What do people think of overweight belly dancers?

Genuine Belly dancers are not anorexic ballerinas!

I love seeing a good dancer, no matter what her size. The idea that someone can be an incredible belly dancer, even though their body doesn’t exactly fit the Western ideal of beauty is an incredibly encouraging thought for someone whose body also doesn’t fit that mold.

@seek : I feel the same way. That’s one of the reasons I actually began belly dancing as well. I’ve recently started to perform and am hoping to start doing it more, and although I shouldn’t care what others think, its scary going up on stage knowing that there are probably a few people sizing you up.

The dancers need not live up to US standards. It is a middle eastern dance art with its own standards.

Women who are beautiful are not restricted to artificial, narrow contemporary standards.

The Western ideal is no standard against which real women should ever measure themselves.

I am not skinny, and as a matter of fact I am far from it. But I do belly dancing, just for fun. The ladies in the class are not skinny either.
I do not care. If you can do it, do it. Besides having a little weight on makes the dance more dramatic.
I am still learing that being different is a hell of a lot better than being the same. Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes.
With that said, Why do I have to buy Barbie friends?

I think the criterion is somewhat flexible but there are still standards. Most important is an ability to move those hips but I for one would rather see Shakira rather than Roseanne shake their moneymaker.

I’ve been to a number of places in NYC where my Egyptian friends go, and none of those ladies are thin. I was just amazed at what they could do with their bodies.

And no matter what it is you’re doing, if you’re in public someone is sizing you up, so don’t let that stop you! Good luck @wookielove!

Define “over weight.” Curves are nice to look at. Rolls, not so much.

@Facade
You are rockin’ a sweet ‘fro there Liz.

Thanks =)