http://www.indonesianews.net/story/262767
Indonesian women celebrate diversity through belly dancing Indonesia News.Net Friday 6th July, 2007 (IANS) Eight different-sized women with varying postures stand firmly on the wooden floor, admiring their reflections in a wall-sized mirror. Vibrant Middle Eastern music dominated by the sound of a tabla drum sweeps across the room as they began gyrating their bodies in semi-erotic fashion. Suddenly, instructions are shouted out in English, transforming the aura of a Middle Eastern nightclub back into a belly-dancing studio in south Jakarta. That is only until the next dance. 'When you learn the true form of belly dance, its philosophy is dedicated to embrace all women of all shapes and sizes and different backgrounds,' Christine Yaven, 31, a professional belly dance teacher told DPA, while wiping sweat from her forehead following a class. 'Belly dancing gives women confidence, it will de-stress them from the multi-task demands in their life,' she said. 'So when we do this dance, we just feel like girls. 'Especially for big people like me,' the heavy-set Yaven said, 'who are often treated like lepers. This really boosts confidence, and makes me feel beautiful.' Established in 2006, Belly Dance Jakarta is believed to be the first of its kind in Indonesia. Yaven, born to a Taiwanese father and Indonesian mother, grew up in Jakarta and began dance training when she was 12 years old. She studied belly dancing in Australia for six years before returning home to pass on the form and techniques, which are based on Egyptian-style belly dance. 'The Egyptian style is elegant and refined. We are never seductive or provocative,' Yaven said. 'I have students ranging from 17 years old to 60-plus-career women, students, and also housewives,' she said. 'It's incredible when you actually see how diverse they are.' Belly dancing is actually a Western term used to describe Middle Eastern dance, which focuses on pelvic and hip movements known as Raks Sharki. 'So many people have the wrong idea about belly dancing as a form of dancing with sexy outfits, skimpy skirts and showing lots of flesh, as many people sees in restaurants,' Yaven said. 'But the true form of belly dancing itself should be elegant, and not be used to seduce men.' Her students share the same view. 'I learned belly dancing because I love dancing, and it makes me happy. It gives me the freedom to enjoy myself as a woman,' says 34-year-old Erna Fitri, a secretary for a private company in Jakarta who joined the class a month ago. Woro, a 54-year-old grandmother, said she tried belly dancing because she could do it alone, without the need for a partner. 'My husband likes the idea and demands private shows,' she said, giggling. 'He is very excited.' Indonesia is the world's largest Muslim-majority nation, with some 190 million faithful, and feels close kinship to Middle Eastern countries, despite being thousands of miles away in Southeast Asia. But unlike many Arab states, Indonesia has a secular government and society and has large minority religious groups including Christians, Buddhist and Hindus. However, some conservative Muslim-based political parties and fundamentalist Islamic groups have at times called for legislation based on Islamic law or Shariah, in an attempt to impose their version of morality on the country. In 2005, they pushed a controversial anti-pornography bill that, while doing nothing about Jakarta's thriving pirated pornographic DVD industry, bans public kissing and jails women for 10 years for wearing mini-skirts or bikinis at the beach, among other things. Women's rights groups, traditional artists who do nude paintings and sculptures, and secular politicians fought back, and the controversial legislation was shelved. But that hasn't stopped hard-line religious groups, such as the Islamic Defenders front, from holding rallies and threatening violence in support of Shariah. Not surprisingly, such groups are also against belly dancing. 'People really need to open their mind - this dance comes from Arab cultures,' Yaven. 'If those people have any problem with the pornography issue, they can come and see my class. It's not provocative or erotic.' Belly Dance Jakarta is gaining popularity and attracting more students, many from different backgrounds. The only things many share are happy smiles as they shimmi or hip shake in circles or wave their scarves on the air while tiptoeing around the room. 'Woman should try belly dance to celebrate their feminity,' Yaven said. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
