Spatial and Temporal Processes Within Improvisational Tribal Style
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Florida State University Libraries Electronic Theses, Treatises and Dissertations The Graduate School 2007 Embodiment, Performativity and Identity: Spatial and Temporal Processes Embedded within Improvisational Tribal Style Dance Georgia E. Conover Follow this and additional works at the FSU Digital Library. For more information, please contact [email protected] FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF SOCIAL SCIENCES EMBODIMENT, PERFORMATIVITY AND IDENTITY: SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL PROCESSES EMBEDDED WITHIN IMPROVISATIONAL TRIBAL STYLE DANCE By Georgia E. Conover A Thesis submitted to the Department of Geography in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science Degree Awarded: Fall Semester, 2007 Copyright © 2007 Georgia E. Conover All Rights Reserved The members of the Committee approve the thesis of Georgia E. Conover defended on November 5, 2007. ______________________________ Philip Steinberg Professor Directing Thesis ______________________________ Jonathan Leib Committee Member ______________________________ Barney Warf Committee Member Approved: ______________________________________ Victor Mesev, Chair, Department of Geography The office of Graduate Studies has verified and approved the above named committee members. ii This work is dedicated to my husband, who spent countless hours playing the roles of sounding board, counselor, editor, and study partner; he could not have predicted that saying “I do” would mean taking part in long discussions about dance and being at my side through countless Tribal Style performances. His support, and his encouragement, made this possible. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS To Dr. Phil, for believing I could do this, to my friends, for believing in kind words and encouragement, and to my family, for believing in me, I thank you. iv CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................... VII ABSTRACT..................................................................................................................VIII INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................. 1 TRIBAL DANCE: A NEW CULTURAL PRACTICE............................................................. 2 CHAPTER CONTENTS...................................................................................................... 3 DISCLOSURES.................................................................................................................. 4 INVESTIGATING TRIBAL STYLE DANCE: PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION, INTERVIEWS AND PROCESS-TRACING ................................................................. 7 PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION ......................................................................................... 7 FIELD RESEARCH ......................................................................................................... 13 VISUAL MATERIAL ....................................................................................................... 18 CULTURE, GEOPOLITICS AND DANCING BODIES ........................................... 19 CULTURE INTERROGATED ........................................................................................... 19 GLOBALIZATION AND CULTURAL HYBRIDITY ............................................................ 23 BODILY DISCOURSES AND IDENTITY IN NATIONALIST POLITICS ............................... 30 DANCE AS POLITICAL PRACTICE................................................................................. 40 DANCE HISTORIES........................................................................................................ 44 CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................ 57 “ORIENTAL” DANCE: FROM ANCIENT HISTORY TO MODERN DERIVATIONS .............................................................................................................. 58 ANCIENT RITUAL, ORIENTALISM AND MODERN “BELLY DANCE”............................ 58 TERMINOLOGY ............................................................................................................. 69 AMERICAN STYLES OF “BELLY DANCE”..................................................................... 71 CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................. 103 TRIBAL STYLE AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF DE-SEXUALIZED DANCE IDENTITIES ................................................................................................................. 104 GLOBAL FLOWS AND TRIBAL STYLE DANCE ............................................................ 104 TRIBAL STYLE DANCE AND BOUNDARY TRANSGRESSION........................................ 109 TRIBAL DANCERS AND TRANSGRESSIVE IDENTITY CONSTRUCTION ....................... 116 REORDERING CULTURE THROUGH PERFORMANCE ................................................. 126 CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................. 140 ATS, ITS AND SPACES OF DIFFERENCE............................................................. 141 TRIBAL STYLE AND NON-NORMATIVE DANCING BODIES ........................................ 141 INTERROGATING TRADITION ..................................................................................... 146 PROTECTING THE INTEGRITY OF TRIBAL STYLE DANCE ......................................... 156 CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................. 163 RECONFIGURING AND REPRODUCING POWER............................................. 164 v LOSS OF CONTEXTUALITY ......................................................................................... 164 LINKING “BELLY DANCE” AND FEMININITY ............................................................ 174 LINKING “BELLY DANCE” WITH SEXUALITY ........................................................... 180 CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................. 187 CONCLUSIONS ........................................................................................................... 189 FINDINGS..................................................................................................................... 190 FURTHER RESEARCH QUESTIONS.............................................................................. 196 THEORETICAL RELEVANCE ....................................................................................... 197 APPENDIX A................................................................................................................ 198 APPENDIX B ................................................................................................................ 200 APPENDIX C................................................................................................................ 202 APPENDIX D................................................................................................................ 206 APPENDIX E ................................................................................................................ 208 APPENDIX F ................................................................................................................ 210 BIBLIOGRAPHY......................................................................................................... 213 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH ....................................................................................... 221 vi LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Jean-Leon Gerome (1824-1904) French. Dance of the Almeh. 1863. Oil on wood panel ............................................................................................................... 62 Figure 2. Rachel Brice performing a layback, Tribal Café 2007...................................... 80 Figure 3. Carolena Nericcio (front), FatChanceBellyDance, Tribal Café 2007 ............... 86 Figure 4. Tribal Style Dancer with Tattoo, Tribal Café 2007........................................... 86 Figure 5. Faizeh of the troupe "Hiplash", Tribal Café 2007............................................. 88 Figure 6. Midriff Crises, Improvisational Tribal Style Dance Troupe ............................. 95 Figure 7. Midriff Crises Dancer, Tribal Café 2007 .......................................................... 95 Figure 8. Hair Ornaments, Tribal Café 2007 .................................................................... 96 Figure 9. Rachel Brice, Tribal Café 2007....................................................................... 100 Figure 10. SuperKate, Tribal Café 2007......................................................................... 102 vii ABSTRACT This thesis examines temporal and spatial process that are reproduced and challenged through the hybrid cultural construction, Tribal Style Dance. It also examines how Tribal Style dancers use two embodied devices, signification and performativity, to challenge naturalized identity constructions of gender and sexuality that are layered onto “belly dancing” bodies. The thesis further argues for the academic significance of interrogations of uneven power relationships embedded in dance practices. The report begins by laying out the methods for engaging in a case study. The qualitative approach is meant to begin research into Tribal Style dance as a project and not just a mélange expression. Field research, participant observation and interviews