I had a dream. Often, that’s where dreams remain but I tried hard to bring it down to earth. I failed but the dream wouldn’t go away so, out of the ashes, I resurrected my vision and Phoenix Bellydance is the result.
Why Phoenix? The phoenix is a mythical bird, fabulous and sacred. Its colour comes from the Greek word for ‘purple’, associated with fire and the sun. It is symbolic of resurrection, rebirth, faith, hope and triumph over adversity and, most importantly, it reincarnates from its own being, returning brighter and more beautiful than before.
The roots of bellydance can be traced back in time, back to the Neolithic, if you wish. The Earth Mother stood proud, firm and shapely. Praise of the womanly form guaranteed life, crops, fertility and the continuation of the race. Across the East, for thousands of years, women danced for themselves and for each other. Every woman’s body was revered for its beauty. Then, the West intervened and the message changed. Were women’s bodies and intellect such a threat to the patriarchal societies of the time?
When Sol Bloom, an American entrepreneur, brought Eastern dancers to the Chicago World Fair in 1923 and the term ‘bellydance’ was first used, the West developed its own perception of the women in history who had used their bodies in the ancient way to dance for themselves. The West’s version of history was out of context with the East and bellydance arrived as a performance for the public, which it was never intended to be.
Phoenix Bellydance identifies with those original women who used their bodies to curve and shape their lives, dance for the joy of life and in praise of women. Phoenix Bellydance believes this joy resides in all women and its dream is to resurrect it from the ashes and set it free. Phoenix Bellydance has learned, and is still learning, different styles of the dance form from all over the world but my feet and body always dance back to the original Egyptian style. Flat footed, earthy and powerful, this form is the surest place to dance from.
So, Phoenix Bellydance has a dream………to bring this fundamental dance form to all women, to inspire and teach every girl or woman who wants to get in touch with her feminine form and to teach women to love themselves and the woman inside once more.
Wendy