Male belly dancers, or âzennes,â were a mainstay of Turkish culture during the Ottoman Empire. Though Turkey today has been guided by its socially conservative Islamic government and culture, Istambul is currently experiencing a paradoxical revival of zennes.
âMale belly dancing is not new, but for the past three years demand has gone up. Everywhere I look, itâs zenne, zenne, zenne as if thereâs less interest now for female belly dancers,â Zenne Segah, a 26-year-old dancer (pictured) told the Wall Street Journal.Â
Once performing mostly in gay dive bars, last year Zenne Segah graced stages in Germany and Cyprus, and snagged a nightly slot at Istanbulâs flashy Club Chanta.
Despite the growing demand for male bellydancers, itâs still not an altogether easy path.
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Segahâs father was slow to warm to idea of a belly dancing son, and he says men often start out uncomfortable at shows.
âFirst they may be baffled about a man wearing a skirt and dancingâŚ.But after they watch me on the stage for five to 10 minutes, they see Iâm just doing art. They see their wives and women cheering and enjoying it and they usually loosen up,â he said.
During the Ottoman Empire, the men who belly danced in the Sultanâs court would wear the clothes of females and often take on androgynous personas. Theyâd also likely be paid courtesans to noblemen.
Below, meet Zenne Segah and get a taste of the reemerging art form:
Giancarlo85
Good looking indeed đ I like this… but it must be difficult. Turkey is a country that is being split apart by a deeply corrupt conservative government.
BigWoody
Check out these two beautiful male belly dancers…
Illan Riviere https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12u5ggQ8ozk
and
Ilhan Karabacak https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJq9lOHjxrs
throwslikeagirl
Wow. Yes, please. I need to sit down and fan myself awhile after viewing that!
Giancarlo85
I love how androgynous they look… just so awesome.