Just out., May 18, 2001, Page 37, Image 37

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D A N w CE
m
mm
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E
ver hear o f a male belly dancer? Me neither.
S o when I went to meet one, I wasn’t
really sure what to expect. T he first ques­
tion that came to mind, as politically incor­
rect as it sounds: Isn’t belly-dancing for chicks?
Well, if so, apparently not any more. Port­
lander Randy Brown is ready to shake his bon­
bon for you in a way that would make Ricky
Martin do a double take.
I recently caught up with him during a private
rehearsal at his mentor’s studio. Elinor Friedberg,
who also goes by the name Sharita, met him
through a class she instructs at Portland State
University, and since January she’s been teaching
him all she knows about belly-dancing.
"H e hasn’t been dancing long, but he’s a
quick learner,” the quirky New York native
says. “ I am amazed at how naturally it seems to
come to him .”
Brown isn’t so surprised. “I’ve always been
belly-dancing; I just didn’t know that’s what it
was. W hen I dance, I’m theatrical with my
body. But ultimately, for me, it’s about the em o­
tion o f the music and what it is conveying.”
H e reveals he h as loved to dan ce his
whole life, dabbling in oth er form s including
A frican and Irish before finding his nich e in
the an cient
M iddle E ast­
ern form o f
dance. “It
originally was
A league of his own
Male belly dancer shakes his ass w ith the ladies
by
M ic h a el W ayne K ec k
a form o f dance in w hich w om en essentially
seduced m en,” Brown says.
So, is this hom o seducing men when he
dances? “Well, yes, I suppose I am .”
He often practices his art o f seduction at
Silverado. If you look past the strippers— I
know it’s tough— he’s up on the back dance
floor shaking his thing like a chicken wing.
However, to be honest, seduction isn’t what
comes to my mind when I watch him
perform. It’s more
like.. .how the hell do
you do that?!
Logistical-
ly speaking,
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X
I X -
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1
women are
better
equipped
for all the
hip and
chest shaking, but Brown insists it isn’t uncom ­
fortable. “ I do have to adjust a little bit physi­
cally, but I don’t feel in any way limited. I just
do what feels right.”
A t this point Brown starts spouting some
New Age riff like “dance is my vitam in .. .and 1
feel emotionally different when I don’t dance.”
But it’s kind o f cute, and all o f a sudden I feel
like I’m in a scene from Billy Elliot. You can tell
that he really loves what he’s doing and
that it’s a true passion o f his.
,
Brown is rehearsing
C lc L llC & ,
with Sharita Produc-
“When I
I ’m theatrical with my body, tions for a perform-
ance combining
But ultimately, for me, it s
belly-dancing
of all
about the emotion of the music with,
things, the music
of George Gersh-
and what it is conveying.”
JT
wins Rhapsody m Blue. “The slithery melodies and
percussive qualities of jazz provide a natural coun­
terpart to belly dance.. .to perform Rhapsody m
Blue in this way is a complement to Gershwin’s
own taste for adventure,” Sharita claims.
Well, I don’t know how convincing that
sounds, but combined with some fagalicious
costumes, seeing some hom o shake his booty
like he’s in the “T hong Song” video is som e­
thing I’ll be there to check out.
Before I leave I finally ask Brown if he ever
feels out o f place as a man doing a form of
dance traditionally m eant for women. Spoken
like a true flamer, he simply says, “N o, I just
love to dance.” Right on! JH
R hapsody in B lue will be performed 8 p .m .
M ay 24 and 25 at the Scottish Rite Center,
709 S.W . Morrison St. Tickets are $15 at the door
for adults and $9 for students, seniors and children
younger than 12 or $12 in advance from Fastixx.
-x »
M ichael W ayne K eck thinks, if given the
right am ount o f alcohol, he too would make an
excellent belly dancer. E-m ail him at
michaelwaynekeck@hotmail. com .
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