I dance because I enjoy dancing. I could never take a dancer vacation, honestly. I might take a vacation from classes, or a vacation from practice at home, or a vacation from reading about it on the internet, or watching it on YouTube, or working on costumes... but to say a vacation from dance, to me that seems physically impossible. We are always dancing. It's just about whether or not we're being structured about it.

I dance because music makes me move. If I don't enjoy the music, I can't move to it. If people watching don't enjoy the music, I find they tend to not enjoy watching the dance - this is from my personal experience with friends and family at various bellydance events. And since not everyone likes every type of music, there will always be people who aren't into watching certain types of dance.

There is nothing you can do to change that. No amount of "education" can force someone to like a type of art or music they don't like, unless their ONLY reason for disliking it is that they "shouldn't"... and then, probably deep down, they already like it.

I understand your frustration about GBD. While I'm not a gothic bellydancer, I'm a "goth hag" (think fag hag!)... I see gothic subculture misunderstood frequently. And part of me says... if it wasn't mysterious to the outsider in some way, goths would be unhappy! But being constantly pegged as a Satan worshipper sucks.

That being said... you saw my piece at the Hot Pot summer show. I love that song. I have a great time dancing to it. But I would never, ever perform it anywhere but for Hot Potters, because the lyrics are mighty suggestive. And while I can say "the audience should be educated enough to watch me bellydance to any great piece of music", that simply isn't true. I can't make that demand of everyone who might wander in to a show.

So there are times when I play it safe. And times when I know I don't have to. I try to find a joyful way to dance in both of those situations, because really, that's up to me, and nobody else.

I have always danced and wanted to be a dancer, despite not having any instruction (except for ballet when I was 6). I hear a song and if it moves me I want to jump up and dance to it. When at the gym I loved aerobics classes because it was music and movement. In 2005, I started on my bellydance journey and was hooked from the very first class. It’s ‘feel good about me time’ and I crave it. I believe that everyone should dance as their soul tells them. If they aren’t enjoying what they are doing, then try something different (that holds true for any aspect of life).

I don’t fit into any one genre, but enjoy all forms of bellydance. I like the emotive aspect of Gothic Bellydance (I have a penchant for corset anything), Cabaret is fun and joyful (shiny things), ATS/ITS with its purposeful movements and cohesive groups, and I adore fusion styles. I have many years ahead of me to dance and I want to experience so much of it. It’s already been an interesting journey and I’m looking forward to where it goes next.

I dance cause dancing makes me happy. Its like a minivacation from anything that stresses you out and you just shimmy and wiggle and slide your heart free. Its a stress reliver, it makes me happy, it excites me and calms me down at the same time. Good music moves me. Since I was a kid, I always wanted to be a dancer, I have always loved bellydance and when I fell into it, I fell in head first and never looked back. Good music makes me move. Makes me FEEL. Dancing lets me express those feelings so they dont get bottled up inside me and lets me show those feelings to other people. I dance more for me though than to "be an entertainer", though i do LOVE performing.

I dance when and because I am moved to. And no matter how much I may love dance, if the mood/ music/ atmosphere/ people around me aren't "right" in my head, I don't dance so much. It's all about me, and I gotta be happy with it. Doesn't mean I don't shake my ass every single day I'm alive, doesn't mean I don't boogie, doesn't mean I don't find myself doing bellydance moves every day I'm alive... just means that sometimes I'm not focused on learning it and performing it. I'm a musician first: there are always beats and sounds and timing in my head. Dance just comes in different forms at different times. I'll start up class again with Antara in a few weeks, and then I'll be dancing at least once a week in class and hopefully a little every other day of the week.

I dance the way I dance because it's me. I was a "Goth club" dancer since 1984. I was tickled when I came to bellydance in 1997 and discovered a lot of the moves were the same (hip movements, arm movements, the grace). I never danced as a kid, other than Girl Scout recitals, no lessons, I was a horsewoman (grew up on a ranch, showed horses) and a bike-rider and a musician, didn't play sports. The only dancing I did was club dancing, other than some medieval dances in the S.C.A. in the 90's, and then discovering bellydance in '97 (well, I'd known about it, but never did it until then). As you say, it has to come from the heart. I have to FEEL it, as I know everyone else does too. I'll shake my butt to just about anything, but I won't *really* get into the dance unless the music really moves me -- it's why I don't dance at clubs a lot of the time, I just don't dig the music unless it's good.

I'm very concerned with how my audience will perceive me, I admit that I carefully weigh all music, costume and movement choices. I'm not so great at just "presenting the vision in my head" unless I feel it will be well received, and I REALLY, honestly respect those dancers who don't give a damn, who just present their vision and people can like it or lump it. Also, when it comes to bellydance, I really need the motivation: weekly class, planned performances, etc. I want to dance because I'm going to perform, I frankly don't dance that much when I'm just doing it for "me" -- it's why I didn't dance from 1999 to 2006, I didn't have a troupe or classes. I'm hoping that has changed in me a little, and I'm looking forward to starting dance class again next month and maybe doing some performances as time goes on, without needing someone else there to do it with (though I'm looking forward to collaborating with people again, too!)

I love tribal-folkloric-fusion, 'cos that's what I learned. Isvari taught us folkloric style mixed with theatrical and tribal styles, so I always likeD the look of "ethnic-folkloric" type costumes (thinking Hahbi Ru and Folk Infusion) best, and when I discovered ATS in the form of Gypsy Caravan, back in 98, I loved that just as much (the costuming, turbans, cholis, etc). I also do like Goth Fusion/ GBD for the unlimited choices in music and costume and 'cos I'm Goth, I like "theatrical" bellydance that uses costumes and props and music to all tell a combined story (that's why I dig people like Tempest, Shawna Rai, Cera and the cool student choreographies that Amy has done with the Hot Pot students). I'm not real big on cabaret and never have been because I don't like the costuming, but I loves watching me a really good, skilled cab dancer, I just admire the hell out of their skill and personalities.

I just mostly prefer tribal-folkloric best, with Goth a close second. 'Cos, hey, I grew up Goth and I learned bellydance folkloric-style. :-D

~ C

You mean there's an option NOT to dance??