By: Vickie J. Rubinson
College isn't what it used to be folks. Women who can shake their hips may soon be able to earn an advanced degree in belly dancing, if Egypt's Ministry of Education proposal to establish an instititution of higher education devoted to the cultural art form is not blocked by lawmakers opposed to the idea.
The new belly dancing institution is to be funded and supervised by the Supreme Council of Universities and open to enrollment by young woman straight out of high school, similar to any other college, according to Al-Aribiya.
But some Islamist have objected to the school's establishment saying it degrades the value and notion of a university degree.
"It is unacceptable that the government would comply with the demands of belly dancers while it overlooks the suffering of the poor who make up 65% of the Egyptian society," said Islamist Faris Ismail in an interview, adding that such a degree would strip the university degree of any respect.
But belly dancers welcome the idea and hailed the acknowledgment a formal degree would bestow on a national art form while also offering greater protection to professional dancers.
"Belly dancing is threatened these days since Russians invaded the Egyptian market," said retired belly dancer FiFi Abdou, adding that there are many belly dancing institutions in the US and Europe
Dina, another Egyptian belly dancer, also welcomed the idea and said she would be ready to teach if she were asked.
College isn't what it used to be folks. Women who can shake their hips may soon be able to earn an advanced degree in belly dancing, if Egypt's Ministry of Education proposal to establish an instititution of higher education devoted to the cultural art form is not blocked by lawmakers opposed to the idea.
The new belly dancing institution is to be funded and supervised by the Supreme Council of Universities and open to enrollment by young woman straight out of high school, similar to any other college, according to Al-Aribiya.
But some Islamist have objected to the school's establishment saying it degrades the value and notion of a university degree.
"It is unacceptable that the government would comply with the demands of belly dancers while it overlooks the suffering of the poor who make up 65% of the Egyptian society," said Islamist Faris Ismail in an interview, adding that such a degree would strip the university degree of any respect.
But belly dancers welcome the idea and hailed the acknowledgment a formal degree would bestow on a national art form while also offering greater protection to professional dancers.
"Belly dancing is threatened these days since Russians invaded the Egyptian market," said retired belly dancer FiFi Abdou, adding that there are many belly dancing institutions in the US and Europe
Dina, another Egyptian belly dancer, also welcomed the idea and said she would be ready to teach if she were asked.
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