaced with contemporary dance and other traditional ethnic styles that you may not associate with Bellydance's stereotype.

My point is this. We tend to be arrogant about the elegance or sophistication of Western Art forms. We forget that our music scale and most music instruments have their roots in Persia, Central Asia, China or the Mideast. We forget that elegance is subjective to the viewer and that the skill and mastery of an Easter art form is as valid, elegant and cultured as any adherence to western forms. And all deserve similar respect.

Set Bellydance stereotypes aside and you can find something with considerably more depth and artistic integrity in this group and in the performers and artists supporting ethnic music and dance.

As for the disciplined, serious salaryman. He is most likely paying for this for his wife or daughter. Ask around your office and you may find that far more people around you are familiar with this art form than you think.

They used to have loads of belly dancers in England in Turkish Restaurants and that, but they wasn't like these birds they was fat.

Maybe it was all the beads, sequins, jaggles and yards and yards of skirt which are part of a real costume?

In every class there's always someone who's enrolled for the explicit purpose of taking inches off her abdomen or getting a yoga butt and it kinda takes all the fun out of it.

Soldave,

It is to make the Japanese talents appear to be really talented and great. Usually the celebrities don't have clue who that is standing next to them.

If those dancer were more famous there would have been several "talento" attach to each hip.

I have seen belly dancing in the middle east and in most cases, there is ample belly involved. It depends on what is considered desirable in the location. Mid-eastern men tend to like plumper women while westerners like big breasts and wasp waists.

jwills79 - good point. Cheers.

Bellydance as a word emcompasses so much more than "Oriental Dance".

What the Turks refer to as "belly dance" is in fact a comic duet performed by two men who have faces painted on their abdomens which indicate what part they are playing (one is male and the other female).

Owing to the pelvic moves inherent in the type of dance which has caught on elsewhere including Japan, it is known as "belly dance." Anyone teaching or performing in a country where feminine beauty is defined by svelte is going to have a taunt belly.

buttamini:

" I've never really understood the attraction of watching, oggling wobbly bellies. "

LOL! It is not bellies. They wiggle their hips. Every male with a normal hormone balance registers that signal.

I would suspect a lot of the moves involved in belly dance evolved as means to ease childbirth before drugs were available. Yoga has become very popular for pregnant woman, belly dance could be as well.

WilliB - Their hips actually pulsate...

Well, this has been a good belly laugh.