Criminal law, International, Politics, Religion

Zumba Banned In Iran As Anti-Islamic

The Iranians have given the world another absurd application of its brand of Islamic faith.  The government has declared that Zumba exercises classes are effectively banned in Iran because the dance “contravenes Islamic ideology.”  The “rhythmic movements” of Zumba appear to be anti-Islamic. There is no room for rhythmic dance in the Islamic Republic.

Ali Majdara, the head of Iran’s General Sports Federation issued a declaration that “In light of activities such as Zumba, performing rhythmic movements or dancing in any form is not legal in any shape or title and the prohibition of movements such as this is requested.”

The government has warned that any athletics must be carried out “in the framework of supreme Islamic ideology.”   As a result, Zumba classes have been shutdown around the country.

Like wearing hajibs while playing chess or barring women from international volleyball competitions, the government continues to impose absurd requirements on citizens in adherence to its strict Islamic principles.

 

 

14 thoughts on “Zumba Banned In Iran As Anti-Islamic”

  2. “Ali Majdara, the head of Iran’s General Sports Federation issued a declaration that “In light of activities such as Zumba, performing rhythmic movements or dancing in any form is not legal in any shape or title and the prohibition of movements such as this is requested.””

    Aside from the obvious observation that such a prohibition is absurd. Mr Majdara appears to be completely unacquainted with the style of dance endemic to his country.

    I love Middle Easter dance. As an amateur, I’ve studied Turkish, Persian, and Egyptian styles (Egyptian is my favorite), attended many performances and concerts, as well as the Americanized completely unauthentic “Tribal Bellydance”. They are all fun and feminine. And I’ve been to a lot of Middle Eastern parties and clubs. In traditional Persian families, they dance at home at parties filled with extended family and close friends. And all the generations dance together. I do assure you that the grandmas are dancing in a “rhythmic” and very graceful way. Middle Eastern dance can be very coquettish and flirty, but is not in any way a strip tease. It is still considered titillating when done professionally, due to the repressive nature of the society. Only a “certain class of person” dances professionally.

    I can see how an imam would seek to interfere with professional dancing or music videos. Such repression is also common in Saudi Arabia against female musical artists who dance in music videos. However, to attempt to ban dancing in general is a major change to the culture. People grow up dancing at home to Persian music in Iran. Dance has a cultural history of thousands of years in the Middle East, as well as an equally long history of discrimination against professional dancers.

    Ali Majdara must take his position as the Fun Police very seriously.

  5. Gilda Radner sang a song on Saturday Night Live back in the good old days. Or days of old when knights were bold. The song started out with these lyrics:
    Bomb, bomb, bomb..
    Bomb bomb Iran!
    Oh, bomb Iraaan!
    I’ll take my staaand!
    Rockin and a rollin, rockin and a reelin ..
    Bomb Iran!

  6. It’s easy to make fun of people — nightly talk shows regarding Trump for example. Making fun of people has no useful purpose.

    More useful is to try to understand why Islamic Clerics believe that it’s important to enforce irrational punative laws? When a population is largely illiterate, simplistic rules tend to keep them under control. As education increases, rational thinking can do the same thing.

    1. ” When a population is largely illiterate, simplistic rules tend to keep them under control. As education increases, rational thinking can do the same thing.”

      So as we rapidly approach post-industrial American we need to decrease education and get rid of rational though in order to be truly free?

      Well it does seem as though we have made some ‘progress’ in that direction. But I am still waiting or the ‘freedom dividend’.

  7. I watch the Baby First channel w/ my granddaughter. There’s also Zumbini for kids. An anorexic woman is the Zumbini instructor. She’s fascinating to watch.

  8. Pingback: Zumba Banned In Iran As Anti-Islamic | Freedom & Liberty Blog

  10. OT but important:

    http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/guantanamo/article157031899.html?platform=hootsuite

    The commander of the U.S. Southern Command has ordered an investigation into claims that somebody was illegally recording attorney-client meetings at Guantánamo from September 2015 to April 2017, a discovery that prompted a general to warn war court defense attorneys that their privileged communications were at risk.

    The episode is the latest in a long string of defense lawyers’ complaints about government interference into their privileged work — from the CIA’s having the clandestine capacity to mute court audio to FBI agents trying to turn defense team members into informants to the discovery of listening devices that looked like smoke detectors in legal meeting rooms.

  12. Welcome to the Twilight Zone. The only other explanation is too stupid to exist.

Comments are closed.