Rihanna is a world-renowned Barbadian singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. Throughout her career, she has been known for her bold and unique fashion choices, as well as her powerful and unforgettable performances. One such performance that caught the attention of the media and fans alike was her "pagan dance" routine. During a live performance at the 2012 Grammy Awards, Rihanna took the stage with her hit song "We Found Love." The performance showcased a dark and provocative theme, with Rihanna adorned in a revealing and edgy outfit. As the performance progressed, she engaged in a series of captivating dance moves that were reminiscent of pagan rituals.
Before it was just—it was robbing us. Before streaming, it was robbing artists. Robbing us of our sales. It’s free music. So now the free music counts. It is definitely going to make a big difference in the music industry. For a fact.
But on this sunny California afternoon, Rihanna arrived casually turned out, in a vintage Guess leather biker jacket, green Vetements sweatpants, and a Star Wars T-shirt. This interview, for Vogue s April cover story, took place on Super Bowl Sunday in the sprawling gothic home of Carlton Gebbia, whom fans of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills will remember as the Celtic pagan witch from season four.
As the performance progressed, she engaged in a series of captivating dance moves that were reminiscent of pagan rituals. The pagan dance routine consisted of hypnotic and ritualistic movements, as Rihanna and her backup dancers moved in sync with each other. The performance showcased elements of sensuality, mystery, and spirituality, with the use of intricate choreography and expressive body language.
Critics, calm down! Rihanna’s sparkly mitre won’t harm the Catholic church
R ihanna turned up in a glittering mitre and Madonna sang Like a Prayer, and together with the frocks of other A-list celebrities attending New York’s Met Gala with its Catholic church theme, they sent some commentators into overdrive. The fulminations ranged from accusations of blasphemy to cultural appropriation. Piers Morgan wrote that the event “crossed a line and was openly, brazenly disrespectful” to his religion.
What the critics failed to mention was the extent to which the Met Ball and the exhibition from which it took its inspiration – Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute – have the support of the Vatican. It has loaned dozens of items, including vestments, from its priceless collection to the show; it sent the Sistine Chapel choir to sing at the Met Ball; and Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York attended too. Dolan joked: “I’m the only one who didn’t have to go out and buy an outfit.”
He also said the Met had been respectful and guests polite and friendly. So if there was any cultural appropriation, the Vatican encouraged it, given the loans from its collections. After all, the church is itself a past master at appropriation. It took pagan symbols and traditions such as mistletoe and eggs to become parts of Christmas and Easter. In parts of Africa and Latin America, music and dance of different cultures have often been incorporated into Catholic liturgies.
Met Gala 2018: let us give thanks for the best dress code of all time Read moreWhat Dolan’s appreciation of the show reveals, though, is the extent to which the Catholic church wants to engage with contemporary culture. Heavenly Bodies is evidence of new thinking inside the Vatican. Its museums used to be sniffily exclusive, neither borrowing nor lending to other galleries. That has now changed, as has the attitude of the Sistine Chapel choir, which now engages with other musicians too, such as Westminster Abbey’s choir, which has sung at St Peter’s. Much of this is down to the influence of Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, president of the Pontifical Council for Culture, who first involved the church in exhibiting at Venice’s art biennale in 2013.
The Heavenly Bodiesshow highlights not only this engagement, but also shows quite how profound an influence Catholicism can have on culture. Curator Andrew Bolton, raised as a Catholic in Lancashire, has said that when he started researching religions and fashion he discovered that most of the designers he was studying were baptised Catholics.
Catholicism is certainly a visual religion: visit a church and you will find statues of the Virgin Mary, the saints and martyrs. Then there is the stained glass, the crucifixes, the richly embroidered vestments. It all fires a child’s imagination. Catholic iconography isn’t just found in church either, but in the home. My Catholic grandmother kept a statue of the Sacred Heart in her kitchen, and used it for her spare elastic bands: if she’d been granny to Gaultier, Galliano or Balenciaga, imagine what that might have inspired.
Something else is evident about the designers chosen for the Met’s show: their imaginations were fired by the church, but mostly they are lapsed Catholics. If lapsed Catholics I know are typical, it’s more likely that the designers are horrified by the church’s record on abuse and find its approach to sex, and especially to gay people, too rigid. Cardinal Dolan has said he had conversations at the Met Ball with people speaking fondly of their Catholic childhoods. He and Pope Francis need to think hard about why, for so many brought up Catholic, the church means nostalgia for the past, rather than a guiding light for the present.
Catherine Pepinster is the author of The Keys and the Kingdom: The British and the Papacy
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The choice to incorporate pagan imagery and dance moves in her performance sparked a debate among fans and critics. Some argued that it was a creative and artistic expression of spirituality, while others found it offensive and inappropriate. Despite the controversy, the performance was generally praised for its visually stunning aesthetics and Rihanna's commanding stage presence. Rihanna's "pagan dance" routine at the Grammy Awards was a reflection of her bold and fearless approach to music and performance. It demonstrated her willingness to push boundaries and challenge traditional norms. Through her artistic choices, she continues to captivate audiences and redefine pop culture..
Reviews for "How Rihanna's Pagan Dance Celebrates Diversity and Inclusion"
1. John - 1 star
I was really disappointed with Rihanna's pagan dance performance. It seemed like a desperate attempt to shock and gain attention rather than a genuine artistic expression. The whole performance was filled with unnecessary sexual innuendo and provocative choreography, which felt forced and gratuitous. I was hoping for a more meaningful and thought-provoking performance, but unfortunately, all I got was a cheap spectacle.
2. Sarah - 2 stars
I must admit that Rihanna's pagan dance left me feeling a bit confused. The whole concept seemed unclear, and it felt like she was just throwing in random elements without any deeper meaning. The performance lacked cohesion and failed to engage the audience on an emotional or intellectual level. It's a shame because I usually enjoy Rihanna's performances, but this one missed the mark for me.
3. Michael - 1 star
I couldn't understand the purpose of Rihanna's pagan dance. It felt like a mishmash of cultural references without any clear message or narrative. The costumes were bizarre, and the choreography was disjointed and uninspired. It felt like she was trying too hard to shock and be controversial without any substance behind it. Overall, it was a forgettable performance that left me questioning why I even bothered watching it.
4. Emily - 2 stars
Rihanna's pagan dance performance was a letdown for me. While I appreciate her efforts to explore different artistic concepts, this one seemed half-baked and underdeveloped. The choreography lacked creativity, and the transitions between different scenes felt awkward and abrupt. It felt like she was trying too hard to be avant-garde without actually delivering anything meaningful or enjoyable. Overall, it was a forgettable performance that failed to leave a lasting impression.
5. David - 1 star
Rihanna's pagan dance was a complete disaster in my opinion. The whole performance was filled with unnecessary shock value and explicit content that added nothing to the overall experience. It seemed like she was relying on shock tactics rather than showcasing her true talent. The music was forgettable, and the dance moves were uninspired. Overall, it was a disappointing performance that I regretted wasting my time on.