Male Belly Dancing, anyone?

poltu

(Roshan)

Belly dance has little to do with the belly or with feminine seduction. A corruption of the Arabic Raqs Baladi, it just means “folk dance” and in its original form has been performed for centuries in Middle Eastern countries in community fests, with entire families joining in. A theatricalized version called Raqs Sharqi made its way to the US in the late 19th century, and what we know as belly dance today is filtered through the lenses of burlesque, vaudeville and later Hollywood.

But at its core it remains an enthralling and challenging dance form that exercises every muscle group in the body - some that you never knew existed. It is possibly the most fun way of super-toning your body and improving focus and balance: it beats sweating it out in the gym any day. It is also very creative, in that every dance is unique: the dancer interprets the music using his or her body. This is one of the major reasons that women are flocking to belly dance classes all over the world.

And men. Yes: increasingly men are joining belly dance classes in the US and UK, and for much the same reason as women. They accompany their wives and girlfriends to classes, and get intrigued by what they see. Or they run into it in other ways.

This is not as strange as it may seem. Men have been a part of this dance form since its inception. It was Hollywood and Burlesque that made it something else. Most serious belly dance teachers today hark back to the original forms practiced in the Middle East and Turkey, and add elements of Indian and African folkloric dance.

We went in search of a Belly Dance school in Auckland with male students. We found Glennis Jones (stage name: Zahiya). She has had a male student for over five years at her Sahara Middle Eastern Dance School.

Glennis was mesmerized by flowing movements, sheer beauty and grace of Belly Dancing at a very early age, and has been dancing since 18 years. She set up her own school in Auckland 12 years ago.

Five years ago found Robert, born in UK, a PhD in Australia, and recently moved to NZ to take up a position as a research entomologist (studying and naming new species of butterflies and moths) scanning the adult education supplement in the local newspaper. He says: “I wanted to do something original and different, possibly even something slightly rebellious! Belly dance struck me as the ideal choice. A female friend in Australia had taken some classes, so the idea was perhaps already lodged somewhere in the back of my mind.”

With two female friends in tow for moral support, he landed up at Glennis’ class. The moral support wasn’t required. Glennis was only too happy to take him, and he has been there ever since.

Did Glennis have to adapt the movements for Robert (stage name: Roshan)? According to her “Although male belly dancers learn the much same movement vocabulary as female students, the interpretation varies in that the movements can be stronger, sharper, with a more powerful physical presence, in contrast to the feminine presence. It is the interplay of male and female elements that brings a sense of completeness and resolution to any dance, and belly dance is no exception.”

This is what Robert has to say about his experience: “As an academic, I live inside my head. Dance takes me out of my head and forces me to think in a completely different language. I find it this to be the most expressive dance form I have encountered, with a movement vocabulary that encompasses the whole body. Good belly dancers translate music into movement more completely than any other dancers I have seen, and the effect can be ravishing.”

How does his dancing go down with friends? “I have found both my male and female friends to be extremely encouraging, especially those who have seen me dance and have lost any preconceptions about its being a purely feminine dance form.”

Would he recommend it to other men? “I would definitely recommend belly-dance to those with an artistic disposition, persistence, and the ability to get over society's preconceptions of what is 'manly' and what is not. It will make you a better and a bendier man.”

This is what Glennis has to say about Robert (Roshan): “When Robert came to class four years ago, I was delighted. He is amazingly dedicated and talented. I would find him practising intensively over the week, and he quickly became proficient with zills (finger cymbals), cane, and cape. Being a musician, he has an innate understanding and feeling for rhythm and musical interpretation. Roshan is a pivotal member of ‘Sahara Spice’, my dedicated troupe of advanced students with whom I perform all over Auckland. Roshan has advanced to become NZ’s foremost male belly dancer, and his cheeky, charismatic stage presence makes him popular with all audiences.”

Glennis can be contacted at the following address:

Glennis Jones (Zahiya)
Sahara Middle Eastern Dance School
Mob: (027)272 4627
Email: zahiya@ihug.co.nz