|
Kajira's writing style made this book very enjoyable to read.
She adopts a conversational, informal tone which makes me feel
as though I'm sipping tea with her and having a pleasant dialogue
about a topic that we both enjoy very much.
The discussion in Chapter 9 on performance ethics was excellent.
Too many belly dance teachers don't address this topic with their
students. Much of what Kajira says on this subject applies to
all styles of belly dancing, not just Tribal. She made some excellent
points, and I was glad she had the courage to take on this issue!
There are many illustrations in the book, featuring a variety
of dancers who portray this style. Some of the photos are close-up
shots of jewelry and costume accessory items. For anyone who
is trying to get ideas for Tribal makeup and costuming, these
photos will be extremely valuable. The section on costuming provides
a great deal of information about ethnic jewelry that would helpful
to Tribal and folkloric dancers alike.
Although the book is Kajira's own attempt to describe Tribal,
it is not a podium for Kajira herself to pontificate.
She includes quotes from a wide variety of members of the belly
dance community, and features many photos of the people she interviewed.
I felt that the frequent use of direct quotes made the finished
document very powerful--it gave me the feeling that I was hearing
the voice of the Tribal community in general, not just that of
one of its practitioners. Kajira gives credit where credit is
due to the many people who shared their insights and opinions
with her, and never presents anyone else's knowledge as being
her own. As a result, she comes across as a generous, sharing
person who values and respects the contributions others have
made to the dance community.
In the chapters regarding authenticity, tradition, and legitimacy,
Kajira explores the issue of where/how Tribal fits into the world
of Oriental dance. Some people in the dance community have attacked
Tribal as not being "authentic", and Kajira provides
an intelligent, articulate, well-reasoned response to those detractors.
The Resource Directory chapter provides pointers to a number
of vendors, instructors, and publications for the benefit of
readers who would like ideas on where to turn next in their exploration
of the Tribal style.
Kajira attempts to explain how the "mood" or "feeling"
of Tribal differs from other styles. Some people will agree with
what she says on this subject, and others will disagree, perhaps
strongly. Although I didn't agree with all her comments regarding
what the style many American dancers call "cabaret"
is like, I'm glad she put a stake in the ground and made the
attempt to compare and contrast it against Tribal. She does make
some very good points in the discussion, and I found that her
statements made me take a step back and reflect on my own experience
as a belly dancer--"Does the 'feel' she attributes to Tribal
indeed differentiate it from the 'cabaret' troupes that I dance
with, or does it apply equally to the troupe experience regardless
of which style the group embraces? What about her dialogue on
dancing as a soloist versus dancing as a group?" Whether
or not I reached the same conclusions as Kajira, I was glad she
made me stop and think about it.
|
