Hello, everyone!
My heart is heavy with sadness.
Throughout most of my career, I’ve maintained a relatively low profile, focusing on my craft, and trying to make headway in life. However, as I’ve been standing back getting the full view of what I’ve been encountering online, I find myself frustrated.
My heart truly hurts.
Let me start off by saying that the dance industry has taken strides in creating respect for the dance we love. We’ve put in the effort to educate ourselves about the origins, history, and cultural context of these dances, and also showing respect to teachers of origin by learning from them.
That is wonderful!
Yet, I’m confused by the disrespect among our peers, mentors, dancers, and students.
I’ve been seeing such a divide online — criticisms concerning the knowledge of teachers and dancers, perceived injustices among instructors, debates over dance representation, issues tied to politics, gender, sexual orientation, religion, and even ethnic backgrounds.
Yikes…that’s a long list! And it worries me.
What happened? What led us to this point? And what happened to respect?
I’ve witnessed name-calling, unfriending over personal beliefs, anger stemming from how the dance is portrayed, and disregard for teachers with different methodologies.
OMG! Stop the madness! When will this end?
We’re all part of this incredible world of dance, and it’s natural for us to hold different perspectives. But we need to step back and take a breath, and remember what drew us to this dance in the first place.
Rather than dismissing others with “No, that’s not how I learned it,” “That’s incorrect,” or “You shouldn’t do it that way,” let’s embrace listening and understanding different viewpoints. Acknowledging and appreciating different perspectives is also a form of respect, just as educating ourselves on the dance’s history and culture is.
I’m sure you all know that there are many ways to execute a movement. And there are also different versions of culture, and its significance. Because the Middle East and North Africa are a mosaic of people and religions, you will get many ways and many whys – even from the same region.
So…let’s start over. Shall we?
Let’s lovingly listen and lovingly educate, without pointing fingers or shaming. It’s time to just be together in harmony, doing what it is that we love. And that’s dance.
Open conversations are crucial. Conversation enables us to learn about others, which then creates connection, which then, ultimately, creates respect. And let’s not forget the importance of setting and respecting boundaries too.
Look, building bridges across all differences is going to require effort. But change can only begin with us. It starts with our actions: listening more than speaking, striving to understand before demanding to be understood, and approaching each conversation with empathy and an open heart.
Love and respect always,
Oreet