For Jillina Carlano, lead dancer and choreographer of the Bellydance Superstars, belly dancing isn’t just her profession. She’s on a mission to educate her audiences as her troupe’s new tour, “Babelesque,” kicks off on Oct. 16, 2007.
“When I first got involved in belly dancing, there were a lot of misconceptions about it,” said Carlano in a phone interview of September 14, 2007. (She is referred to as “Jillina” while on tour.)
She was drawn to belly dancing 15 years ago because the movements felt natural for her body type. But she says, “People thought it was a hoochy-coochy dance or something inappropriate. It became my passion not only to entertain through dance, but also to educate people. This is fun for the whole family.”
The Belllydance Superstars troupe has been touring and performing for four-and-a-half years now, and perceptions of the art are changing. “A lot of women come to it in search of a new exercise program, but they find a lot more,” Carlano said. “They find a sense of self-confidence and sexuality that is sort of taboo in this country. Women who’ve had children and women with injuries are getting control of their bodies, their feminine and sensual sides. It’s not sexual; it’s natural and feminine.”
That’s not to say that the appeal of belly dancing as a form of athleticism is limited to women. The Bellydance Superstars troupe, formed by record executive Miles Copeland, is comprised of 14 dancers and a drummer. Copeland has managed rock groups like the Police and the Go-Go’s. He recruited Carlano as a choreographer and dancer at the group’s inception. The goal was to mix tradition with fusion.
“Traditionally, belly dancing is a social dance of the Middle East,” Carlano said. “If you go to a wedding in Egypt, you’ll see young children doing it, you’ll see older women doing it. It was a common form of dance that was elevated to a stage art.”
Carlano is sometimes amazed at the dance’s popularity worldwide, “from small villages in Austria to Renaissance fairs in Kentucky to Hollywood.” She believes that popularity is vital to dispelling some of the negative myths about her art. “I love for people to see it in the theater for the first time. When you see it on that level, you walk away with a good impression.”
Touring and ticket information is available at www.bellydancesuperstars.com.
Lacey B. Lyons - Lacey Lyons is a reporter and editor based in Nashville, Tennessee. Her work has appeard in The Nashville Scene, The Nashville City Paper, ...
