Sunday, August 03, 2003
Last night, I went to this event called Hip Hop Against Racist War. I had heard about this before, but didn't have a chance to attend. I'm very glad I did last night. It was a very nice, uplifting environment chock full of lots of amazing talent. Very entertaining as well. I have been very distant from commercial hip hop because of the misogyny, and here lately, the misrepresentation of the art of bellydancing. Last night restored my faith in that hip hop, underground hip hop (or the way hip hop was when it emerged), and bellydancing can actually be fused together to come up with something phenomenal.
Another excerpt from another conversation.....
I really hate what commercial hip hop is doing to bellydancing. I have had alot of interest and more turnout from black women as well and actually have been doing dance lectures on college campuses and the first thing I tell them is "What I'm about to do is not from an R. Kelly video." That "Move Your Body Like A Snake video really makes me mad because the only thing authentic about it is the costumes. And the girls only really wear half of one! The movements are not Raks Sharqi! This is what I have to combat when I tell someone I'm a dancer and the stripper image immediately comes to mind.
But, it's really up to us to change all of this and keep it "real". And I guess R. Kelly is helping in a way. The girls are interested enough to come to class and then they can be exposed to the real movements and the culture and hopefully beyond.
Another excerpt from another conversation.....
I really hate what commercial hip hop is doing to bellydancing. I have had alot of interest and more turnout from black women as well and actually have been doing dance lectures on college campuses and the first thing I tell them is "What I'm about to do is not from an R. Kelly video." That "Move Your Body Like A Snake video really makes me mad because the only thing authentic about it is the costumes. And the girls only really wear half of one! The movements are not Raks Sharqi! This is what I have to combat when I tell someone I'm a dancer and the stripper image immediately comes to mind.
But, it's really up to us to change all of this and keep it "real". And I guess R. Kelly is helping in a way. The girls are interested enough to come to class and then they can be exposed to the real movements and the culture and hopefully beyond.
