clevermanka (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
clevermanka) wrote2004-07-28 09:38 am
clevermanka) wrote2004-07-28 09:38 am
Uncomfortable? Or pissed? I'm waffling.
Last night I discovered an ugly piece of information. I knew that the Renaissance Festival administrator types decreed a couple years ago that they would not hire bellydancers for the Smoker (a special pay event where you got a turkey leg, 2 beers, a cigar, and a short bellydance show) unless the women submitted a full body photo with open costume that showed their figure. In other words, they didn't want fat, ugly chicks dancing the smoker. That angered me, but I could understand management's reasoning. They didn't want to pay for a dancer that nobody wanted to watch. I might not like the politics, but I understand the economics. However, last night I was told that RenFest management specifically uninvited the dancers from a certain neighboring city from participating in the Middle Eastern weekend because the girls were "too ugly".
Now, let me be clear: the bellydancers you see performing for Middle Eastern Weekend (or Caravan Weekend or Sultan's Treasure or whatever bullshit name management thinks won't scare off the xenophobes) do not get paid for our two days out there that weekend. We come and dance because we want to share something that makes us happy. And for some of us, show off the kick ass costumes that we don't get to wear very often. We are not under contract, we're out there for only one weekend, and we do not have anything to do with the script, nor do we interact much with the regular performers. We're there to dance for that one weekend. If we're lucky, we get one comp pass for each day of the weekend. That's it.
But now, there's a group of dancers who don't get to do even that anymore because they don't fit management's concept of what bellydancers should look like. This really really pisses me off. To the point where I'm having second thoughts about dancing this year. I love to dance and perform. But I feel like putting myself on their stage places me in the position of supporting the management who say No Fat Chicks.
I realize that there are a lot of assholes out there and my doing or not doing something doesn't change that. But do I want to, when it comes down to it, support their asshole-ness? I don't know. Just really don't know.
Dammit.
Now, let me be clear: the bellydancers you see performing for Middle Eastern Weekend (or Caravan Weekend or Sultan's Treasure or whatever bullshit name management thinks won't scare off the xenophobes) do not get paid for our two days out there that weekend. We come and dance because we want to share something that makes us happy. And for some of us, show off the kick ass costumes that we don't get to wear very often. We are not under contract, we're out there for only one weekend, and we do not have anything to do with the script, nor do we interact much with the regular performers. We're there to dance for that one weekend. If we're lucky, we get one comp pass for each day of the weekend. That's it.
But now, there's a group of dancers who don't get to do even that anymore because they don't fit management's concept of what bellydancers should look like. This really really pisses me off. To the point where I'm having second thoughts about dancing this year. I love to dance and perform. But I feel like putting myself on their stage places me in the position of supporting the management who say No Fat Chicks.
I realize that there are a lot of assholes out there and my doing or not doing something doesn't change that. But do I want to, when it comes down to it, support their asshole-ness? I don't know. Just really don't know.
Dammit.
no subject
Yes to the first question, no to the second.
Jo (the troupe leader) also found out that management just contracted a group of dancers from Manhattan to dance every weekend. We don't know any dancers in Manhattan. So god knows what their dance skills are. Also, I know from Jo's experience trying to get a contract with RenFest, they won't even be paying those girls enough to cover their travel costs. So who knows what kind of dancers they are, but I bet they're all young and skinny.
no subject
Has been for a couple years. You do the math. ;)
the whole dancer thing has gone on for too long now... I don't know why dancers are willing to PAY to entertain a crowd, but this we've done willingly for far too long (the privilege of performing, maybe?) Too bad about the management decision, but I'd rather do a costume check than a weight check. *sigh* Makes me reconsider also.
no subject
I don't see it as a privilege to perform. I see it as a way to share something that makes me happy. It's rather the same way I view the Aladdin restaurant gig. I know we have different views on that too, and that's cool. I completely understand your point of view. But for me, it's worth it to go dance for my friends and the other restaurant patrons.