■ Rakssharki, a dance
native to the Middle East, is
known for its enchanting
expression and ambiance
By Mason West
Oregon Daily Emerald
The term “belly dance” carries
a variety of emotions with it.
While it’s filled with mystique
and intrigue, it also caries a cer
tain taboo. When people see
dancers moving their hips and
shaking their shoulders, certain
associations can’t help but be
made.
“A lot of people have miscon
ceptions about the dance,” said
Kathy Forrester, a member of the
Middle Eastern Dance Guild of
Eugene.
“Most Americans think that
what I do is seedy in some way,”
TVaci Lea, another guild member,
said.
While the dance projects are of
an obvious sexual nature, it is
meant to be beautiful, not dirty.
Even the name “belly dance” has
{ i I figured I have a bel
ly. Why don't I use it!
Rea Kimball
freshman
dance major
a tone of impropriety when com
pared with the actual title: “raks
sharki,” translated as “the dance
of the East.”
Most Americans will go their
whole lives thinking that “belly
dance” is the legitimate title of
this art form. The Guild was
formed in 1991 to change that. It
is comprised of people who love
the music and dance of
.the Middle East and
(seek to promote their
art form to the public as
well as help eliminate
| inhibitions about
raks sharki
P» “We’re
a : trying to
- let peo
ple know
I it’s not
& really
I what you
ifj| think,”
f Lea said.
Accord
ing to For
rester, the
® dancing is
I something
£ anyone can
p enjoy.
“It’s family en
tertainment.”
Family enter
tainment or not,
it requires gusto
to take up the
-dance. For
rester started
k because she
Ip became
trigued
with the
Raks sharki
Who: Middle Eastern Dance Guild
of Eugene
What: Mideast Festival
When: Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Where: Hifyard Community Center
beauty of the dance and the mu
sic.
“I figured I have a belly,” Rae
Kimball, a freshman dance major,
said. “Why don’t I use it!”
Kimball said this only half se
riously, however. Belly dancing
is much more than gyrating hips
and shaking chests. Members of
the guild get frustrated, or even
dismissive when people declare,
“I can belly dance,” and start
wiggling their bodies around.
Dancers work very hard to hone
their skills. While dancing, the
women will often watch their
hands move to the music, as if
those hands are not attached to
their bodies. Because of the phys
ical labor of the dance, some peo
ple are actually beginning to
practice the dance as a form of
exercise.
Dancers take their art form so
seriously there are competitions
that occur all over the country.
Lea recently won Miss
Olympiques Orientale 2000, a
contest for raks sharki dancers.
Competitions occur frequently
because people who study raks
sharki take pride in their abilities
and want to show them off.
Since the beginning, the dancing
has been exceptionally flashy.
The focus drawn to the perform
ers by their adorned — and
sometimes revealing — clothes is
intentional. However, if audi
ences have trouble staring at peo
ples’ midriffs and hips, they will
not be able to fully appreciate the
performance.
Dancers can become frustrated
with audiences that don’t partici
pate in the presentation. It’s the
audience’s place to get excited
and shout and clap with the mu
sic. Dancers hope quiet audience
members will follow the example
of other performers or audience
members who are involved and
the sort of whooping and holler
ing in the style of Xena, Warrior
Princess is always welcome.
To actually be on stage per
forming requires a great degree of
confidence. Not all of the women
in the Guild fit the American
stereotype of a beautiful woman,
often young, thin, blonde. But
this doesn’t make them ashamed
to show off their bodies and abili
ties.
“I used to be really insecure,
but being in classes with women
of all shapes and ages made it
OK,” Kimball said.
To show the public what it can
do first-hand, die Guild is hold
ing a Mideast Festival on Satur
day from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the
Hilyard Community Center.
Aside from the dancing, the fair
will host a fashion show, a henna
tattoo artist, vendors and demon
strations. The event will serve to
educate the public about Middle
Eastern culture. Ticket price is $3
for adults and $5 for families.