When I first got Flower, my snake I toyed with the idea that I might dance with her. I checked out some of the snake-dancing bellydancers, like Serpentessa, and I watched numerous u-tube videos. In the end I decided not to. Here's why:
(major opinion alert)
o.k. so this is just my opinion,and it is wonderful that we all get to dance in exactly the manner that makes us happy and comfortable. I like veils, zills, shamadan,sword,and cane. Isis wings are pretty, and while I don't like fans, I can appreciate the skill that it takes to dance with them. But dancing with your pet? I just don't get it.
Bellydancers have worked for so long to dismiss the "strippers" title, and also the,"carnival freak" title. I don't think bellydancers are some sort of odd attraction,I think they are artists, and bellydance is an art form. So why would I want to take my sweet little pet, and dance with her? Can you imagine someone coming out in full Bedlah, and bringing out their cat? I don't think Flower would like it very much either.
I think that dancing with a snake takes away from the dance itself. Most people will be staring at the snake,and either A. fascinated at seeing a real live snake, or B. scared to death that it will come get them. The dancer,her costume, her song just becomes background noise. The real attraction is the snake...if you are that interested, then why bother with dancing at all...why not just bring out your snake?
I am not saying that it doens't take skill to dance with a snake, as a matter of fact Serpentessa goes into great detail about dancing in a way that will make the snake comfortable, and not to injure it.There are numerous dancers out there that claim that their snakes love it, and that it is bonding for them both. But in the end the fact that most people are terrified of snakes takes all the skill in the world out of the picture.
I tried it once, taking Flower out of her cage and dancing to a favorite song with her. She trusts me so I don't think it scared her, but she is used to me being stable. She likes it when I sit down and let her crawl all over me. Lifting her in the air, and worse,doing turns not only made me anxious, I could feel her wondering what exactly mommy was doing.
So my mind is made up. It ain't gonna happen...I will keep my dance world, and my pets separate.
