Abstract :
Muslim women in Arabic countries have unique experiences that are shaped in large part by their culturesʹ beliefs regarding the female body. Mandated behaviors and menʹs attitudes towards womenʹs role in society have likewise created oppressive situations which have affected womenʹs sense of self. Because many of those experiences are body‐based, it is reasonable to assume that much valuable information is accessible through the body. Memories, feelings and relationships can all be explored and expressed through movement. This method of research proposes to communicate the implicit, non‐verbal and non‐quantitative aspects of Muslim womenʹs experiences in their bodies. Movement interviews were conducted with six intentionally selected women to gather non‐verbal ‘embodied’ material. Because the women were hesitant to be videotaped, I invited each to hold the camera and film me twice. The first time, each woman filmed my own kinesthetic response to her dance and the second, as I recreated her dance in my body. Data were analyzed through the embodiment of the womenʹs movement and transformed into a dance conveying the significant themes shared by the women.
