Seriously, it's illegal. The cops can come in and shut the bar down for it. No joke. New York has a thing called a Cabaret Law (AKA the Lamest Law I've Ever Heard Of) Have you heard of this thing? It's insane. It requires bars and restaurants to either have a license or to prohibit dancing by more than three people at a time.
Enter the New York Dance Parade, an event designed to raise awareness (and hopefully funding) about this ridiculous law and try to get it changed. I encourage you to speak up, because it's really just one more way that annoying rich people are going to destroy New York's cool factor. Scenario #2: Club X is super fun for all of us poor slobs who can't afford to dine at the Rainbow Room every night and shop at Bendel's for our entertainment. Annoying Rich Resident of Manhattan Y doesn't like all the noise at 3 a.m. and complains to the cops. The cops come in to Club X and shut it down...not for underage drinkers, not for drugs, no no... They are well within their rights to shut it down just for giving people like you and me a place to dance.
That sucks, because dancing is fun! And now that I am done with my public service announcement I will share with you some of the fun had at the NYDP:
The style of belly dance I study is called American Tribal Style. For frame of reference, it's not like this:
That's Caberet belly dance. One chick, doin' her thing. Sometimes more than one chick, but then it's always choreographed. They touch their hair a lot. They do the sexy dance thing a lot. That's all well and good, but it's not what I do.
Here is my teacher and her troupe, known to my blog as the Squirrel Girls:
This is the style of dance I do. Several chicks together, dancing with each other and interacting with each other. It looks kind of like a school of fish...one leads, the rest follow. Sometimes another one takes the lead, the rest follow. Sometimes everyone dances in a circle and then you just hope everyone's following the right chick!
The Squirrels are dancing in the intersection at Broadway and 23rd, right near Madison Square Park. We were lucky to be joined by live musicians today! A drummer and an oud player. Neato!
Down by 8th street...Check out those gorgeous fluffy skirts! Each one is made from 25 yards of fabric. Today the Squirrels were each wearing 2 skirts over pantaloons for that nifty layered look. Add on the weight of the belts and tassles and hip scarves, (not to mention the coin bras and the intense amount of jewelry and hair dangles) and that's one heavy outfit.
On St. Mark's Place...getting close to the finish line...
Here's a great shot of the fluffy skirts in action as the Squirrels do a few spins!
Oh, and there were some other dancers there too. (:
Dancing is not only freedom of expression, it's a great way to remind yourself that you're free! And it feels good! So everybody go out tonight and dance in a bar! I know I will...I'm off to a birthday party!
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