4/05/04

I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to interview Jaia of the Barika Belly Dance Troupe.  

JJ - So tell me a little bit about yourself and how you came to be involved with belly dancing, and a little bit about Belly Dancing in general.

J - Believe it or not, the first live belly dance performance that I ever saw was by our own beautiful Vivianna (Jenny Gibson) she had been belly dancing for 10 years at this point, and I was very drawn to the movements of her body, and the way she kept time to the music with her hips. Very hypnotic.

       I had been practicing yoga for many years, especially Iyengar yoga, which is extremely demanding, and while it was fantastic for my body, my soul craved something more.  (Don’t be fooled by all the "body, mind and soul" stuff, yoga can leave you cranky at times)  So, I continued my yoga practice, but also started belly dancing in my kitchen.  No one knew that I was doing this, and I was basically making stuff up, but it felt amazing!  My spirits were soaring, and I knew I was on to something good.  I ordered some videos, and practiced everyday, as soon as I got up.

      At this point I knew I wanted to get really good.  There were a few teachers in Milwaukee, but since I do not drive, they were all hard to get to.  I went online, and found someone teaching "tribal belly dance".  This was so different from what I thought belly dance was supposed to be. You know, single dancer, scantily clad, lotsa chiffon.  This was powerful!!

       I found the teacher to be o.k., but lacking in experience, so I bought up tapes by "fat chance belly dance" which up until then I thought was belly dancing for the overweight.  Not so!  These women were the originators of American tribal style belly dance, and I loved it.  Our teacher pushed us to perform within a month, which may or may not have been a good thing. We did learn to dance well together, and eventually we decided to find our own space to practice and teach.  We opened a dance studio in Bay View, after our teacher assured us she had "tons" of students waiting to get in.  There were no students, and we finally realized this person was a habitual liar, and a drug addict as well. The whole troupe wanted to leave, and I figured I would continue to learn on my own, eventually teaching this wonderful dance form.

     I was really honored when the rest of the troupe asked me to teach, to keep this going.  Again, we figured we would just dance together, but job offers started to come in, and we decided to just go for it.  Barika (which means "to bloom" or "success" in Algerian) was born!

     There had been a lot of controversy over this. How I stole the troupe, how we were "just students".  Our former director saw us as "property" and not as individuals.  A troupe cannot be "stolen", they can think for themselves, and do not appreciate lying and tantrums and huge egos.  We literally "bloomed" in this new group, pooling everyone’s talents, and ideas.  There is no "director".  I act as business manager, and guidance counselor, but that is about it.  We dance for the sheer joy of it, and for each other.  The results have been amazing, and I am constantly reminded how lucky I am to be dancing with these women.

     Belly dance was originally something that was done in the company of women, as a social event. It was a way to relax, and enjoy each other’s company, and relate stories and events to each other.  Young girls learned the dance at these gatherings, and all ages and skill levels were encouraged to 'show their stuff" without fear of judgment, or competition.

    The undulating nature of the dance was also used to assist other women in childbirth, as contractions are "wavelike", it helped the mother stay focused.  Many tribes danced for men. The Ghawazee (the outsiders) were encouraged by their tribe to make money in this manner, and fathers were pleased to have daughters that could bring in money!  They married when they were ready to retire, choosing their own husbands.  The Azriyat, (free women) of Algeria were another, and were also known for their amazing voices. The Shikatt, of Morocco, would first entertain the women before a wedding, often explaining through dance, what the bride might expect on the wedding night. They would then be entertainment for the men after the wedding.

  During military occupations of Algeria, Morocco, and Egypt, these dancers were in demand as "private” entertainment for the soldiers, out of economic necessity.  It also gave dancers, especially in Egypt, a bad name. Dancing was banned there, on and off, for many years.

    Hollywood made popular the look of the "harem girl", with the push-up bra, and semi-sheer costume. The dancers in Egypt loved this look so much, they adopted it for nightclub performances, adding high heels, to show they could afford them!  This really changed the nature of what was a once a more "earthy" dance. What many people think is "traditional" costuming, really began right here!

     Back to the tribes and gypsies!  The nomadic people, especially from India, traveling through the Middle East and Spain, picked up moves from the various tribes they encountered. Many of the snakelike moves, and undulations, actually had their origins in India.  The gypsies picked up what they liked, and passed it on.  This is very similar to what we do in tribal belly dance.  Many people think of us as "authentic", especially when we are in full tribal gear!  We are trying to carry on the tradition of blending moves from various regions of the world, and to honor the women within our tribe, and others with this dance, but this is by no means "traditional" of any one region.  It is fun to perform at ethnic festivals, and have people ask if we are Berbers, or what village we are from.  A lot of our jewelry is from Afghanistan, and Pakistan, and we often wear clothing from the Banjara tribe in India, so when you encounter people from these regions, it is wonderful to see their eyes light up.

      Tribal belly dance has been an incredible journey for us, and we hope to continue to learn and dance for many years to come.

JJ - Has your experience in yoga aided you in your belly dancing?  How so?

J - Yoga really helps with everything you do. in belly dance, it strengthens so many muscles that protect the ankles, knees, and back, while also keeping them flexible. it is also very centering before a show, and I generally do at least 1/2 an hour before I get into makeup and costume. I also do 20 to 30 minutes before a practice session at home, and integrate it throughout our classes. check out www.rachelbrice.com

She is a San Francisco based dancer and yoga teacher, and her dancing is otherworldly! yoga and belly dance do go so well together, and I know it's made me more confident and balanced in my dancing.

JJ - How was the name Barika decided upon?

J - Barika!!!   We wanted something strong, yet happy. we searched Arab, Asian, and Romani (gypsy) names, and found this one, which is Algerian for "success" and "to bloom". what could be better???

JJ - Has the turmoil and controversy surrounding the genesis of the Barika Bely Dance Troupe simmered down, or does it continue to this day?

J - I think so.  We had a firm policy not to react, or respond, to anything that was being said about us, as we did not want to get caught up in the same bad energy. we have gotten certain gigs after she( the other troupes director)  has been fired, and that has created some real animosity towards us. but no shows were "stolen", and we are always surprised when we get these calls. belly dance was never meant to be a competition, and I really wish  her the best of luck with her new troupe.

JJ - You stated that belly dance was originally done in the company of women.  I find this curious as the dance seems to have a sensual and seductive nature from a male point of view.  Was the dance originally meant to have such an effect, if it was originally performed in the company of women?  Or was this a somewhat unexpected side effect of the already developed dance moves?

J - o.k.   You may have to change the word "originally".  In some Arab cultures, the dance was performed just for women, however, many of the gypsies traveling through various regions would take it's native dance, add it to what they already knew, and spice it up a bit for entertainment value. some, like the Ghawazee, were considered outsiders, and thus did as they pleased.  They danced for entertainment, and made very good money.  When they felt ready to retire, they married.  A lot of the hip movements probably date back to ancient fertility dances, which would have been used to attract a mate.  So, I guess you could say it really depended  on where the dancing was being done, and by whom. it is known that "oriental dance" (the name "belly dance" started in America) was banned for a time in Egypt, because of  how the dancers eventually used it to entertain tourists and the military.  When it was once again allowed, cabarets were the place to see the dancers.  By this time, the had adopted to Hollywood style of dress, and the dance had become very theatrical, and yes, quite seductive.  I great book on the history of  belly dance is "Serpent of the Nile" by Wendy Buonaventura.  I got mine used on Amazon, and it is full of great information.  Again, I could go on and on here, there is so much good information and history!

JJ - You also stated that it was developed to help pregnant mothers.  Do you have any pregnant mothers in your troupe?  Would you recommend belly dancing to a pregnant mother?  Would you welcome a pregnant mother into the troupe?

J - I am not sure if belly dance was "developed" to assist pregnant mothers.  I do know that the undulations, and "belly rolls" used in the dance do mimic contractions. often this was used to show a newlywed, or mother to be, what to expect. it was also used to "coach" a woman in labor.  I read of a Berber woman in morocco who gave birth to twins, while surrounded by undulating women. they offered her privacy by shielding her with their bodies, and also helped the birth along through "sympathetic" contractions.  Women who belly dance tend to have an easier time with delivery (if there are no complications) and recovery.

    Many women continue to dance while pregnant.  I have watched a member of  "read my hips" perform while in her 6th month, and it was beautiful.  You do have limitations, and this is not something you should suddenly take up when pregnant. these women have been dancing for awhile, and their bodies are used to the movements.  As far as welcoming an expectant mother into the troupe, yes, I would, as long as it was someone who had already been dancing, and was taking good care of herself, and it was o.k. with her doctor.  If I were  ever to become pregnant, I would definitely continue to dance!!

JJ - You mentioned the tribes Ghwawazee, Azriyat, and Shikatt.  Which tribal moves are your favorite, or that you identify most with.  Which tribe has the most direct influence on the troupe?

J - That is a hard one to answer!  We use so many moves from different countries, and cultures, and many of them have been "adapted" for tribal dance.  We have been using a lot of the Ghawazee moves, which are vigorous, side to side shimmies, as well as Tunisian, which is done up on the toes, and is more "folkloric" dance than belly dance.  I love anything with an east Indian flavor.  I had an opportunity to study Bharata Natyam this summer in Chicago and wish I could take ongoing classes. it's such a beautiful and complex dance!  I wouldn't even attempt to introduce it into

Our dance, until I have more time to absorb and understand the moves. one of the teachers, Kalanidhi Narayana, did tell me (through in interpreter!) that I had very good "eyes" for Bharata.  You are basically telling a story using very elaborate footwork, "mudras" (hand gestures) and very expressive eyes. beautiful!!

    We have also worked in a Tahitian move here and there, as some of the hip work is similar to ours, and it is easily cued. (and an amazing workout!!)  Our search for new influences is ongoing, and it's what keeps the dance fresh and exciting for us.

JJ - Does the practice of private entertainment for soldiers in Egypt and Algeria continue to this day?  Is the dancing banned there currently?

J - It is very hard to work as a belly dancer in the middle east. the nightclub scene in Egypt is very competitive, and club owners can replace you easily.  As far as being entertainment for soldiers, if it is happening, it would definitely be with inexperienced dancers who don't know any better, or who are desperate.  I think most are very careful to maintain respectability. dancers must be licensed, and renewing that license can be very difficult and expensive. it has been said (sadly) that belly dance is practiced more in America and Europe than in the middle east, due to fundamentalist Muslim influence.

JJ - How do you decide which culture from which to draw your costuming from?  Is it purely aesthetic taste, or is there some procedure for putting together a costume?

J - Right now we are really attracted to the costuming from Rajasthan, and the Banjara people of India.  Lots of mirrors, shells, and embroidery.  I also got to wear an Akha headress (from Thailand) at our last show, and I felt like a queen!!

Our costumes are really from all over. we have a "base" costume that we all wear, choli, coin bra, skirt, and pantaloons, but we accessorize individually. as with dance moves, we are constantly seeking out textiles and costuming from various cultures. if we are doing an event with a specific ethnic theme (like Arab World Fest, or Asian Moon) we would wear as much as we could from those regions. the people attending those festivals love seeing and speaking with us about the various jewelry and textiles from their native country.

J - Thank you very much for taking the time to do this interview with me.

If you would like to learn more, please visit the Barika Belly Dance web site.  You can discuss this interview here.

If you know someone who would make an interesting  subject for an interview, please e-mail me at jjrakman@yahoo.com

© Copyright 2003