UNITED KINGDOM: KHALED MAMHOUD IS A MALE BELLY DANCER PERFORMING AND TEACHING IN LONDON BAR

Record ID: 549119

  • Title: UNITED KINGDOM: KHALED MAMHOUD IS A MALE BELLY DANCER PERFORMING AND TEACHING IN LONDON BAR
  • Date: 10th September 2002
  • Summary: LONDON, UK (SEPTEMBER 10, 2002) (REUTERS) VARIOUS KHALED DANCING VARIOUS, PEOPLE DANCING
  • Embargoed: 25th September 2002 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LONDON, UK
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVA4OYZ6GFBTYIT6SQWI3MYDCMI0
  • Story Text: The thought of belly dancing congers up images of quivering female torsos, naked navels, and seductive stares.
    It's not an art that's usually associated with men. That's off course if you've not had the opportunity to see Khaled Mahmoud dance. The Cairo-born dancer/teacher, who moved to London a year ago, is taking the city by storm and finding it hard to keep up with the demand for his unusual talent.
    When Khaled Mahmoud came to audition for a belly dancing job, Sahara Nights bar owner Haleem Kherallah was somewhat surprised. In his mind bellydancing was a woman's job and he felt cautious towards Mahmoud.
    But all of Kherallah's prejudices were knocked down when Mahmoud started to dance.
    "I could not believe what I saw. He is the best dancer I ever saw in my life....He has this thing.
    He wants to dance....The second he's dancing, "My God! a different person." His personality comes out, you can see his beauty.
    Mahmoud's dancing so affected Kherallah that he realised, "I really have to change my Middle Eastern mentality and accept that if a man wants to do a woman's job, fine. A woman wants to do a man's job fine. As long as they don't frighten my horses it's fine, I'm happy."
    Although belly dancing is predominately thought to be the terrain of women it derives from a culture in which everyone dances. Mahmoud himself started when he was seven years old, dancing at parties and wedding. His father recognised his talent and sent him to ballet school. Later, Mahmoud studied business but his heart was with dance and he eventually returned to his passion and became a professional dancer/teacher.
    The term "belly dance" is thought to have derivation from the word "beledi," that which comes from the "people," (not just the women). Indicating that culturally men also had a tradition of shimmying their hips! In Turkey for example the traditional role of female dancers was to entertain the women of the harems. They hardly ever appeared in public life so men would watch dancing boys who impersonated the female dancers. They wore women's clothes, grew their hair long and danced with slow, suggestive movements. The profession went out of style in the 1800's before being officially banned in 1856, forcing many male dancers to emigrate to other countries like Egypt.
    Even today the very concept of men performing belly dancing in Middle Eastern countries can stir controversy. For Mahmoud it was difficult to perform his feminine style in Egypt. Although men do dance there today, its more common for them to perform village dances which originated from stick fighting and became stylized for the stage.
    Since Mahmoud moved to London his talents are proving to be more appreciated. He's performing regularly and his classes grow each week. So why is a dance that originates in the Middle East proving so popular in the UK? Margaret Krause who also teaches belly dancing believes its because it offers English people the opportunity to express their sensuality.
    "You know we're all a bit shy and inhibited and Arabic dance is very out there and its playful and teasing and its something that is very therapeutic to all people. And I think they're getting in touch with that side of themselves now."
    If Mahmoud's classes at the Sahara Nights bar in Kings Cross are anything to go by it seems there's an audience ready and waiting to enjoy all the fun and sensuality of oriental dance whether its being performed by a man or a woman!
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