She says there was initial criticism of Bellydance Superstars because belly dancing had established itself in the US as “a kind of self-empowering thing for women, whether they were young or senior. Belly dancing is good exercise, for feeling feminine or sensual again after surgery [for breast cancer]. It's even good for childbirth.”
“We got flak because some people thought we would make belly dancing a Hollywood thing for, you know, just beautiful, thin girls, but that's not true,” says Jillina, who is ample, fit and possibly over 30, though she does not give her age.
“We are presenting the beauty of women in a wholesome way, without being titillating” Copeland interjects, then gives the game away. “We're not burlesque or hootchy-kootchy.”
Hootchy-kootchy was one of the names originally given to belly dancing, a Western term that was coined around the turn of the 19th century and popularized by an impresario called Sol Bloom. Copeland is reinventing the wheel.
Belly dancing in its present form owes as much to Western interpretations of the ancient North African dance as the clothes the dancers wear. In Middle-Eastern tradition this was about concealment, now it's more about revealing as much as is culturally permissible. Belly dancing used to be a private, solo dance. Now it's public and there's a chorus line.
To be fair Copeland is not pretending to be a purist and freely admits all of the dancers are American and his show is far removed from a traditional raqs baladi, or folk dance, in Arabic. He is unashamedly promoting a fusion of dance genres and the Bellydance Superstars feature tribal, punk rock, ballet, gymnastics and even Polynesian influences.
As for belly dancing being part of a peace movement in the Middle East, Copeland's megaphone diplomacy knows no bounds.
“This is the most significant thing I have ever done. When the original Police guitarist Henry Padovani saw what we were doing he said, 'This is like the Beatles.'”
“After September 11 there was a feeling that everything Arabic was problematic, but this was a media invention. It's not true for the public because it does not hold prejudices,” he loudly insists.
“Here we have Americans celebrating Arabic culture and that's why we have been called ‘the most important dance group in the world' by the Sunday Times. The biggest issue in America is how we're going to form a new relationship with the Arab world.
“Artists can make a difference. Just look at Bono. It has never really happened in dance but that's what we're doing.”
Copeland's hyperbole appears to have no limits. He believes belly dancing has come of age and the Iraq war and 911 have focused our attention on the Middle East so now is the time to push its culture.
“We're surfing the wave. I have studied Riverdance and actually it's a 30-minute show. If you watch you can see where they run out of ideas, then they just keep repeating themselves.
“We have a lot of variety and the girls have a chance to shine on their own. By the time I have finished they will be the most famous dancers in the world.”
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