A year ago, I wrote about how a lot of the concerns in the bellydance world are more universal than we often think. That issues we have within the bellydance community or with public perception are unique to us.

While I was researching dance shoes, I came across a number of discussions that were extremely familiar:

• Salsa in your blood?? Give me a break - You could find this exact same discussion on any bellydance forum, talking about women who claim to have bellydance in their blood. Even the discussion of musicality developed by growing up with the music. And the sentiment that "native dancers" have more simplicity, and American dancers do too much flashy stuff.
• [Tango-L] "Alternative" Music.... - Take this discussion, replace "Neotango" with "tribal bellydance, replace "Argentinian Tango" with "Egyptian Raks Sharki" and marvel at the familiarity of the discussion.
• The Microwave Age of Salsa Instructors.; Dancers making themselves instructors overnight! - Oh, this is a hot button in the bellydance community (Though I wondered at the poster identifying themselves as one of only 36 certified salsa instructors in the world. Though teacher certification is a big controversy in the bellydance community too. One teacher out in CA advertises herself as the *only* authentic teacher in the US!)