Chuck Kuhn's Asia in Photos: Hanoi women get a wiggle on with belly-dancing craze

Monday, December 22, 2008

Hanoi women get a wiggle on with belly-dancing craze

A BELLY-DANCE craze is sweeping the capital of communist Vietnam, causing jaws to drop, lifting spirits and -- the dancers say -- empowering women through a new mode of self-expression.
Since the sensual mid-East dance arrived in Hanoi two years ago, six dance groups have popped up and more than 1000 women have joined, among them students, businesswomen, journalists and a police officer.
"I've lived in many places in Asia -- Hong Kong, Shanghai, The Philippines, India -- but in Vietnam belly dancing took off faster than anywhere else," said Ara Hwang, the South Korean choreographer who brought the dance to Hanoi. "I came here from Shanghai to teach salsa and I saw that Vietnamese women are attractive and have lots of passion, so I thought: why not belly dancing?"
Hwang was surprised to see how the dance form, born centuries ago in the harems of the Middle East, took off in urban Vietnam.
"In Vietnamese culture, traditionally, you are not supposed to show your feelings," she said. "But I know Vietnamese women have a very, very strong character, and this has given them a way to express themselves."
Huong Giang, a journalist who got hooked after taking a belly dance course to write a story, said: "It's boosted my confidence. It's kind of erotic and exciting, and it's separate from your normal life."
Not everyone here initially shared the enthusiasm.
"At first my boyfriend didn't want me to perform," said marketing student Nguyen Kieu Trinh. "But he saw how I felt the change in my body and in my mind, and that I feel happier, and now he really supports the belly dancing."
Apsara runs a dance troupe for women aged mostly in their 40s, named Hoa Sen (Lotus).
"In the beginning, people often think this is something you see in a disco or in a bar, but we don't care," Hwang said. "We educate them with our attitude, and people are starting to change and understand."
More than 500 people showed up this month for the Second Belly Dance Festival in Hanoi.
The audience watched performers through clouds of shisha pipe tobacco smoke, in a room laid out with Oriental carpets.
AFP/
Frank Zeller, Hanoi December 23, 2008

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They say "

“I can’t say what made me fall in love with Vietnam - that a woman’s voice can drug you; that everything is so intense. The colors, the taste, even the rain. Nothing like the filthy rain in London. They say whatever you’re looking for, you will find here. They say you come to Vietnam and you understand a lot in a few minutes, but the rest has got to be lived. The smell: that’s the first thing that hits you, promising everything in exchange for your soul. And the heat. Your shirt is straightaway a rag. You can hardly remember your name, or what you came to escape from. But at night, there’s a breeze. The river is beautiful. You could be forgiven for thinking there was no war; that the gunshots were fireworks; that only pleasure matters. A pipe of opium, or the touch of a girl who might tell you she loves you. And then, something happens, as you knew it would. And nothing can ever be the same again.”
― Graham Greene, The Quiet American

Tips on Travel to Vietnam

It's always warm in Southeast Asia apart from high mountains, so leave the heavy clothing at home. Cotton and breathable fabrics are always better than synthetics -- although cotton does wrinkle a lot when traveling! December through April is roughly the dry season in that region, although it can still rain a little. December is a good time to go in terms of temperature -- cooler than in the humid summertime. Either way, wearing more clothing (shirt sleeves and long pants) is always more respectful towards the Asian culture, especially when visiting temples and rural areas.