Help: Open Question: Poetry vs. Belly dancing

Subject: Open Question: Poetry vs. Belly dancing
From: Ebbie
Date: 12 Jul 00 - 06:38 PM

Our local Folk Festival currently schedules belly dancers but does not do the same for poetry and story telling. Question: which is more 'folk'? My opinion, though I'm not a big fan of open forum poetry readings and story telling, is that it is folk in a way that belly dancing can't approach. Belly dancing may be great exercise, as its proponents claim, and it may be visually exciting to approximately half of the audience as the goggle-eyes attest but I don't see its relevance in our culture. Amplitude may be historically correct for belly dancers but when those double-bellied bodies sashay down the aisles it makes me giggle.

Besides, it makes me physically cold- when I see all that skin whether in an auditorium or outdoors it makes me reach for a coat.

Any thoughts? Please give me some ammunition/amplification (giggle that I can march into a board meeting with.

Ebbie

Subject: RE: Help: Open Question: Poetry vs. Belly dancing
From: Hollowfox
Date: 12 Jul 00 - 06:51 PM

I actually enjoy both Middle Eastern dance and storytelling, myself. I've found it to be a good thing if a festival has an act or two that I can live without. That's when I can visit, eat, pick up a casette or two, etc. If the act is popular with everybody else, then the bathrooms aren't crowded, either.

Subject: RE: Help: Open Question: Poetry vs. Belly dancing
From: Ebbie
Date: 12 Jul 00 - 06:53 PM

Dang! I just realized that my phrasing comes across as insensitive and offensive to many. As an overweight person myself, I am not attacking amplitude in itself, only in showcasing. (Will I end up having to do a Public Apology?) Groan...Ebbie

Subject: RE: Help: Open Question: Poetry vs. Belly dancing
From: Bert
Date: 12 Jul 00 - 06:56 PM

Well as a dancer myself (retired from the 'belly dancing part', thankfully) I must respectfully disagree with you.

Dancing of any sort ALWAYS comes before story telling.

Bert. ;-)

Subject: RE: Help: Open Question: Poetry vs. Belly dancing
From: katlaughing
Date: 12 Jul 00 - 06:58 PM

Ebbie, I like a good mix of different ethnic/trad stuff. Even if it isn't relevant to my culture, I stil love to hear it and learn about it. When we put on the Wyoming Culture Fest (see thread of smae title) we try to get as much diversity as possible so that all cultures which have contributed are represented.

I love telling stories and reciting poetry, but I also love Middle Eastern dance and music. Sorry, I guess I didn't give you any ammo, did I?

Oh, and I thought you covered the size thing in a nice manner...no more apology threads, please!**BG**

Subject: RE: Help: Open Question: Poetry vs. Belly dancing
From: catspaw49
Date: 12 Jul 00 - 07:01 PM

Oh dear gawd PLEASE!!!!

I can't take anymore apology threads or anymore of Bert's Belly-Dancing.....which was less than stimulating.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Help: Open Question: Poetry vs. Belly dancing
From: Hollowfox
Date: 12 Jul 00 - 07:04 PM

No matter what the level of skill, sometimes watching others dance is like watching exercise videos. BG

Subject: RE: Help: Open Question: Poetry vs. Belly dancing
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 12 Jul 00 - 07:07 PM

Well I checked with the Mudcat Locator, and since you seem to be in Alaska, belly dancing isn't what you're generally associated with. And it sounds a bit chilly form that near the Arctic circle, as you mention.

Belly dancing is as much "folk" as any other kind of dancing, mind you. But it's somebody else's folk, and unless you've got an Arabic community up there to introduce you to it, it's a bit cheeky for people to get into it. Sort of cultural imperialism. (Though maybe with all the oil in Alaska you do have an Arabic community, in which case I think they should be asked their views on it.)

Anyway, you should be doing indigenous Alaskan dances before getting into the Middle Eastern stuff.

I'd question to what extent it's fair to call poetry readings "folk", though that's not a good enough reason not to have a slot for it if people want it, and there's poems and poems. But storytelling - well, it's not really a folk festival if it doesn't have storytelling.

But it doesn't have to be scheduled does it? If the board meeting doesn't go for storytelling, stuff them, get it going anyhow. Even if it's only for the children.

Subject: RE: Help: Open Question: Poetry vs. Belly dancing
From: catspaw49
Date: 12 Jul 00 - 07:07 PM

I dunno' WHAT watching Bert was like, but "Exercise Video" never came to mind.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Help: Open Question: Poetry vs. Belly dancing
From: Ebbie
Date: 12 Jul 00 - 07:21 PM

Thanks for nothin', y'all. It appears I am greatly in the minority. Although McGrath may have explained my being out of step. (No pun intended!) I'll just have to go unarmed to the board meetings. Sigh.

Ebbie

Subject: RE: Help: Open Question: Poetry vs. Belly dancing
From: Morticia
Date: 12 Jul 00 - 07:24 PM

well, if you can't beat them......I've got a couple of saucepan lids here you can have :)

Subject: RE: Help: Open Question: Poetry vs. Belly dancing
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 12 Jul 00 - 07:28 PM

If you like, maybe we could organise some kind of fatwa banning it...

Subject: RE: Help: Open Question: Poetry vs. Belly dancing
From: Bert
Date: 12 Jul 00 - 07:31 PM

Just cos some of us disagree doesn't mean that you shouldn't go all out for what YOU want. Go to the organizers and tell em.

Subject: RE: Help: Open Question: Poetry vs. Belly dancing
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 12 Jul 00 - 07:34 PM

Belly dancing should only come before poetry in thr dictionary!

And you've just given me ammunition for another sleepless night - Les Barker, poet extraordinaire, belly dancing..... Ooooh nurse, the screens!!! Hot flash!! Hot flash!!!

LTS

Subject: RE: Help: Open Question: Poetry vs. Belly dancing
From: sophocleese
Date: 12 Jul 00 - 07:42 PM

Ebbie, Mariposa didn't have enough money to pay for storytellers so a local storyteller talked to the organizers of the Folk Play area. She got a schedule organized with about 6 of us doing stints telling stories in a secluded place as part of Folk Play. We didn't get paid but we all got free passes to the festival for it. Having got that far we also then ended up with three spots on he Folk Play stage for story telling. You might want to start small and see where you get.

Subject: RE: Help: Open Question: Poetry vs. Belly dancing
From: Amergin
Date: 12 Jul 00 - 10:38 PM

Ebbie, I agree with you that poetry and storytelling should be more important than bellydancing, but then that could be my own bias (at least where the poetry's concerned).

Amergin