“The School of Hard Raks”
Be Fearlessly Authentic
By Jasmin Jahal
What does it mean to be truly
authentic? How important is it to you
as a Middle Eastern dancer? “Authentic”
is defined in the dictionary as “genuine,
real, not false or copied”. I have spent
nearly four decades as an oriental dancer
expressing the art through my vision and
personality, staying true to the elegance of
the movements, the depth of the music, the
history of the dance, and the honor of my
mentor. Most importantly, I stayed true to
myself ! Authenticity comes from within,
based on your internal code, your integrity.
It is living the motto “what you see is what
you get”. If you make no exceptions to your
authenticity, you will develop into a unique
artist and a valuable individual. It might not
always be easy, but it is definitely rewarding.
If you choose authenticity from how
you move, to what you know, how you
carry yourself on the stage and behind the
scenes, you will transform and empower
yourself. You are going to constantly grow
and change anyway. That is inevitable. Your
evolution, on the other hand, is a series of
conscious choices, so you might as well
take charge of the direction in which you
are headed.
How do you see yourself ? How do
you want to see yourself ? The following
guidelines are meant to enlighten you and
help you reveal what role you can play in
the history of Middle Eastern dance.
30
The Belly Dance Chronicles
July 2016
Photo by Carrie Meyer