DECLINE OF BELLY DANCE IN THE 80'S

BY

AMARA AL AMIR (2001)

I started dancing in 1977, and even then the popularity was starting to wane
from the 60's and 70's. I was fortunate to catch the wave though of
performing at private parties and the invention of the Belly Gram. I was
booking 25 to 30 all types of shows a week and doing half myself. I was
working every nightclub before they started to close one by one and did a
huge business for large show formats in the corporate market both for my own
agency and for other entertainment agencies, coupled along with cultural
activities, I was busy.

Then politics and Strippers came on the scene. Strippers ruined the private
party Belly Dance scene for the most part. The customer who respected our
presentation of this dance now was trying all types of entertainment for
parties that was not previously acceptable. This changed their perception of
our show and we were often asked when were we going to take off our clothes.
There is a slight resurgence now but still not for parties, more for
classes.

Corporate interest is gone and even local cultural institutions need
pushing. We have gotten tired of spending all our own money staging shows.
I remember sitting with Bobby Farrah at lunch one day as he talked about the
effort and expense it took to stage shows and how that was over for him.

I believe in mass media now as promotion. If I stage a show it will be to
film and produce videos and probably use Television as medium to promote the
art. I have been approached by promoters from Las Vegas and Atlantic City to
stage shows also but some use the dance unethically and some have some very
good ideas.

Recently I saw Suhaila do a large production piece at Rakassah East using
only drums for 20 minutes and felt she was perfect for Las Vegas.

I have always felt and still do feel, that we should start small with
productions locally and grow from there, It is way to provide performing
opportunities and cultural education, one person at a time.