asim

I don't enjoy Rachel Brice because she's an innovative dancer, exactly.  I love that she's her own woman, and stands up for a view of raqs that's at odds with many concepts, without being dismissive of what has come before.  From The Telegraph (UK):

Rachel Brice leads the Superstars' "tribal" group, whose costumes are much edgier. She has a gypsy-punk look, complete with porcupine quills and boar tusks in her hair, and a floral tattoo that winds enticingly from her lower belly over one hip to her backside. "There are so many levels to belly-dance," Rachel says. "It's great if you're into performance, fitness, costume, make-up, anything."
"Or just if you're into good-looking women," I suggest.
She stares pointedly. "That's my least favourite element. That's one of the reasons I like to perform a little strangely. It takes that whole 'Yeah baby!' thing away. It puts a bit of fear into the audience."

This is actually an interesting article, overall.  I despise the actual writing, which manages to leer -- on paper, no less -- every time he writes about any of the dancers.  It's a slimy Orentalist Wish fantasy, and he even admits it:

As I watch the 13 dancers rehearse their stage show at the Salisbury City Hall, I feel I shouldn't be sitting in an empty municipal theatre in Wiltshire. I should be reclining on silken cushions, nibbling sweetmeats and sucking on a hookah pipe. I should be choosing which of the girls will be wrapped and delivered to my tent.

Bastard.
And yet, there are some real gems in it:

Next year, the Bellydance Superstars will perform for three nights at the Cairo Opera House, the first belly-dancers ever to appear there. "The Opera House love that they're American girls dancing to Arab music," says Copeland. "It's a sign that we Westerners don't turn our noses up at their culture. I have Saudi financiers calling me up all the time. People in the Arab world want to create a bridge with the West."

Or:

"These dancers are incredible, I adore them," he says, rapturously. "Night after night, they've pulled off great shows in awful places on tiny stages. We played a place called Hairy Mary's in Des Moines, Iowa. We had to pick the broken glass off the stage before the girls could go on."
He stops before chiding himself: "Miles! Sorry, I shouldn't refer to them as 'girls'. They're ladies."

Indeed they are, Miles.  And haven't you managed to get in enough trouble over that already, young man?

But perhaps the best part is Jillina's bit at the end, with 10 tips:

3 The best body shape is voluptuous, with a long torso and curves. No one's ever been turned away for being too big.

and

6 Do it for the love of it. It took a while for belly-dancing to catch on and at the start people would boo; but then some people in our troupe were asked to dance at Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston's wedding, which was obviously very exciting.

I don't agree with them all -- I think her advice for men wanting to get into the dance is iffy (yoga yes, ballet no), but they are all food for thought.  I suspect a talk with Jillina would be interesting...