Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Why Balady ?




Balady starts from the fears of a woman, asking herself if bellydance would reflect the cultural contradictions of her multiple identities.



Do we know ourselves? How are our bodies affected by stereotypes and expectations from men and women alike? How do our bodies move in a rapidly changing society? Can our bodies influence our political or social context? May accepting our bodies and moving them freely lead us to freedom... ?

What is Balady ?





The ''Balady'' project observes how gender roles and models affect our bodies through belly dancing and cultural exchanges. The aim of the project is to explore the narratives and practices related to our bodies by organizing belly dance workshops in Cairo and Barcelona, interviewing women who practice this dance, observing street artists and activists in Egypt, Tunisia and Spain and producing a short-movie which will be screened in different cities (Cairo, Barcelona, Berlin, etc.).