BELLY DANCE & BURLESQUE

It has come to my attention that these bellydancers get an awful lot of attention, & they don’t even take their clothes off!” mused Roxy Velvet, burlesque darling & compare at the Shimmy Shake Show, the first night dedicated to bellydance & burlesque in London on March 16th 2008.  She is correct, bellydancers don’t take their clothes off, but does this mean that they can’t join forces with burlesque in the name of good old-fashioned entertainment? 

With the popularity of neo-burlesque ever on the up, this fusion seems to be ruffling some feathers in the world of bellydance at the moment & there is definitely a clear case for both sides of the argument …

I know some people feel that, after years of hard work to promote the art of bellydance & disassociate it from ‘exotic’ or ‘erotic’ dance, they do not want this current trend to mean a big step back in the general perceptions of oriental dance by the masses … but, in my opinion, if the dance is billed as burlesque, the dancer & her choreography are good, & the music & costuming a clear indication of whether the dance is belly or burlesque, then the audience should be left with no misconception about what the essence of each dance is all about.  Why not?

I agree with Princess Farhana (above right at the Shimmy Shake Show & left in belly dance mode), reigning queen of bellydance & burlesque, who says in her article, “Bellydance, burlesque & beyond, confessions of a post-modern showgirl":

“Both genres are constantly fighting negative stereotyping … In both belly & burle-Q styles, craftsmanship & artistry counts.  Just as belly dancing is not simply getting up & wiggling around in a scanty costume, neither is burlesque.  Both genres have their own specific techniques &, whether it’s a hip bump or a bump ‘n’ grind, it must be performed accurately to translate to the audience.  Stage presence, exciting choreography, musical selections & costuming (even if it’s coming off!) count just as much in both categories. 

"The act of stripping itself is an exercise in timing, choreography & logistics.  Getting garments removed in the correct sequence - without having a “reverse wardrobe malfunction” where the piece of clothing refuses to come off - isn’t easy.  Having the pieces hit the stage floor on the beat is an art.

"Both burlesque & Oriental dance are 'kind' to women with real bodies. Diversity in shape, size, height, weight & age is not just accepted, it’s applauded.  Despite all the glitz inherent in both styles, the real inner spirit & beauty pours out though the performer’s aura or stage presence.  Attitude scores wa-a-a-y more points than a wasp waist or perfect butt.  Other women consistently identify with, aspire to & cheer on this type of body confidence.”  (Quoted with permission from the Princess)

Back to the Shimmy Shake Show …

Miss Sapphira (above left at the Shimmy Shake Show & above right in belly dance pose), Australian singer/dancer & organiser/promoter of the night chose her venue well: the lavishly decked out Madam Jojos in the heart of London’s West End, famous for showcasing the finest cabaret acts.  The atmosphere buzzed as a large crowd gathered as many members of the bellydance community (fresh from workshops with Princess Farhana) burlesquers, & those new to both worlds joined forces to celebrate both styles of dance.

The show was varied & featured performances from Miss Sapphira, Turkish bellydancer Melissa (right), rising star of the moment Ozgen (below left) & headline act Princess Farhana, tied together with the sultry whispers of compare extraordinaire, Roxy Velvet.

Miss Sapphira has a strong stage presence.  She performs with a glint in her eye & a sensual flair to her dancing.  She sings beautifully, her choices for this evening being the sultry 'Whatever Lola Wants' & 'The Tender Trap', each performed as a burlesque striptease routine with exuberant costuming & a flourish of feathers.

Melissa, a Turkish style bellydancer, treated us to a sword dance which kicked off the bellydance performances of the show & had the audience holding their breath as she balanced her sword skilfully while moving around the stage.  Princess Farhana brought the first half to a close with an oriental style dance featuring a dynamic drum solo in her typical sassy style.

Ozgen’s rope dance was a definite crowd pleaser & one the ladies enjoyed immensely, as his often fast & furious choreography showed off his well-toned assets & his tassled trousers really did shimmy & shake!  One of the most entertaining performances in the show, he really knows how to command the crowd with his vibrant style.

Princess Farhana brought the show to a close with a classic burlesque striptease routine as she came on stage behind gigantic ostrich feather fans in a pair of killer heels & elegant black & silver underwear, a testament to the elegance & skill required to perform striptease, finishing the show with a tassle twirling bang!

The night was a sell out & was enjoyed immensely by all.  The popularity of burlesque, for the moment, is here to stay & I felt that the different styles of dance complimented each other well in the programme.  There is another regular very popular belly dance & burlesque night in the UK &, at  the 2008 London Festival of Burlesque, bellydance featured on the bill of more than one show, so the cross over between genres is working both ways. 

The Shimmy Shake Show is set to become a regular event in London, so keep your eyes peeled for details of the next dazzling show!

 

Words by Harriet Gervasio  - Harriet Gervasio, AKA Miss Ruby Rocks, started belly dancing 10 years ago.  She completed the JWAAD teacher training course & is a member of the 'Johara' dance company directed by Josephine Wise.  Harriet attended a burlesque course with Jo King in 2007 & has since developed her own belly-burlesque style, performing at a variety of burleque venues around London.

Photos at Shimmy Shake Show by Polly Yuill of Polstar Photography

The next Shimmy Shake Show takes place at Madame Jojos on 11th May 2008