Belly dancing has always been a popular profession for women in Turkey. When the profession first started, men ‘zennas’ participated as much as women. Zennes used to be young. In the days of the Ottoman Empire, boys at the age of 7 (mostly from non-Muslim families) started training and they performed until they could no longer hide their beards. That is no longer an issue, Tarik said. “I can dance with a beard, as long as it is stylish. However, body hair is still a no-no.”
Another male dancer, Ali Murat Sahiner, in his mid-30s, is open about his identity. Sahiner, better known as Diva has been dancing since 2000, and his family knows about his profession. He has danced at the most prestigious nightclubs in Turkey, such as Al Jamal, Cahide and Zarifi.
In the early 2000s, Diva says, my friends who had a restaurant in Ankara asked if I could perform one night because there was a shortage of male dancers in those days. That is how I started. Then I went to a popular resort town on the Mediterranean] during the summer, and I now live in Istanbul and earn my living exclusively by dancing.
Diva is passionate about his art, and he is known to have inspired many young dancers. He said, “Initially, it was a secret but once I appeared on television, we could no longer hide it. My family was concerned, but now they understand this is my profession.” Diva, like many other dancers, has a website since he does not hide his identity or wear a veil during performances for fear of cameras.
The most famous belly dancer in Germany is a Turkish male dancer, Mehmet Sasmaz.
Women still find belly dancing satisfying work and welcome men to their ranks.
