The neo-burlesque revival is sweeping the globe faster than Dita von Teese is able to strip off her fishnets. Along with the resurgence of vintage fashion, vaudeville shows across the world are once again featuring belly dance and burlesque side by side. If we turn back the pages of history, it is not surprising to find that the two art forms are intrinsically linked. Performers of these two styles have unfairly attracted criticism throughout the ages in their humble desire to achieve one simple and common goal - to entertain. The dictionary definition of a performer is 'one who performs theatrically or musically for an audience' and 'aims to please or amuse'. This is certainly the role of any entertainer be that person a belly dancer, burlesque artist, ballet dancer or circus clown.
These days in certain circles there is strong opposition to Middle Eastern dance being seen along side burlesque. As one of the few performers in UK who is both a belly dancer and burlesque entertainer, I have frequently come under fire for choosing to perform both styles (although I always make a clear distinction between the two and have very separate routines and costumes for both).
If we explore the respective histories of both crafts we see the two styles share many comparable attributes, embrace similar principles and attract like-minded performers. (I have met many professional belly dancers who are inspired by burlesque and are very keen to learn the craft and likewise burlesque performers who are drawn to master the art of belly dancing. That is telling in itself!)
Belly dancing is an ancient Middle Eastern art form, to pinpoint its exact inception is almost impossible but there are several points regarding the history of belly dancing that are agreed upon worldwide. It can be traced back to ancient Egypt with moves being depicted in Egyptian Hieroglyphs and there are carvings, illuminations and pottery pieces from ancient periods where we see moves that are still performed today.
Contrary to popular opinion, belly dancing was not devised as a means for seducing or enticing the sultan. Rather the tradition stemmed as a dance of fertility solely performed amongst groups of women to strengthen the abdomen and pelvic muscles used during child birth. Today it retains its connection to fertility and eroticism by being an indispensable feature at weddings, birthdays and special events in many Middle Eastern countries. Modern belly dance is enjoyed for its artistry, ethnicity, beauty, healthy eroticism and fun!
Belly dance is a conglomeration of styles from many regions-Lebanon, North Africa, Egypt, the Arabian Gulf, Turkey—it refers to a broad range of movements the most prominent of which is the isolations of the hips, chest, shoulders, head, and hands as well as serpentine and undulating movements of the torso. Another common trademark is a varying degree of flirtation and coquetry.
As history tells it, the entrepreneurial showbiz promoter Sol Bloom introduced belly dancing or danse du ventre to the Western world. He created ‘White City’ at The World’s Columbian Exposition in 1893 on the south side of industrial Chicago which was the first to have its own strip for amusements known as Midway Plaisance. It was here that general public of the time could experience delights from all over the world and the most popular stages featured Oriental dancing.
As legend tells it, Little Egypt, a favourite belly dancer, wowed audiences repeatedly with her vigorous dance moves and allegedly caused Mark Twain to suffer a coronary.
After the immense success of Oriental performers on the Midway Plaisance,
it was not long before opportunistic promoters persuaded women to don
phoney costumes and go to work imitating the danse du ventre. Sideshows
that featured variations of “the dance that shocked Chicago”
soon became a staple for the booming amusement industry with operators
bringing Oriental sideshows to the international expositions in cities
such as San Francisco, Atlanta, Nashville, Buffalo and St Louise. Inside
the sideshows were America’s new hoochy coochy dancers, the term
derived from the French ‘hochequeue’ to shake tail.
This is the first instance where the shimmies and undulations of traditional
belly dancing began to merge with the comical and satirical style that
would soon be known as burlesque. The two styles were featured under the
banner of vaudeville entertainment and seen in shows together. It was
in burlesque that cooch became the most notorious.
Yet even fully clothed dancers performing their very traditional routines drew disapproval from staunchly conservative groups in a strict and repressed Victorian era.
‘It is not dancing. It is walking about the stage to alleged music with peculiar swaying and jerking of the body, such as tends to excite passion…’
Arguably, similar criticism and negative attitudes still exist today although we live in a more moderate and accepting society, right-wing and conservative views can be found.
Burlesque is a direct descendant of the Commedia bell’arte where principal characters would carry a ‘burle’ – a stick with a padded end- with which they would slap the other players (the origin of “slapstick” comedy).
With its roots in vaudeville, sideshows and ninetieth century music halls, burlesque took on the form of satire, it featured strip teased and comedy. According to Donna Carlton and her extensive research into the vaudeville era of Sol Bloom’s 1893 Midway Plaisance, ’It is entirely possible that (belly dancer) Ashea Wabe, the original notorious “Little Egypt” helped popularise strip tease in America’.
Belly and burlesque dancers have been beleaguered by critics for centuries and this trend continues. In truth sexually confident woman who are talented, expressive and artistic represent a threat and intimidate the narrow-minded. Sadly it is easier to pigeon-hole and spurn them rather than applaud their skill.
Both belly dance and burlesque are extremely empowering forms of self expression. They embrace women of all shapes and sizes and teach us to be confident in our bodies through the joy of movement and sensuality. Whether it’s lacing up a glittery corset or donning a sparkling bra and coin hip scarf there is healthy and necessary element of escapism and creativity that is an essential part of each performance. It is not surprising that many belly dancers are taking their skills to the burlesque stage and vice versa. Above all, a modern day belly dancer or burlesque performer derives no greater pleasure than to see the smiles of an appreciative audience. Ultimately we are entertainers and it delights us to entertain no matter which medium we choose to do this.
Come and see the first ever belly dancing and burlesque show on Friday the 24th of August in Northampton. Sapphira will be performing at the event. www.bellydanceandburlesque.co.uk
www.misssapphira.com
www.myspace.com/miss_sapphira
Website Design - TheKitschGoth.co.uk
