In episode "Try and Catch Me" which is available on tape, Mariette Hartley decides to take up belly dancing. "Her instructor is marvelous - very charismatic and knows what she's doing. Worth watching!"

"Also, there are a number of Columbos that have just a minute or two of belly dancing as a background scene." --Barbara Kohler

she plays Mariette Hartley's dance instructor. Marie Silva-Alexander is a Los Angeles area dancer. She was one of the most popular dancers and teachers through the 70's and 80's in LA. Marie is co- founder of MECDA (Middle Eastern Culture and Dance Association) which now has nearly 600 members. She toured extensively with the famous singer Sabah as the oriental dancer in her show & in her dabke group as well. Marie also danced through the US, Europe, and the Middle East in her solo carreer. She retired from dance in 1990. Marie is an accomplished actress and currently is the storyteller with Zahra Zuhair's Po Na Na Dance Theater. Allow me to add, Marie is one of the most professional people I've met in the 25 years I've been in the Middle Eastern dance business. --Zahra Zuhair

This is the episode that sparked a lot of debate on the med-dance mailinglist and many people to write in to the show to complain. Some people didn't mind the portrayl, but the majority of those who voiced an opinion were dismayed/outraged.

"Did anyone else see Cybill Monday January 6? She was planning a stag party for her ex-husband, and auditioned a 'bellydancer' named Destiny. Although I didn't actually see anything, I have the feeling that Destiny would have failed the panty police (she actually said at one point 'make sure he brings lots of folding money. I want my g-string to look like a hedgehog'). She wore a gold coin bra and a white sheer skirt which appeared to be sewn to a white belt, and that covered her from her waist to her hip. Cybill didn't want to hire her because she felt that it was exploitation, but Maryann encouraged her because Destiny could 'pit an olive with her navel' and Maryann wanted to see that. Flipping coins I've heard, but pitting olives? Anyway, I think I'd have to classify this one in the same catagory as the episode of the Simpsons with a 'bellydancer.' Actually, Destiny didn't even dance." --Susan

"I saw the Cybill episode with a lady dressed as a belly dancer. This situation is REAL here in Los Angeles. Girls will put on a costume from Fredricks of Hollywood (like the one in the Cybill show) and sell themselves as belly dancers to perform at bachelor parties, etc., even though they will not belly dance, but exotic dance! These women would NEVER, EVER be seen in an Arabic, Greek, Armenian, Egyptian, etc. venues, only in the above mentioned situation, like the Destiny character on Cybill. She did not dance, she just looked pretty

"Let's face it, we have been trying for decades to educate the masses on the ART of Oriental Dance. But it is still seen as exotic by the ignorant and uneducated. Unfortunately, we are not able to get prime air time on network tv to educate these people. Therefore, we must carry on our quest to educate those who are still ignorant and uneducated about ME dance, as we have been over the years." --Shahira

I caught the middle of a new game show from the Comedy Central channel, "Don't Forget Your Toothbrush." In this one game, the contestant was told a one sentence description about a person (there were about 12 sitting at desks in front of her), and she was supposed to figure out who it was. One of the people was a bellydancer. Her first name was Brandi, but I didn't catch her last name.

"Brandi is an excellent Los Angeles-based dancer, with a powerful style. She appears regularly at several area restaurants. Today my wife, daughter, mother-in-law and I had a wonderful champagne brunch in Pasadena at a restaurant where she dances on alternate Sundays with Shira."

"One of my students saw the latest... [Segment on ME dance seen on the E! Channel, unclear from what show.] sounds just like this description... could it be a re-run? She said the ME info was respectfully presented, termed as sensual, not sexual, and that although sandwiched between other forms (stripping, etc.) it was NOT implied that they were the same thing. Also said they sent an actress (don't know who) to take classes and her report was that it was: fun, sensual, personally uplifting and an empowering experience for her... and that she went home and told her S.O. that she would be doing this for a loooong time. Wasn't there myself, but my student liked the way it was presented." --Aziza Sa'id

"Well it seems the E - Entertainment Channel is enamoured with dancers lately. I have seen 4, count em 4, in the last two days, mostly on their "Wild On..." shows. The "Wild On" series started out as a somewhat interesting travel series and has turned into a wannabe T&A show. Lots of drunk college kids in exotic locales, acting a fool, or shows like "Wild On... The Riviera" in order to show a lot of topless women in butt floss bikini's.

Anyway, I only caught glimpses, but two nights ago (1/25/00) I saw one dancer who was a slim, beautiful, pale skinned girl with long straight red hair. She wore a coin bra and belt with a belly drape that looked to be from Cost Less. They had Jules Asner, the hostess, decked out in a beginner costume with a stereotypical face veil and she was giving her a little mini lesson. She seemed to be a lovely dancer, and was relaxed and professional. They looked to be in a restaurant but I don't know what city. On another show, last night. (1/26/00) They had a snippet of a woman on stage singing the theme from an old Bond flick at a concert at the Pyramids in Egypt. Perhaps this was New Years Eve. During which they briefly showed the backs of two dancers, one in a red costume. It was very quick. Then they were doing "Wild On... The Roman Empire" with Jules Asner in Rome and her co-host Todd at Ceasar's Palace in Vegas. They showed a couple dancers in Vegas, including one girl with a stereotypical "Jeannie" ponytail on and a gold Pharonics costume. She danced out, playing cymbals, and then they had her massage Todd's shoulders and feed him a grape as he sat down to their "6 course Roman Feast". Gag me. She looked completely irritated with the whole thing. Anyway, I beleive Jules is no longer the hostess of the show so I think these were repeats,especially with them being on around midnight, 1am... but still." --Shanna King

From Atea: The show was an hour special called "Erotica" (I'm not happy about that name!) and was shown several times throughout '97 on the E! Entertainment channel. The bellydance segment showed me teaching a class with my students Annalisa, Kirsten, and India. The actress was Amy Pietz, co-star of NBC's "Caroline In the City".

When I was first approached by the producer of the show (a woman), I was nervous about the show title and the fact that some of the other segments in the show would have a sexual theme. We discussed it thoroughly and she assured me that they would treat the dance with respect as a womens' art form (as you probably know, a producer's promises can mean nothing - they do what they want in the editing room!). However, I believed her to be sincere, we did the taping, and she kept her promise. So, we lucked out on that one! --- Atéa