I have been trying to stay out of this debate about "white belly dancer"s (launched by the article, Why I can't stand White Belly Dancers by Randa Jarrar on Salon.com). It's just a messy discussion that raises a lot of ill feelings between people about race, appropriation, and other ideas that cause more divisions than understandings.
However, I guess Randa couldn't stop herself and continued this debate in a response piece, I still can't stand White Belly Dancers. I think this may have been prompted by Salon.com because of the traffic and comments it brought, but that's something I'm not going to address.
After this second piece, I felt compelled to write my own response that she probably won't ever see, but it would make me feel better. In some ways, I am happy I get to write this - it includes some topics that I've wanted to write about since I was 21 (specifically, the occupation of Ireland for over 800 years. It is rarely addressed in the US - even in history classes where most of the students are Irish!).
I am an American dancer with an Irish-Scottish-Polish background. I know Randa would hate me based simply on appearances, but 2-3+ generations back, my family members had a lot in common with Randa. They were not fully accepted in this country, although they were "white people." And they also came from backgrounds with a history of hundreds of years of occupation.
"Irish need not apply." That was the sentiment back in 1860, but anti-Irish sentiments and prejudices still exist today. It all started just before Ireland became an occupied or conquered people. Ireland was occupied by the English/British starting with the Norman invasion in the 1100s, until they won their independence in 1922.1 During that 800 year occupation, the Celtic language declined to the point where now it is rarely spoken (about 3 million people speak it worldwide; there was a movement in the 1960s to bring it back to life.). And as we know, language is directly related to culture. By losing the Celtic language, much of Irish culture was lost and British culture has triumphed. Sure, there are still pieces of Irish culture around - for example, St. Paddy's day, which is celebrated by stereotypical Irish behavior - drinking. Oh and wearing green. It's a great example of colonialism.
"The dumb Polack." In the 1960s in America, Polish jokes sprung up out of the blue. Sure, they are harmless, but at the same time, they continue to perpetuate a stereotype that started after the Polish-Lithuanian Commonweath fell. "[The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth] was one of the largest and one of the most populous countries of 16th- and 17th-century Europe, with some 390,000 square miles (1,000,000 km2) and a multi-ethnic population of 11 million at its peak in the early 17th century."2 But that was removed in 1795 by the Russian Empire, the Kingdom of Prussia and the Austrian Habsburg Monarchy. There was no Polish state again until 1918. Then yet again in 1938, Russia and Germany invaded, tore it apart and destroyed it. It wasn't the same since. Sure, there is a country now, but it is always defending itself from the threat of Russian attack. And then we wonder why people have the perception they do about Poles - they haven't have a real country in about 500 years and have been defining their own identity.
Sadly, the history and perception of the occupied are the spoils of war for the victor. And the Irish and Polish have been victims of this for hundred of years from other "white people."
What annoys Randa and others the most about white belly dancers is that they don't have an Arabic background and don't understand the culture, which can be fixed by cultural and language education.
I have worked very hard to understand Egyptian and Arabic culture and dance like an "Egyptian." I have been told by some Arabs that I'm more knowledgeable about their culture than they are. Take that for what it's worth - but I study the music and culture very closely daily. I still need to learn Arabic - and one of my regrets living in San Francisco is that I didn't take advantage of Pacific Arabic Resources and learn it there.
But I could say something similar about people's views of the Irish and Polish.
The Irish have step-dance as their cultural expression. Riverdance helped bring this mainstream.
I have watched documentaries about step-dance competitions. I cringed a bit when I saw the costumes and wigs - stereotypical depictions representing the "Irish Colleen." However, these people praacticed very hard to make their performances as authentic as possible. They studied the music and culture like they would a math or physics book. I had to move beyond the costumes to watch what they were doing - and it was beautiful. There were a number of non-Irish people dancing and it didn't bother me because they were trying to understand my culture - better than I do, actually - and do the dance properly. I appreciate them because they are appreciating my heritage.
The Polish have the polka (thank you 1960's polka bands).
At family functions, I watched old pros polka - light on their feet, moving as fast as can be (not exactly competition style, but I was a kid so to me it was just as fantastic). And yes, I had to learn it. My grandfather was embarassed when he found out I didn't know how to polka, so at every event he got me up to dance and made me learn it. I am grateful that I understand that part of my culture.
However, in researching this piece I watched a video of people dancing polkas at the National Polka Festival with heavy feet, obviously counting - and it was a little painful to watch. However, there is an element of this that is endearing - these people were trying to understand a culture outside of their experience, and they chose my culture, my heritage.
When people choose to spend hours to experience my heritage, I'm complemented that my culture is cool enough to spend time to learn.
When I danced at Al Masri, I befriended the Egyptian manager there, Max. Max taught me nuances about Egyptian culture, things I wouldn't have understood without talking to him. He taught me tricks so I could shimmy better or why Egyptian dancers do mirrored movements. He helped me take my dance to the next level. And he didn't need to help me out - he could have sat back, watched and smirked, similar to Randa.
Instead he saw that I was appreciating his culture and helped.
My advice to Randa is that if these "white women" bother her so much, next time she should look at them a little differently, with an open heart and mind, and educate the "white belly dancers" about her culture. Invite that dancer to a cup of coffee or tea, and give her some dance and costume pointers. If she doesn't want it - so be it. But give her the opportunity to say no.
Be to her what Max was to me and give her a better education. She may write a blog post like this complementing you.
