Online Debates

Within communities, disagreements are inevitable. People interact and share ideas and experiences, so of course, not everyone will agree with all opinions shared. I am an active member of the Bellydance community on Facebook and Instagram. Every so often, I am reminded of why so many people- particularly young people, opt out of Facebook. Dancers usually use Facebook to share dance videos, advertise classes and events, or ask for music suggestions or advise. But once in a while, someone will share an option that causes a stir. Today, I saw a post by a very popular dancer based in Cairo, Egypt. She is of British and Egyptian decent. Because of her heritage and experience as a dancer, she is known as an authority figure in the community. So, if she points out a cause or a concern, people take notice. Today, she posted two video clips of her speaking on an issue. She said someone said that Shaabi is not a 'high art'. 'Shaabi' is a very casual style of modern Egyptian dance. Imagine people dancing casually in a club. It's a very similar feeling. It's all about having fun. However, in the Bellydance world, dancers take this style of dance and choreograph it for stage performance. This is where the debate beings, should Shaabi be performed as an art for stage performance? I've seen SO MANY arguments on Facebook over this one question. Saying a dance is not "high art" comes off as quite pretentious, in my opinion. I immediately think of Ballet. Ballet is often associated as being a form of 'high art' in the dance world. It is a classical style. I remember someone on Facebook asking why Bellydance isn't given the same respect as Ballet even though it is considered Egypt's classical style of dance. I explained that Ballet and Bellydance have VERY different origins. Ballet was created to entertain people of high status ie. Royalty and diplomats. Bellydance does not have that same origin story. Bellydance began folkloric style danced for fun or rituals by normal people. So, Ballet has the foundation, recognition, and FUNDING that Bellydance does not. There are Ballet companies all over the world that support performers. They organize events and provide costuming and music for performances. But that is because you can trace it to Ballet composers like Tchaikovsky or prestigious companies like the Bolshoi Ballet in Russia. For Bellydance, its history traces back to possibly ancient Egypt. People can confirm that was performed by nomadic tribes in Upper Egypt. Eventually, dancers began performing it in cabaret theatres and in films. Today, dancers have to buy their own equpiment and source their own music. If they work with live musicians, the dancer pays them out of their own pocket. So, the two orgin stories are completely opposite, therefore opposite outcomes. Back to the post from today,the dancer in the video, spoke on how Shaabi is a dance of the working class people of Egypt, and it should not be looked down on. She explained that she herself is of Shaabi origin (Shaabi meaning 'working class'). Both of her parents are Shaabi and she just 'somehow' (her words) got into Oxford University. Shaabi is just as much of an art as classical Bellydance. Personally, I agree with her statement. It really shouldn't matter what style a person dances, as long as they and their audience enjoy it. I don't understand why people in this community like to make issues out of non-issues. This post recieved over one hundred likes and a dozen shares. I hoped someone in the comments may have mentioned the post or person she was referring to- quite often commenters will link to the original post or the poster's account, but not this time. I did find another post that seemed to be a response to her video. This person posted a series of infographics stating that Shaabi is an art and that all styles of Egyptian dance is Shaabi. They continued that making distinctions like "high art" and "low art" is classist and plays into an agenda. This kinds of issues come up quite regularly. Recently, there have been complaints that performers are "too athletic" and focus too much on tricks rather than technique and that costumes need to be more modest. So, now there's a sterotype that American dancers are very prudish because those kind of comments often come from Americans. I know of a Georgian dancer who also said dancers today focus too much on tricks. Me, I enjoy doing tricks, however, I still make sure to listen and respond to what I hear in the music. Musicality is so important. These days, I try to stay out of these debates. They just give me a headache.

Music Hunt

I think I'm a music addict. I have a terabyte external drive filled with music from various countries. Plus a large binder full of CDs- and even more music on my laptop. Some of it is backed up on iTunes. I need to remember to back them on an external drive. Despite all of this, I never feel like I have enough music. The last couple of weeks, I've been looking for new music to dance to. I specialize in Egyptian styles- also known as Belly Dance. I perform cabaret styles, but I also love Saidi. Saidi is a folkloric style originating from upper Egypt. It was inspired by men's stick fighting game called Tahtib. It is believed that women watched as the men sparred with each other and imitated them, creating the Saidi dance we know today. I love this style and have been practicing and performing it more the last couple of years. So, as expected, I need more music. I searched iTunes and Youtube, but many of the Saidi tracks I either already have or I'm just not feeling. So, I asked my good friend Chat GPT for suggestions. "Recommend some fun Saidi songs to dance to". It offered a variety of tracks. It even organized them by style. There was a list of "Classic/Folk Saidi" and "Modern/ Electronic Fusion Saidi" tracks. I was quite impressed so, I made another request for ballroom music, then R&B Kpop tracks and Didgeridoo music. Meanwhile on Facebook in one of the Bellydance groups, a fellow dancer requested suggestions for music for an upcoming gig. She was looking for a dramatic entrance piece. Several others replied to the post offering suggestions that fit the description. One day, I recieved a message from an elder dancer also looking for new music. She's used to buying and using CDs for music, but these days, CDs releases are becoming less common. So, she was looking for options for finding music. She heard that many dancers use Spotify. I've tried Spotify, though I'm not crazy about it because I like having the option to edit my music if needed. I told her that I get music from a variety of sources, like iTunes, Amazon Music, and CDs. I also get a lot of music from other people. ^_^; I'm not sure if I was helpful to her, but it is what it is.

Week 2 Reflection

I feel like the reading and discussions this week really emphasized the social impacts of social media. There's this amazing phenomenon where we as a society are so connected by technology, yet so isolated by it. We are updated on happenings in an instant and it is so easy to contact friends and family. But at the same time, algorithms customize new feeds, so we don't always see the same things. Parents give their kids phones or iPads to keep them quiet and busy. Media compaines purposely create rage bait to get more views, so now people are so angry and scared, they refuse to hear other people's perspectives. When used properly, the new technologies and developments are amazing and so helpful. But when it is misused, there are very real risks. I've been hearing more and more discussions surrounding these topics. Will we come to an agreement on possible solutions? I like to stay hopeful and say maybe. I think in order to come to this agreement, people need to be more aware of the factors that influence them and their experiences as netizens, and take personal ownership of what they expose themselves and their children to.

Rage Bait

Today, I will go a bit off topic. I believe this is an important topic to consider when utilizing social media and other internet tools. This morning I listened to a podcast by Youtuber Dasia Sade addressing how corporate media purposely frames messages in a negative or offensive way to profit from the anger of those who consume content. "Rage Content" also known as "Rage Baiting" is a tactic journalists and media creators use to attract attention to their content. In the book "The Rhetoric of Outrage: Why Social Media is Making Us Angry", the author notes that Forbes Journalist, Helen Popkins wrote, "Anger is the most viral emotion on the Internet". When a person sees something that outrages them, they are very likely to share it with others. That anger and offense is likely to stay with them throughout their day. Social media, particularly Facebook, are major vehicles in the distribution of rage bait. Social media platforms and news sources don't always vet or disclose all of the details of a situation when utilizing this tactic. Quite often, they will create an outrageous or deciving titles and headlines - quite often with a negatively suggestive photo to attract attention. Many people stop here and come to their own conclusion regarding the situtation and fail to read the full article for details. In many cases, the article is either vague with inconclusive details or is completely opposite to what the title and photo suggest. The person is decieved and misinformed about the situation in question. Another risk to this practice is this; it often perpetuates stereotypes. Some common stereotypes in recent years include: People who are politically conservative are racists. Liberals are overly sensitive 'snowflakes'. Black people are criminals. Middle Eastern and Hispanics are terrorists. Millenials and Gen Z are lazy and refuse to work. All of these stereotypes are not at all true 100% of the time, yet these are the types of narratives rage bait uses to attract attention. Combine these messages with the algorithms of social media- especially Facebook, the messages become amplified. Social media selects the content seen based on the individual's viewing and engagement patterns. If a person views or comments on a post that utilizes negative language about a particular group, they will see more of that kind of post. The system has then identified that kind of post will keep the person coming back to the platform. Therefore, the more the person sees and thinks that message, the more they believe it. That is how stereotypes and prejudices are continued. To break this cycle, it is important that people do not react to rage bait articles and to fact-check them. Find credible journals and news sources that and have a neutral bias. These will be the most reliable and factual than politically scewed sources. Dasia Sade pointed out that biased news sources often have blind spots. There are important news and events they will not acknowlegde because it does not fit their narrative. So, if you consume content from onlky one source, you will not get the full story. To be a well-informed people, we need to learn how to identify rage bait and stop reacting and sharing it. We need to look at it with a very crtical eye and to determine if this is the truth or if the writer is trying to manipulate the reader and their emotions.

RSS Feed? YES!!

 Going through this week's tasks, I became intrigued by the idea of using RSS feed. I have been wanting something to consolidate my go-to social media pages. I'm often overwhelmed with the everchanging stream of social media. I try my best to control what is displayed, but quite often irrelevant posts and pages slip into my feed, overtaking the content I actually want to see.

As I mentioned in previous posts, I use social media as a portfolio and news board for casting calls and dance-related events. Many of my alerts come from Facebook. Though I have my account set to notify me of updates, I don't always receive notifications or they get lost in the sea of ads and suggested posts and pages. An RSS feed would be extremely helpful to filter out the noise of social media sites, so I can work more efficiently and focus on my plans.

I'm going to give Inoreader a try for this class, but I'll likely give one or two others a shot as well. I want to find one that will import Facebook pages. It appears Inoreader will do it if you upgrade. Another requires you to use a tool like RSSHub to create a file to import. I will continue researching and consider my options. I really like this idea!

Week 1 Reflection

 This week, I reflected on the array of possibilities that social media has to offer. The platforms can be used to do way more than scrolling through memes. They can also be used to promote businesses or teach others how to do specific skills. Social media has the power to convey information rapidly and efficiently. When done properly, instructors can use it to elevate their lessons and tools for teaching. 

Social media platforms can also provide opportunities to build communities for people to engage in a particular interest. The benefit of these communities is that there's a greater variety than what you typically would find in person.  These communities also contain people from a variety of backgrounds from around the world. People can find support from others that they would not meet otherwise. This is particularly valuable to those who have niche interests or going through personal struggles. 

Though there are an array of benefits to using social media, there are risks. For example, online bullying. People often take advantage of the anonymity of social media. This may lead to spreading rumors about others. They may say things that they normally would not say in person. 

In the article, Navigating Social Media: How Offline Ethics, Online Etiquette, and Protection Behavior Shape Self-Disclosure, the authors pointed out that anonymity of social media may also lead to people oversharing about themselves. This was something that I initially did not consider. However, I was reminded about posts on Reddit. There is a sub-Reddit called "r/AmItheAsshole". In this sub-Reddit, people share their personal struggles and ask for advice, often asking for confirmation if they responded appropriately in the situation they were in. There are also several Youtube channels dedicated to sharing Reddit stories. 

Facebook and Instagram users are also known for oversharing. People post photos of their children and families, degrees that they received, driver licenses, and car license plates. I've seen users post their personal phone number and address in public posts. Scammers can use this information to hack accounts or commit identity theft. Some people also report being stalked and threatened by people who found their address online. Therefore, oversharing poses a serious risk online. Again, social media has a lot of potential and much to offer, but it must be used appropriately and securely. 

Admin Assistant

Saturdays are normally quiet days for me. I usually spend the day relaxing and preparing for the coming week- unless I have a performance that day. Then it's pure chaos as I prepare for event. Today was not a show day, so I could relax and unwind. 

I also had some tasks to take care of. I've been assisting another dancer set up her website. This particular dancer is well known in the Belly Dance scene. She lived in Egypt for several years working as a dancer. I've followed her on social media for several years- as have many others- and attended virtual workshops and reading about her experiences living and working in Egypt. She has a wealth of knowledge about the language, and culture behind this style of dance. 

One day, as I scrolled through Facebook, I saw her status saying she needed assistance with her social media. I jumped and messaged her immediately. She messaged me back. Along with social media, she needed the most help with her website. So, I offered to help with that as well. Since then, we've been working together to get her website in functioning order. 

Because it is easy to refer to our chat history, we communicate a lot through Facebook. Though we share large files via Google Drive. This week, I've been working on transferring her blog from Blogger to her website. I had a couple of questions for her, so I message her in Facebook about. As soon as I hear back, I'll get back to it!

Networked and Behind the Scenes

 Today, I am a bit all over the place- as if that is anything new. Social media is a necessity for me and my lifestyle as a dancer. I tried to delete it completely from my life, but I was left in the dark about events in the performing arts scene. 

Though social media can be mentally and a HUGE time killer, it can be quite useful. So, this semester, I will provide a bit of insight into how I use social media as a performer.

Facebook:

I consider Facebook to be my "Backstage" app. There are so many resources it offers. I also have it set up to notify me whenever performance or audition opportunities are posted. My artist pseudonym is Aya Baheera, so all of my social media accounts will display that name.

I'm currently making plans to move to Orlando, so I went to Facebook to find groups in the area that match my interests (Belly Dance, Ballroom Dance, and Tennis). I found several groups for Ballroom and Tennis to follow. I already followed all of the groups and pages for Belly Dance. Unexpectedly, one of the dance groups, Everything Ballroom, automatically added me to active group chats.  The conversation wasn't that stimulating. It was mostly people promoting their social media pages and events.

I also have a couple of dance events I'm planning to attend this summer. One of which I need to confirm my attendance and the other I need to submit my performance music. The contacts and event information are provided via Facebook, so I can either message them via the app or get the correct contact information from the event details. The general rule of thumb is public events and audition information is available on Facebook. Private and corporate events will contact directly.

Youtube: 

I have been learning about investing. Every morning, I listen to podcasts about investing and the country's current economic situation. My go-to Youtube channel each morning is Minority Mindset. He explains how to invest in simple and practical terms with the gimmicks that you normally find online. And of course, I always do additional research to confirm the information in the videos.

Reddit:

Back to my pending move to Orlando. I'm trying to determine which neighborhood to move to. I've visited Orlando for weekend events, so I don't know the city very well. Through my research, I found a dance studio I'd like to join and I found that the gym I have a membership with has 2 branches in Orlando. I found the neighborhood they are located in and looked for opinions about that neighborhood on Reddit. Now, Reddit isn't the best place to look for unbiased opinions, but I think the thoughts and opinions shared give a surface-level idea of what to expect from there. Added research helps to make a more informed decision. 

While I was at it, I looked up opinions about what it's like living in Orlando. I found responses from people in and out of state. The people from out of state loved living there, while locals unanimously said "We're full!" lol.

Instagram:

Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube (and sometimes Tiktok) function as portfolios for me. I regularly upload photos and videos of dance performances and other creative projects I'm working on. Today, I uploaded a clip from a performance last weekend. I regularly update Instagram, Youtube and Facebook. I tried to keep Tiktok updated, but I'm just not as active on there.