Thursday, February 4, 2010

Bellydance as community dance

I've been thinking for quite awhile about the capitalist influence on art in or society and how it effects it's accessibility. For instance, to learn a dance form, one must pay for classes for an extended period of time. To learn with a very skilled teacher, one must often pay a higher price. Let me preface the following argument by stating that I believe that dance teachers work is valuable and needed, and they deserve to make a living on their own terms. What I am commenting on is the broader societies relationship to art and how this is influenced by a system based on the monetary reimbursement for services.

In my mind, art should be accessible to all, regardless of their wealth. I am also an avid lover of folk dance and communal dancing styles. I think there is immense spiritual and social value to the connection one makes with others and with or own bodies while dancing. I would like to advocate more communal dancing across the board. But how does one do that if one charges for classes? I know that I, for one, did not take dance classes for years because I was too broke.

Lately, I have been teaching in a free, skill-share kind of way through the bellydance club at my college. It's been fun, I love the concept of it, and I think I would like to continue this in some way in the future.
I think I want to start a free dance ATS group that meets and dances and shares knowledge of movement with one another. I want to teach others how to get in connection with their bodies, and learn to keep it happy and healthy, without charging them for it. This should be available knowledge to all. I think it's our responsibility as citizens of this society to share our knowledge with others.

Hopefully, I will be able to always fit this into my schedule, but I think this is an idea that I want to fly with.

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