Berna Kurt, May 2023
Dance Research, 41(1), p. 19-39, ISSN 0264-2875, May 2023
https://www.euppublishing.com/doi/epub/10.3366/drs.2023.0388
Abstract:
Istanbul Educational and Cultural Association of Oriental Dancers (Istorder) is a unique institution that brings together professional belly dancers in Istanbul/Turkey. Between 2019–2021, I participated in belly dance courses in their dance studio. In this study, I examine my own experience, utilizing the data obtained from participant observation, fieldnotes, and semi-structured interviews with a feminist autoethnographic approach. I consider both my own experience and the narratives of other women who learn and teach belly dance in Istorder. Furthermore, I compare my findings with other research on women’s experiences of belly dance in the United States of America in different historical contexts.
Keywords:
belly dance, oriental dance, autoethnograpy, gender studies
