Djamila
Bosnjakinja
Interview with the Belly Dancer
Emira Muslimovic
Emira Muslimovic
I'm sure it's no surprise to anyone that I had to share this. I recommend listening to this song while you read - hahaha... I snipped the most interesting bits.
Muslim Voice (MV): Ibrahim Kolokovic described belly dancing as the second-oldest profession in the Muslim world, and said it is just as dishonorable as the first. It's an opinion, I'm sure you disagree, but what do you say to others who hold belly dancing in the same esteem, as we both know Kolokovic is not alone in his beliefs?
Emira Muslimovic (EM): I say nothing to them, usually, as such people rarely end up in a belly dancing club to begin with. When I do encounter brothers and sisters who feel this way, I try to talk with them and work their disagreements. I think negative feelings about belly dancing stem from a change that took place in the 1500s. At that time, belly dancing became a tool of seduction in the lavish, immoral world of Sultans and Harems. But prior to that, it was a form of worship. Literally, Muslim women danced their praise for God.
MV: We all know that every Muslim woman, to some extent, is a belly dancer. You need only visit a nightclub in Sarajevo, or Istanbul, or Damascus to know that. What is it that sets the truly talented belly dancers apart from the normal, cultural styles of dance that are universal throughout the Muslim world?
EM: Normally this would be a difficult question to answer but I swear, before God, I was discussing this with a friend just yesterday. The answer, I think, is both technical and spiritual. Technically, the best belly dancers are those who are most flexible, who have the longest and most slender bodies, and whose hands, specifically their fingers, are very mobile. Spiritually, the best belly dancers are those who tap into their faith, regardless of their surroundings, who find the enthusiasm and the love for God that belly dancing, at its core, attempts to convey.
MV: When did you first decide that belly dancing was your career of choice?
EM: Oh I was very young, so I don't remember accurately. I do recall, though, dancing for my family in our basement during the war. Once, when I finished and they were all clapping, my Aunt said if the war ever ends I'll be rich. It was the first time I thought of belly dancing as a career, and I believe it was in that moment that I made my choice.
MV: Not that there's anything wrong with belly dancing clubs in Sarajevo, but your career has taken you around the world, has it not?
EM: Yes, I've been very blessed in that regard. I've performed across Europe, in the Orient, and even in the Far East. Syria, Indonesia, I've been to all these countries and I cherish those experiences.
MV: What are some of the changes you've noticed in your career?
EM: Belly dancing has become much more common beyond the Muslim world. There are even Israeli belly dancers now, if you can believe that. I imagine there is at least one belly dancer in every city on earth, except perhaps the Vatican. It's also become more of a form of entertainment, which greatly saddens me. I remember the first time a man at a club put money into my hip curtains, I was shocked. I stopped the dance, threw his money at him, and left the stage. Now that's perfectly normal, and all that has changed in just a few years.
Muslim Voice (MV): Ibrahim Kolokovic described belly dancing as the second-oldest profession in the Muslim world, and said it is just as dishonorable as the first. It's an opinion, I'm sure you disagree, but what do you say to others who hold belly dancing in the same esteem, as we both know Kolokovic is not alone in his beliefs?
Emira Muslimovic (EM): I say nothing to them, usually, as such people rarely end up in a belly dancing club to begin with. When I do encounter brothers and sisters who feel this way, I try to talk with them and work their disagreements. I think negative feelings about belly dancing stem from a change that took place in the 1500s. At that time, belly dancing became a tool of seduction in the lavish, immoral world of Sultans and Harems. But prior to that, it was a form of worship. Literally, Muslim women danced their praise for God.
MV: We all know that every Muslim woman, to some extent, is a belly dancer. You need only visit a nightclub in Sarajevo, or Istanbul, or Damascus to know that. What is it that sets the truly talented belly dancers apart from the normal, cultural styles of dance that are universal throughout the Muslim world?
EM: Normally this would be a difficult question to answer but I swear, before God, I was discussing this with a friend just yesterday. The answer, I think, is both technical and spiritual. Technically, the best belly dancers are those who are most flexible, who have the longest and most slender bodies, and whose hands, specifically their fingers, are very mobile. Spiritually, the best belly dancers are those who tap into their faith, regardless of their surroundings, who find the enthusiasm and the love for God that belly dancing, at its core, attempts to convey.
MV: When did you first decide that belly dancing was your career of choice?
EM: Oh I was very young, so I don't remember accurately. I do recall, though, dancing for my family in our basement during the war. Once, when I finished and they were all clapping, my Aunt said if the war ever ends I'll be rich. It was the first time I thought of belly dancing as a career, and I believe it was in that moment that I made my choice.
MV: Not that there's anything wrong with belly dancing clubs in Sarajevo, but your career has taken you around the world, has it not?
EM: Yes, I've been very blessed in that regard. I've performed across Europe, in the Orient, and even in the Far East. Syria, Indonesia, I've been to all these countries and I cherish those experiences.
MV: What are some of the changes you've noticed in your career?
EM: Belly dancing has become much more common beyond the Muslim world. There are even Israeli belly dancers now, if you can believe that. I imagine there is at least one belly dancer in every city on earth, except perhaps the Vatican. It's also become more of a form of entertainment, which greatly saddens me. I remember the first time a man at a club put money into my hip curtains, I was shocked. I stopped the dance, threw his money at him, and left the stage. Now that's perfectly normal, and all that has changed in just a few years.
MV: What do you think about when you're dancing?
EM: All manner of things, really, but when you're thinking, when you're fully conscious of what you're doing, is when you're giving a bad performance. If you lose yourself in the music, and forget about all the world save yourself and God, then that difference shows in how you dance. Belly dancing is unique in that it is seamless. There are no dramatic pauses, no breaks in the music. Once you start, you never stop until the performance is finished. Even the most basic movements, that require the least amount of effort, are exhausting. That is when I most often pass out of my medidative state, when I'm tired.
MV: In 2001, Goran Kamic wrote in Liberation News that you were, and I quote, immaculate. He wrote that other accomplished belly dancers were amateurs in your presence. He wrote that other belly dancers leave men wanting to go home and masturbate, but you left him wanting to go to mosque and, after that, to city hall for the wedding. What do you think about that?
EM: *Laughter* Well, it was quite a nice thing to say but I've met Goran Kamic several times and I assure you he was merely trying to be flirtacious. However, beauty should leave one wishing to express their devotion to God. When you see a night alive with comets, or a beautiful bend in a blue river, you want to pray, yes? Well, when you see a beautiful, historic dance such as belly dancing, then it would be my greatest honor to have the same impact.
MV: You're wearing a hijab with us today. Is that something normal for you?
EM: Yes, I am rarely without my veil. Except, of course, when I am dancing, or when I'm on vacation.
MV: *Laughter* On vacation? Of all the exceptions I've heard, that has to be the most unique. Well, how do you reconcile being both a hidzabi and a belly dancer?
EM: In my mind, there is nothing that needs to be reconciled. That is as much as any Muslim can hope for. I am far more concerned about other things, such as forgetting to be generous with those in need, than I am about belly dancing.
MV: What is your favorite way to belly dance, not the style, but the setting and circumstances?
EM: Wow, it's hard to say. Sometimes I belly dance, in a full length prayer veil, when I'm alone at mosque. I hum bismillah. Otherwise, I like to perform in front of a mixed, older crowd. Married couples, visiting tourists, and so on. I don't like dancing for young men, especially if there are few women present. I try to avoid that.
MV: Have you ever injured yourself belly dancing?
EM: *Laughter* Oh yes, many times. It's really quite common. You know when you make a sudden movement, and one of your muscles tightens and becomes uncomfortable and painful? That is the type of injury that I've suffered hundreds of times belly dancing, usually when I forget to stretch beforehand. By the way, a tip, basic ballet movements are the best form of stretching I've found so far. A belly dancer from Yemen taught me that.
MV: How long do you plan to keep belly dancing?
EM: For as long as I'm able to stand on my own two feet.
EM: All manner of things, really, but when you're thinking, when you're fully conscious of what you're doing, is when you're giving a bad performance. If you lose yourself in the music, and forget about all the world save yourself and God, then that difference shows in how you dance. Belly dancing is unique in that it is seamless. There are no dramatic pauses, no breaks in the music. Once you start, you never stop until the performance is finished. Even the most basic movements, that require the least amount of effort, are exhausting. That is when I most often pass out of my medidative state, when I'm tired.
MV: In 2001, Goran Kamic wrote in Liberation News that you were, and I quote, immaculate. He wrote that other accomplished belly dancers were amateurs in your presence. He wrote that other belly dancers leave men wanting to go home and masturbate, but you left him wanting to go to mosque and, after that, to city hall for the wedding. What do you think about that?
EM: *Laughter* Well, it was quite a nice thing to say but I've met Goran Kamic several times and I assure you he was merely trying to be flirtacious. However, beauty should leave one wishing to express their devotion to God. When you see a night alive with comets, or a beautiful bend in a blue river, you want to pray, yes? Well, when you see a beautiful, historic dance such as belly dancing, then it would be my greatest honor to have the same impact.
MV: You're wearing a hijab with us today. Is that something normal for you?
EM: Yes, I am rarely without my veil. Except, of course, when I am dancing, or when I'm on vacation.
MV: *Laughter* On vacation? Of all the exceptions I've heard, that has to be the most unique. Well, how do you reconcile being both a hidzabi and a belly dancer?
EM: In my mind, there is nothing that needs to be reconciled. That is as much as any Muslim can hope for. I am far more concerned about other things, such as forgetting to be generous with those in need, than I am about belly dancing.
MV: What is your favorite way to belly dance, not the style, but the setting and circumstances?
EM: Wow, it's hard to say. Sometimes I belly dance, in a full length prayer veil, when I'm alone at mosque. I hum bismillah. Otherwise, I like to perform in front of a mixed, older crowd. Married couples, visiting tourists, and so on. I don't like dancing for young men, especially if there are few women present. I try to avoid that.
MV: Have you ever injured yourself belly dancing?
EM: *Laughter* Oh yes, many times. It's really quite common. You know when you make a sudden movement, and one of your muscles tightens and becomes uncomfortable and painful? That is the type of injury that I've suffered hundreds of times belly dancing, usually when I forget to stretch beforehand. By the way, a tip, basic ballet movements are the best form of stretching I've found so far. A belly dancer from Yemen taught me that.
MV: How long do you plan to keep belly dancing?
EM: For as long as I'm able to stand on my own two feet.
Otherwise, I don't.
