Porn Face

The dancer is hot, and right on. Layla ( or Samira, or whoever....bear with me this is a fictional story) casually tosses her hair and goes into a perfect backbend. My BFFF and I look at each other. It is great being BFFF's with a bellydancer, you can talk shop, and enjoy shows together. We give each other the," this is so much fun " look.
Then it happens. The dancer in what she thinks is a display of passion, makes the porn face. PORN FACE. My BFFF and trade elbow nudges and looks of disgust. Like a fruit that you bite into and then halfway through discover it is rotten, it is ruined for me. Aziza Al Funky Face could sprout wings and fly at this point and I would be unimpressed.

Definition - Porn Face: The moment in which a bellydancer, thinking she is displaying passion, or intense feelings, or being super Egyptian or whatever, makes a face that either A. looks like she is in pain, or B.looks like she is having an orgasm.

Porn face, my friends. You know, maybe I sound like a prude, but I am not. My second husband ( current and hopefully last husband) took years to slowly convince me that free love and living in a commune was nasty, unnatural and a disease minefield. I am a HUGE proponent of gay rights. I even ( please don't read this mom), toyed with the idea of going to " the other side" for a little bit, then decided that I was very happy with the side I was on, thank you very much. I have been to many strip clubs, I think porn is kinda fun sometimes, and I have an open mind. I think that whatever your sexuality, as long as it isn't illegal or harmful, go on wit your bad self! Enjoy yourself! Sex is natural, healthy, great even.

BUT when a dancer is performing, and she means to display passion, please please please, keep the expression one of passion, not porn.

I am all for passion. I absolutely hate the bellydance school of " I -must-keep-this-unnatural-smile-plastered-to-my-face-the-whole-time" . For that reason I enjoy watching tribal and fusion dancers, they don't feel the need to smile. I definately think that music should overtake you, that your whole body right down to your nose should dance. Let it wash over you, let you become it.

but for the love of god,...." I told you to sell it,not give it away" - Jerome Robbins
Have a little dignity.

I had an oh no moment the other day. I was dancing and thoroughly enjoying myself when I felt my face crinkle into a contorted position. I immediately stopped what I was doing and ran to the mirror to make sure that my face was saying" this is so awesome, I almost can't stand it" , and not," Oh Oh yes yes yes yes YESSSSSSS!". Luckily it was passionate, a little pain/passion, but not porn..... but like my hands which sometimes go floppy when I am super concentrating, I gotta watch it from now on.

This ain't that scene in When Harry Met Sally, folks, this is bellydancin'.