Egypt belly-dance TV show a ‘corruption of morals’

Cairo: Egypt’s top Islamic body on Wednesday demanded that a television show promoting belly-dancing be banned, two days after its first episode hit the airwaves.

Dar Al Ifta, Egypt’s state-run Islamic institution that advises Muslims on spiritual matters, described the show “The Dancer” as a “corruption of morals”. The private TV Al Qahira Wal Nas (Cairo and People) began this week broadcasting the programme whose makers say it aims to discover talented belly-dancers.

“This programme can be understood as being part of a campaign aimed at undermining the moral system of Egyptian people,” Dar Al Ifta said in a statement. The institution warned that the show would serve militants, “who can take advantage of such issues as a pretext to promote the idea that society is fighting religion”.

Belly-dancing has for decades been popular with Egyptians. However, in recent years, many in the mostly Muslim country, have frowned upon performances, with several clerics calling it un-Islamic.

Following the debut of “The Dancer”, several clergymen filed lawsuits, requesting the halting of the show, terming it morally corrupting.

The scathing criticism has not surprised the makers of the series, though. “Those who oppose dance will lash out at the programme regardless of its content,” celebrated Egyptian dancer Dina said prior to the broadcasting of the show. “This programme was a big dream for me. It will show the audience that dance is not easy and that it requires hard training,” added Dina, who is a member of the show jury.

Foreign belly-dancers have in recent years outrivalled Egyptians in the profession, with Egypt’s top dancer at present being the Armenian performer Safinaz.

“We are a contradictory society,” said the show’s scriptwriter Tamer Habeeb, another member of the show jury. “We assail dance and dancers but at the same time we dance at wedding parties, out on the the streets and even during elections,” he said. “You have the remote-controls and you can simply move to another channel,” Habeeb added, addressing detractors.

Without referring to critics, Al Qaera Wal Nas TV, owned by advertising mogul Tareq Nour, said it would suspend the show temporarily as a mark of tribute for 11 Egyptian policemen who were killed on Tuesday in an attack by suspected Islamist militants in Sinai.

“This is an original Egyptian art [belly-dance] that shares our joys and good events,” the broadcaster said in a statement late on Tuesday. “It’s an art which the world admires and sets up schools and academies for it.”