I want you to see this:
Arab Youth of Viña de Mar/Valparaiso Chile
Viña de Mar is a resort town on the Pacific with a climate similar to Los Angeles. Valparaiso is the adjacent city and a major port town.
They both have significant Arab populations.
Arabic dancing is ubiquitous in South America, and culturally equivalent to Celtic dancing in America. America has more Celts; South America more Arabs. But the cultural penetration is similar. Both have become mainstream, and now have drawn in membership from outside the original communities.
Look at the dancers. These are from middle class or wealthier families. A glance at their complexions will show that many are only partly-Arabic. Yet, this is how mainstream Arabic Dancing has become in South America.
In America, this might draw suspicion. In Chile, it draws respect, and to a degree, envy.
