I like to think about things. I also like to question things – sometimes just for the sake of it.
I nerd myself into some things. Other things I am extremely uninterested in.
I have also become a climate change aunt, despite mine so far, in the context, young age.
On this blog you can read most of what fits in my world of thought. From social criticism to beauty 40+ to embarrassing stories to…
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A few years ago (a little more) I watched a Youtube video – one of many, one can argue, but I was hooked on this one. It was a video from a party night in another culture, in another country. Probably a wedding. The guests stood in a large circle in a yard, and looked at a man and a woman dancing in the middle. I was completely hooked, and I'll tell you why.
What I ended up with on any one of any number of videos from it tjerkessiska (circassian) the culture. I don't know much about their history at all, but read somewhere that they fled from a war in Caucasia in Russia at some point/year, and that they are now scattered here and there – among others in Turkey and Jordan.
With that said;
The very first I reflected on where the dance was. For me as a westerner, used to music videos, dance competitions, dancing on Broadway and so on, this didn't feel like dancing at all. The men strut around like proud, manic roosters and the women stroll forward swinging their arms gracefully. That's pretty much what it looks like, at first glance.
But I stayed interested and couldn't stop watching – or stop thinking, for that part. I'm still watching, over a year later, on loads of videos of their dances. Nowadays, however, I mostly look at different forms of performances, both at a party and as a performance on stage.
Dock – what is so insanely interesting about this, is how at least I think it is possible to read quite a lot about their culture, just by observing their way of dancing. From what little I have read and what I myself have drawn conclusions about, so this is a traditional way of dancing – it is not at all certain that what I see in their dance permeates their entire culture.
What I see are extremely clear gender roles, which is made clear by how both men and women hold their bodies, and how they move. In our Western culture, it is probably more normal for the woman to be the one shown off, which is the one that should be pretty, sexy, take place, and so on. But here I see the exact opposite – the men are the ones who take their seats, who is crouching and the very first video I saw was the exact expression “proud as a rooster” something I thought about several times. It's straight backs, hard, masculine movements – the masculinity is really highlighted. And the same with women – they also hold the body in a very special way, they walk in an even more special way, and they are extremely restrained in both expression and movement patterns. The men applaud and act as cheerleaders for each other, while the women float past the audience without much enthusiasm.
This is how I feel that the gender roles are presented;
Men are big, strong, fierce men beating their chests, they move hard and choppy (the music really sucks), they focus more on their male social contacts than on the woman on the dance floor with them, they are social, moves around the woman like a horny rooster (there we have the rooster again!), and are physically very loud.
The woman, to others side, is extremely restrictive in his emotional expressions, she almost looks bored where she moves, her body language is reserved, restrained and graceful. She does not engage in any social activities while dancing, but keeps her gaze lowered and preferably in a different direction than the man she is dancing with.
Something I think is incredibly interesting is that despite the fact that from a Western perspective it is very different to how we do it, so it is also very, very clearly the respect both sexes have for each other. They very clearly say thank you respectfully when someone gets off the dance floor. There is also no physical contact in their dance, so the pawing and abuse thing doesn't seem to be happening, at least on the dance floor. Then I don't know what it looks like elsewhere, of course.
It would probably be reasonable Let it be clear that I find this absolutely incredibly interesting. I have spent hours and hours sitting and watching video after video after video, some over and over and over. I really think it's incredibly exciting to think about gender roles in particular, how they are presented, and how they can conceivably function outside the dance floor. It also makes me think about what image you get of Western society if you only look at the folk dances of different countries.
Something else me also pondered over some – especially considering my adventures together with transwoman Tone, is how this culture with its excessively clear gender roles, stands up to individuals who deviate from them in one way or another. Being transsexual is just a variation. When it comes to BDSM, for example, we have submissive men and dominant women, which deviates from our traditional view that the man is the dominant one in a family constellation.
In other words, I have so many thoughts – so many questions.
These traditional ones the dances – one of my first thoughts was if this is part of their courtship/way of flirting or seeking a mate. It would be incredibly interesting to know how their culture behaves specifically around relationships, marriage and so on. Because as the dance looks, it wouldn't surprise me at all if it's at least part of it – if nothing else to see which individuals have some kind of chemistry between them on the dance floor. It would help immensely if I knew more, but I don't – unfortunately.
I do not know why I fell so head over heels for this. But I find it extremely interesting, and I can't stop watching. I have a few favorites that I watch over and over again, only because I think they are very beautiful dances, on the other hand, it is so interesting to see and think about exactly this with the gender roles.
And it will come I to continue to do. Something that would be very fun (if I recover, Want to say) is to start watching folk dances from other cultures, and think about them, compare, and so on. The probability is not great – but it would be fun.
And before I forgets – note how everyone very much dances on their toes, even the men. It looks extremely difficult, and I wouldn't manage to do it myself. The women do it (at least at a party) in high heels, and at the dance shows the men wear what at least resembles the ballet's toe shoes (I don't know enough about either to say more than that).
Incredibly fun! ♥