Can your culture prevent you from dancing? I mean dancing other cultures' dances..

So, I was helping out Labake do a small african presentation for a group of kids. She wanted to teach them small dances. Fair enough.

She tells us...
1. African dances are heavily influenced by the beats of the drums.
...cool... although I was slightly confused by the beats she did. They are more complex than most of the Indonesian beats.

2. African dances uses their hipps & butts alot.
...cool... I am going to be a great african dancer!!

3. African dances are also used to tell stories.
...cool... I like stories... :)

4. African dances by maidens are used to attract the guys..
...cool... that's fair.

5. African dances are free flowing movements. When you feel the rhytm, you dance to the beat.
...hmm... you mean there's no, like, synchronized steps???? How do you know if you're doing the right thing????... ok fine, I'll just think I'm in a hip hop club....

5. African dances uses traditional costumes. Some traditional costumes include a string of beads and chalk patterns on their boddies.
...hmm.............
But don't worry, since the white men came, we use a wrappers.
...cool... that's better...

6. The good african dancers attract guys attention. African men will undress you with his eyes. But to african women, it's a natural thing, you just dance more to lure him...
...hmm.......... now seriously, how can you dance well when you know that you are naked in front of a strange man's eyes!!!!!!!

And i lost all my rythms and movements that very instant.

Where I come from, when you are naked in front of a strange guy (or girl!), you better not be dancing, you be getting that wrapper on girl!!

hehehe... the little differences in lifes all around the world.

To illustrate my point, here is one of the more well known type of culture in Indonesia. The Balinese.

Now, do you call this free flowing movement??? No siiree, those arms better be like that the entire time.

  ¶ 2:09 AM