I have been bellydancing for 4 years, and I don't see the problem why burlesque and bellydance have to be segregated; they are both forms of entertainment, very beauitful, very sexy, and I would not feel out of place bellydancing for you all at a MoB event! I live in Kent, so I can come to London and dance, and I would love to speak to Sapphira more about bellydance!

Before starting this post, I'd like to apologise in advance coz im not intending to offend anyone or stir up trouble....

I have been bellydancing for a few years (never in a live performance/on stage though...) and only in the last six months gotten into burlesque.

Personally I dont think theres any reason why the two cannot co-exist and be mutually beneficial to each others arts. I just think people should try to respect each other in general.

However, perhaps theres a deeper concern that Miles Copeland is trying (not very well admittedly) to get accross and that may be that in the Arab countries to which he is trying to promote acceptance of bellydance as a respectable form of art/dance there will be resistance to its association with what will be perceived ***by them*** as stripping. (Bear in mind that even in the UK the muslim community would look down on someone-especially a woman-for entering a pub for example or wearing short sleeves and call into question her morals-please do not underestimate the effect this can have.)

People who know about burlesque will realise/understand that while there is that element of teasing, and sometimes stripping, its not all about getting your kit off, its a performance in the same way that any dance is. BUT in predominantly muslim countries bellydancers are perceived as being moral vacuums or prostitutes.... so you can understand that the connection with burlesque, which to be fair generally involves baring of some skin (which many Arab countries find upsetting/offensive) may prove to affect the current treatment of the dancers in muslim countries and be off putting when Miles is trying to promote shows such as BDSS.

Please dont think Im saying hes right, just that perhaps hes blindsided by his quest to gain wider respect for bellydance....or maybe hes just motivated by money? Who knows.

I shall leave you by saying Miles Copeland has only made himself look silly by showing his own ignorance. He should at least try and read about burlesque before making any more detrimental comments.

love and shimmies to everyone, be they burlesque performer, organiser or belldancer, Axx