An Ode to Bellydance Husbands

 

 I think bellydance husbands have to be the most patient, most understanding lot on the face of the earth. I often hear Kis talk about her "shiny-jingly-appreciative husband", and the YIP Podcast duo recently talked about husbands and hiding bellydance purchases from them ( not in their case), but it gave me a laugh nonetheless. A while ago Naima told of her husband often asking her what she is thinking about ( and she always says bellydance), and my husband, well, he is nothing short of a saint.
     Today hubby and I were watching Julie/Julia and I loved how supportive Julia Child's husband was. He was so into what Julia was doing; you could tell that it was out of love for her, and the fact that cooking obviously gave her so much pleasure, that it became his pleasure in a way, too.
   Bellydance husbands often become back-door connoisseurs without trying to be. They aren't invested in bellydance, and other than our involvement, they could probably care less..... so their perspective becomes unbiased. I will never forget the day I realized that my beloved payed attention. Not in the way that I can tell an Egyptian shimmy from a hip shimmy,but in the way he saw the big picture. The day that we left our first Hafla down here (four hours south) I was mentally bawlking at how different cabaret bellydance was done here, but didn't want him to subject him to a conversation he either wouldn't care about/or couldn't keep up with. As I walked in silence to the car, he surprised me when he broke the silence and somewhat timidly remarked," man, bellydance really is different down here isn't it? ". He, with his untrained eye, could tell the difference and that little thing made me realize that he was paying attention. Despite the normal stuff, hauling equipment, watching the kids so I can go to workshops, etc, and everything else bellydance husbands do, it was really cool that he wasn't tuning out, or thinking about what his fantasy football team was doing during the hafla. ( well, maybe a little).
  I don't subject him to my constant mental bellydance- flavored diatribe, but he is my guinea pig. I try out new dances, new costumes, new ideas on him. If I find a really great/terrible performance on YouTube I ask him to watch it. He will very sweetly tear himself away from the Spurs game long enough to watch, and Goddess love him, he tries.
     .......and he, like bellydance husbands the world over, busts in on me practicing, and "bellydances". It is funny everytime he does it.
     He knows I care so he cares, and what more could you ask for in a partner? 

    So here is a goofy Ode to the Bellydance Husbands of the World, Goddess bless you all.

                   Satin, cymbals and Frankincense,
                   I am sure to you it doesn't make sense.

                  You go to shows and listen to our songs,
                   You glance at the clock and think" I hope it won't be too long",

                  You watch our choreographies till you could puke,
                   You see enough gold coins to adorn a Duke.

                   You put up with it all, with a smile and inner sighs,
                   Thinking later how great it will be between our ( yes I am going to say it)...thighs,

                   But post-hafla sex aside,
                    we really couldn't abide
                    our all consuming hobby
                    Without you standing in the lobby
                     Waiting for us to finish
                      and get re-dressed,

           Oh, bellydance husbands, you are the best!



BOY, I can't believe I even put that out into the blogging world.....I guess you guys now know what a big dork I am. :) 

And bellydance boyfriends, you rock too.