Chapter 8: Sexual Overtures

When I chose to specialise in oriental dance, I didn’t fully appreciate the different styles, or the wide range of cultural significance, of such dances. Aaliyah is our main tutor for oriental dance. She spends the first few weeks of tuition highlighting the various styles and explaining the difference between ritual dances for special occasions and those for pure entertainment. Even belly dancing has different styles. The movements I’ve been performing have been a hodgepodge of styles. Yvonne has the same problem. Aaliyah insists Yvonne and I practise performing wholly in one style or another, and sets us the task of adapting our style to be purely Egyptian or purely Turkish. Although we could both have chosen the same style, Yvonne chooses to adapt to the lively Turkish style requiring bold body movements and intricate footwork, while I opt for the more fluid and subtle movements of the Egyptian style.

We practise seven days a week wearing a cotton halter top and a pair of loose fitting knee length trousers. The list of things to bring included three sets of practise clothing. For performances, I will need a full costume, but the academy instructed me to wait and purchase something suitable while I’m here. So far I’m not sure how I’m going to do that. We aren’t allowed out of the château grounds. Aaliyah says that she will help us buy our costume using a special online application available in the academy office.

So far our tuition has focussed on movement rather than costume. While we are learning both traditional dances as well as more modern belly dances, in reality the dance movements are remarkably similar. A solemn temple dance can be adapted to a raunchy belly dance with relative ease. However, Aaliyah insists we learn the difference between the music and movements appropriate for celebrations such as weddings and birthdays, and those which are not.

“Demain, tu commenceras à t’entraîner en costume,” says Aaliyah when we finish practise for the day.

By now my French has improved enough to understand that we will begin practising in costume from tomorrow.

“I don’t have a costume,” I say to Yvonne as we walk to the gymnasium.

“Nor do I,” replies Yvonne. “I was told to purchase something when I arrived here, but I haven’t had the chance to do so. I hope Aaliyah realises that. I don’t fancy enduring another of Madame Brigitte’s punishment duties.”

By now our gruelling regime of dance practise and physical exercise has toned our muscles and made us much fitter. I find that I can now endure all the activity without suffering aching muscles or blisters in the process. Yvonne isn’t quite so lucky. An old injury means her feet have a tendency to trouble her.

“Perhaps you should switch to the Egyptian style of dancing,” I suggest. “There’s no rapid footwork involved.”

“I did consider that, but Aaliyah says the Egyptian style requires the dancer to improvise rather than follow a set routine. You’re good at that. I’m not so sure I can do so well. Besides, we will almost certainly be required to practise the other style later on. We may even have to include some ballet movements as well.”

“Have you ever performed in public?” I ask.

“A few private parties. My school grades weren’t good enough to go to college, and I didn’t want to work in a shop or office for a living. Dancing is my passion, but the competition is fierce for parts in shows. I drifted into belly dancing as a means of earning some money. Someone from a scholarship foundation approached me when they saw me dance, and offered to fund my training. That’s how I ended up here.”

“That’s a coincidence,” I say. “I was also approached and offered a scholarship to train here. Which foundation is sponsoring you?”

“The von Herrschaft Foundation. This academy is one of the von Herrschaft enterprises.”

I should have wondered about the connection between Heidi and Serena. It makes sense that Serena works for the von Herrschaft family. But everything happened so fast, and I didn’t have time to investigate everything.

“Are you required to serve a period of indenture with the von Herrschaft conglomerate when you finish your training here?” I ask.

“Yes. For six months,” replies Yvonne. “I presume from your question, that you are as well.”

“Yes. I met a student from a Canadian university who was indentured to Heidi von Herrschaft during the summer breaks. Bea was effectively Heidi’s slave, although she seemed to be okay with that.”

“Hmm. It’s the one thing that made me hesitate to accept the foundation’s offer,” replies Yvonne. “My parents would go ballistic if they knew what I’ve agreed to do once I’ve finished here.”

“Does that mean you are like me and what they call a ‘submissive’?”

“I think all the students here are submissive by nature. It’s what draws them here. This place specialises in teaching people like us. In other training facilities we would probably be sidelined by more assertive students and fail the course. At least here we have a chance to learn among equals.”