Belly dancing a means of expression

Talk about dancing to the “Oldies!” Paula Farmer, listing her age as “ageless,” practices what has been called “the world’s oldest dance” – belly dancing.

Traced to Mesopotamia, more than 6,000 years ago, belly dancing isn’t the product of one particular culture, but rather has a universal influence, says Farmer. Historically a dance performed by women for other women, as well as in sultans’ harems and for birthing rituals, it was taught to young girls and practiced by all ages.

Belly dancing was introduced to the United States at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893, where the French called it “danse du ventre,” translated to “belly dance.” Movements of the dance are centered around the belly and, as Farmer points out, it is a method of self-expression and great exercise.

Ravisha (Farmer’s dance name) began belly dancing about six years ago in Coeur d’Alene, and has attended workshops given by “many well-renowned belly dancers” since then. She performs Thursday nights at The White House Grill in Post Falls and at other venues and for special occasions. In her day job, she works at a public school.

What is your job title? “Belly dancer.”

How long have you been doing this? “Performing solo, in restaurants, etc., three years. Performing in a troupe, four years, in all venues.”

How did you choose this line of work? “I woke up one day and knew I had to find a place to take lessons. I had only seen a belly dancer once on TV, nine years ago and never thought about it until that morning. I called and found a teacher and have been doing it ever since.”

Are you paid: (a) well; (b) more than you are worth; (c) slave wages, (d) could be better? “I feel like I am paid well for this area.”

What is the best thing about your job? “Making a connection with people through dance – sharing my heart, energy and joy with them. Getting women and children up to dance with me and teaching them some belly dance moves. It’s so much fun!”

What is the worst thing about your job? “The time it takes to prepare for performances – coming up with new music and making CDs and buying and keeping up the expensive and delicate costumes.”

Do you plan on doing this job (a) until retirement; (b) until something better comes along? “I plan on dancing until I die. As far as performing professionally, I’ll have to see. When I stop performing, I’ll devote time to teaching belly dance class.”

Do you have any on-the-job funny stories? “I was dancing at a restaurant, having a fun time, as I always do, when I’m dancing. I was dancing around this one table of guests and one very nice older gentleman went to put a tip in my hip belt and it unfastened. It was embarrassing for a few seconds, then he made a funny remark and we both laughed. From then on, I have reinforced my hip belts.

“Another time this baby was in his highchair, kicking his little legs and waving his arms to the music. When I danced near him he reached out his arms for me and I asked his parents if I could pick him up. I did and he just loved dancing with me – he was smiling and having fun. After a few minutes, I tried to put him back in his highchair and he started to cry. I would have loved to keep on dancing with him, but I had to go dance in the other rooms of the restaurant, so I thought maybe if his mom got up and started dancing, I could hand the baby over to her and he would still be happy. It worked – it was precious! The babies and kids love to dance with me and I just love it. They’re our beautiful future.”

Any bad experiences? “I was dancing and balancing a tray with lit candles on my head at the grand opening of the Shabby to Chic Shop in Coeur d’Alene, I felt the tray begin to slip a little off my head – a tray on very clean hair can be very slippery and quite tricky when you are dizzy from a head cold. I tried to adjust the precarious tray. I kept dancing and again it felt like it was really sliding, so I reached up and caught it and some of the candles as it was sliding off the right side of my head. The rest of the candles hit the floor – thank goodness it was an old cement floor!

“A few other bad experiences that I’ve had are, my zils (finger cymbals) flying off my fingers as I’m playing them and dancing, music skipping and make that horrible sound. And because I dance barefoot – stepping on glass and dancing with it in my foot the rest of the performance.”

If there was a movie made about you and your job, what actor should play you? Ravisha says she doesn’t watch TV or movies to have a favorite actor.