Debate Magazine
Because it is so inherently f-ing snobby. From The Evening Standard: A world-renowned bellydancing teacher today revealed her dismay at being forced to pay a £52,000 VAT bill after tax inspectors ruled that her art was recreational, not educational... Miss Cheruvier, who runs the Fleur Estelle Belly Dance School, fought to overturn the assessment, but has had her case thrown out at a tax tribunal. She said bellydancing was a "serious and systematic course of study" and that she should be given the same VAT exemption as private tutors in subjects such as maths and English. However, Judge Edward Sadler ruled that her private tuition was "recreational" rather than "educational" and was therefore not exempt from VAT... He said: "Most forms of dance are inherently recreational, that is, for the enjoyment and satisfaction of the participants rather than for their intellectual development. "A form of dance may move from the recreational to the educational where it is studied in the context of its history, cultural background and relevance, artistic aspirations and achievements, and critical appraisal."
