Kind of a spin off to my previous "How young is too young?" post a few months ago....
Lately, I've been getting a lot of comments on my age - good comments, ones like: "Oh, I'm so happy you are young! The last bellydancer we had was really old!" or from a DJ: "Can I have your card? I am always getting requests for bellydancers but the only dancers I know of are so old!"
So, I have two questions: First, does the general public (GP) have a different perspective of what "old" is? When they think "bellydancer" do they think 20-something hot chick with perky boobs and a golden tan? Does the GP think that anything close to 40 is old? Because, I've got to tell you - I have yet to see a website of a 70 year old woman advertising herself for bellygrams. When I think "old", I think grandma-style. And while I, as a dancer, can appreciate that bellydancers get better with age, I am aware that the GP doesn't feel the same. But I am concerned that the label "old" means something totally different for me as it does for the GP.
Which leads me to my second question - will I know when I'm too old?? As I am about the leave the realm of the 20-somethings and embark on a new decade, I worry about "aging out" of this dance, which has also become a pretty lucrative career as well. I mean, I understand that no one wants an old lady dancing at Uncle Bob's birthday party, but will I still think I'm "young enough" when others think I'm past my prime? I don't want to turn into one of those dancers that people complain to me about - the dancer who thinks she's still "got it" when everyone else snickers behind her back.
What do you think? How old is too old, and when should a dancer hang up her bedleh?
5 comments:
its a shame the GP feel that someone in their 40's is too old to bellydance. Some of them can shake and bake much better that us young bellies.
Too old for me would be the grandma type.
My cousin took belly dance dance lessons from a lady past her 70's and the lady can move!!! My thirty year old cousin was out of breathe while the instructor was full of energy after the same amount of workout. Although, honestly, people do find younger women more pleasant to look at shaking their hips, for someone who is interested in teaching the moves I think it won't matter how one looks as much as long as they know their stuff. It's a scary thought, but not something you have to worry about just yet :) you're hot stuff and will be for a very long long time!
-Irina
I agree with mmy BELLY Ciara
As all of you know that go to the BQE I am a senior citizen and love my belly dancing classes. For me How old is too old, is when your body can't take it any more.
So, sorry GP but you will be seeing this old lady dancing for quite awhile. loveya Gloria
I am in my early 30's. I think as long as dancer still shows skill that her age shouldn't matter. I have seen 20 some odd year old women not be able to perform or show as much skill was the older ladies. I do have to admit though some of the youger girls combine some nice stuff, when adding other dance forms with belly dance and it flows.
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