Bellydancers of Cairo Documentary
9 ratings since posting on Tuesday, November 21, 2006|
(submitted by
Taletha
)
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Overall Rating  based on 9 ratings |
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I thought this was a thought-provoking movie that showed me a side of the Egyptian dancer that I had not known. It was clear how much work was put into this project. However, I would have liked an interview with more Egyptian non-dancing women. In the beginning a woman commented that every girl in Egypt grows up wanting to be a belly dancer. I would have liked to hear more from her. And I would have liked to have a more complete view of Egypt's political and religious climate during these past couple of decades. Perhaps including a women's rights organization for more perspective on the decline or changes of women's freedoms in their society. Another criticism I had about this documentary was when they discussed "beauty" in Egyptian society and how women didn't have to be beautiful to dance. Then the filmmaker followed this up by saying (I'm paraphrasing) women "with more curves" are accepted because they have something else instead of beauty that draws the audience in for a good performance. It felt as though she was saying that if you're a larger woman, you are not beautiful. It fed into so many within issues within our own western culture. And it made me sad that she put so much hard work into the documentary, and still came away with such a limiting attitude. She also, made a comment in the filmmaker’s commentary about how many of the Egyptian belly dancers weren't "perfect” and then said some were "heavy", but then she went on to praise them for their self-assurance (such a paradox within her own statements). I guess her commentary also says a lot about how western women view their own bodies. I just wish the filmmaker presented a more conscious view. - Sugati , posted 01/08/07 |
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I didn't like it for several reasons. For one, I felt they either caused or contributed to a lot of their problems. They said that one of the reasons bellydancers are viewed in a bad light was that in movies they were always portrayed as the bad girl, husband stealer. So who starred in these movies as the bad girl? Big name belly dancers who sold their sisters out. Then you see big name belly dancers appearing at weddings, etc., dressed in overly revealing costumes. They look like strippers. Hello, what do you think that the public is going to think? I hated the disdain with which they discussed the ordinary belly dancers in the clubs. They couldn't be more disrespectful. Here they are talking about how people look down on them, and then they do the same thing to other dancers. I also was very turned off by some of the wedding dances. To me, Dina looked like she was drunk. I would hope that she wasn't, but I sure didn't like the "drunken" lurching that she did several times. So my take on this is, if you can't respect other dancers and if you insist on appearing in public in costumes that are tacky and totally gross, then don't be surprised when people don't respect you. - Maria , posted 01/08/07 |
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Unsu...
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It actually 'touched on' many of my own deep & personal feelings about being a woman/wife/mother who has danced throughout my entire life for a living. I found the family & male/female relationship issues that these women faced, not unlike my own. Though I am not Egyptian nor have I ever danced there, I couldn't help but have the 'sense' that I understood, very well, much of what these women were talking about. This film has renewed my feeling and spirit for the dance. BRAVO! - Unsubscribed , posted 11/25/06 |
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What was really an eye-opener for me was her comparison of American men's & Middle Eastern men's attitude toward female dancers. We don't realize it, but American men can be awfully protective (dare I say, possessive) of the women in their lives. Her brother & father in the movie express what I think a lot of American men sometimes go through when their wife / mother / sister / daughter decides to take on this art form. This makes us aware that the Middle Eastern view of modesty is not so foreign as we may like to think. The documentary is a much-needed insight into the status of this art in its native environment. I sincerely hope to see more like it as more women are drawn to this dance. - **Magdalene** , posted 11/25/06 |
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I loved this movie. However, I think I remember Samasem saying that belly dancers who are foreigners can no longer be the super stars in Cairo. But, Leila has been there since about 1999 and is definitely a star, in all of the Egyptian movies! - Mellilah , posted 11/22/06 |
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I really loved the raq-umentary...I found it well shot and interesting, the bonus reel is fascinating and just to see Dina work a wedding is worth the price of admission! - Gia , posted 11/22/06 |
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It's definitely a "must have" for the collection. Taaj www.taaj.org - Taaj , posted 11/22/06 |
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I recently purchased the Bellydancers of Cairo documentary because it was recommended to me by a good friend. I don't get much time these days to sit down and take in a video, but something made me anxious to see what this was all about. In this documentary, Natasha Senkovich interviews Cairo dancers from the cabarets to the five star hotels. She speaks to local people to get their feelings about belly dance and uncovers the stigma Egyptian dancers, much like dancers anywhere, face. To say this documentary is inspirational is an understatment. The ordeal many dancers in the Western world must face are nothing compared to what dancers in Egypt have to deal with to pursue their dream. This documentary is a reminder of how strong a woman can be and most importantly how strong an Egyptian dancer MUST be. I feel it's easy for people to lose sight of what it truly means to be an Egyptian style dancer. But I assure you, you will know what this dance is all about and why it is important to know about our predecessors in dance, after seeing this documentary, no matter what style you do. I think the only thing I would change, and this is from the standpoint of a teacher, would be to add more information about the Ghawazee; how they differ from other dancers in Cairo and where they came from. Included on the DVD are performances from many of the dancers mentioned in the documentary. I highly recommend this DVD for anyone interested in belly dance from the beginning student, to the enthusiast, to the veteran dancer. - Taletha , posted 11/21/06 |
Bellydancers of Cairo Documentary was recommended for:
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